Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Book by Joshua Goldberg
Lyrics by Joshua Goldberg and Ella McGrail
Music by Joshua Goldberg and Corrie Owens-Beauchesne
80 minutes, 2 acts | flexible cast
Journey with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion- and Toto too- down the Yellow Brick Road! This whimsical new musical goes back to the roots of L. Frank Baum’s classic American fairytale. When Dorothy is whisked away from dreary Kansas to the magical, marvelous land of Oz, she must travel to the Emerald City to see the Wizard- with helping hands and Wicked Witches around every corner! She’ll soon discover that with a little brains, heart, and courage, home is never far away.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Premiered in July 2015 at New Hampshire Theatre Project in Portsmouth, NH. Directed by Meghann Beauchamp.
July 2019 by Upside Arts at Portsmouth Middle School in Portsmouth, NH. Directed by Joshua Goldberg.
CHARACTERS
DOROTHY – A Kansas farm girl who dreams of more, in search of home.
TOTO – Dorothy’s faithful dog.
SCARECROW – After a lifetime spent in the cornfield, all he wants is a brain.
TIN WOODMAN – After a cursed axe left him made of metal, all he wants is a heart.
LION – The cowardly king of the forest, all he wants is some courage.
OZ – The Wizard of Oz himself. A humbug and former circus balloonist.
LOCASTA – The Good Witch of the North, she sets Dorothy off on her journey.
WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST – Ruler of the Winkies, protective against trespassers.
GLINDA – The Good Witch of the South, she has the key for sending Dorothy home.
AUNT EM – Dorothy’s Aunt, a stern but loving matriarch.
UNCLE HENRY – A Kansas farmer and Dorothy’s Uncle.
WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST – Ruler of the Munchkins, until she’s hit by a house.
NIMMIE AMEE – The Tin Woodman’s long lost Munchkin love.
FARMER
FARMER’S WIFE
OLD CROW
KALIDHAS
WILDCAT
QUEEN OF THE FIELD MICE
GUARDIAN OF THE GATES – The genial gatekeeper to the Emerald City.
PROFESSOR WOGGLEBUG
CAMERA MAN
SMITH
TINKER
GENERAL JINJUR
SOLDIER WITH THE GREEN WHISKERS
JELLIA JAMB – The head maid of the Wizard’s palace in the Emerald City.
OZ (HEAD)
OZ (FIRE)
OZ (MAIDEN)
OZ (BEAST)
WINKIE GUARD – The Wicked Witch of the West’s reluctant right-hand man.
LEADER OF THE WINGED MONKEYS – The playful and efficient leader.
ENSEMBLE – Tornado Dancers, Munchkins, Forest Creatures, Poppies, Field Mice, Winged Monkeys, Winkies, Citizens of the Emerald City
SONGS
1. Overture
2. Better Place Than Kansas – Dorothy
3. Twister Ballet
4. Golden Road – Locasta, Munchkins
5. Journey On (1) – Locasta, Munchkins, Dorothy
6. Make Decisions – Scarecrow, Dorothy
7. Journey On (2) – Dorothy, Scarecrow
8. I Used To Love Once – Tin Woodman, Nimmie Amee
9. Journey On (3) – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman
10. I’m A Lion (Hear Me Roar) – Lion, Forest Creatures
11. Journey On (4) – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion
12. Journey On (5) – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion
13. Poppies – Poppies
14. City of Green – Citizens of the Emerald City, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion
15. Great Green Walls – Oz
16. Intermission
17. Entr'acte
18. Journey On (6) – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion
19. Shoes (Part 1) – Wicked Witch of the West
20. Home – Dorothy
21. Shoes (Part 2) – Wicked Witch of the West
22. Finally Free – Winkies, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion
23. Marvelous Land of Oz – Oz
24. Goodbye Folks – Oz, Citizens of the Emerald City
25. Finale – Glinda, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion, Dorothy
SYNOPSIS
ACT I
Dorothy is daydreaming the day away in dry and dusty Kansas, but Aunt Em berets her and sends her off with laundry to fold. Dorothy dreams of living in the lands of her dreams (Better Place Than Kansas). A tornado approaches, and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry have to hide in the storm cellar without Dorothy. She and Toto are flung about in the tornado. Far away, in the land of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the East is bossing around the Munchkins. She looks up just as Dorothy’s house lands on her.
Dorothy and Toto step out of the house, meeting the Munchkins and Locasta, the Good Witch of the North. They thank her for killing the Wicked Witch of the East, and welcome her to Oz. The Wicked Witch’s legs dry up in the sun, and Locatsa gives Dorothy the silver shoes that were on her feet. Dorothy is anxious to return to Kansas because she thinks Aunt Em and Uncle Henry will worry about her, so Locasta sends her to meet the Wizard (Golden Road) and gives her a kiss of protection. Dorothy and Toto set off on their way, down the Yellow Brick Road (Journey On-1).
Dorothy is startled by a talking Scarecrow, and helps him off his pole. He bemoans his lack of brains (Make Decisions). Dorothy invites him to join her on her quest to see the Wizard (Journey On- 2).
While the travelers rest, Scarecrow tells Dorothy the story of how he was made. They hear a groaning noise, and discover the Tin Woodman, rusted in place. They oil him, and he tells them of how he got there, and how he came to be made of tin (I Used To Love Once). Dorothy invites him to join them (Journey On- 3).
The forest is getting darker, when the Lion jumps out to scare them away (I’m A Lion (Hear Me Roar)). When Dorothy reprimands him for trying to bite Toto, the Lion reveals his inner cowardice. Dorothy invites him to join their group (Journey On- 4).
The travelers find themselves in Kahlidah country, with a deep ditch in their way. As the Kalidahs approach, the Scarecrow instructs the Tin Woodman to cut down a tree to use as a bridge. The Lion roars, buying them time to cross and escape. The travelers continue on their journey (Journey On- 5).
Far off in Winkie Country, the Wicked Witch of the West watches over her dominions as the Winkies slave away. She is startled by a bucket of water, but quickly regains her composure and resumes her post.
The travelers come upon a poppy field and, before they realize the danger, Dorothy and Toto fall asleep (Poppies). The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman carry them out of the field and the Lion tries to run ahead, but he falls asleep too. Suddenly a field mouse runs by, chased by a wildcat. The Tin Woodman scares off the wildcat with his axe. The mouse- Queen of the Field Mice- calls her subjects to help roll the Lion out of the poppy field, and gives them a whistle to call for her in a time of need.
Dorothy and friends arrive at the gates of the Emerald City, where the Guardian of the Gates welcomes them to the city and gives them green glasses to wear.
The travelers explore the Emerald City (City of Green).
Once at a time, the group is admitted to see Oz (Great Green Walls). He appears to Dorothy as a great green head, to the Scarecrow as a ball of fire, to the Tin Woodman as a maidan, and to the Lion as a ferocious beast. The Wizard tells each one that he will only help them if they will destroy the Wicked Witch of the West.
ACT II
Dorothy and friends set out from the Emerald City for Winkie Country in the West (Journey On- 6).
The Wicked Witch spots the trespassers, and uses her golden cap for the third and final time to send the Winged Monkeys to destroy them.
The Winged Monkeys ambush the travelers on their way to the Witch’s castle. They destroy the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, tie the Lion up in the Witch’s yard to be harnessed and worked like a horse, and bring Dorothy to the Wicked Witch.
The Witch cannot harm Dorothy due to her kiss of protection, but can make Dorothy her slave- and all the while she pines after the silver shoes (Shoes- Part 1). The Lion refuses to work.
Dorothy, alone with Toto, misses Kansas, and decides she never wants to leave it again. Kansas is the only home for her (Home).
The Wicked Witch trips Dorothy with an invisible bar, and takes one of the silver shoes (Shoes- Part 2). Toto runs at the Witch, and she jabs at him with her umbrella. In anger, Dorothy throws a bucket of water at the Witch, melting her. The Winkies rejoice in their freedom, and reunited the travelers (Finally Free). They ask the Tin Woodman to return and rule over them, and gift Dorothy the golden cap, as the friends set out to claim their gifts from Oz.
The travelers are lost in a field, and they use the whistle to call the Queen of the Field Mice for help, She suggests they use the golden cap to call the Winged Monkeys, who fly them to the Emerald City.
The Guardian of the Gates is surprised to see them, but admits them at once.
The travelers go to see Oz together, but this time he appears as a disembodied voice. The Lion roars angrily, scaring Toto who knocks over a screen the real Oz is hiding behind. He tells them all the story of who he is and how he got to the Land of Oz (Marvelous Land of Oz). He promises to fulfill their wishes to the best of the abilities.
Oz gives the Scarecrow a brain by filling his head with bran, with pins and needles mixed in. He gives the Tin Woodman a stuffed heart by cutting a temporary hole in his tin chest. He gives the Lion courage as liquid in a bottle.
Oz decides he is going to go with Dorothy back to Kansas, in a hot air balloon.
Oz says goodbye to his subjects, and leaves the Scarecrow as their leader (Goodbye Folks). But before Dorothy can get in the basket, he floats away. They call the Winged Monkeys to have them carry Dorothy home, but they cannot cross outside the Land of Oz. The Soldier With the Green Whiskers suggests that Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, can help them. They call the Winged Monkeys for the third and final time to carry them to her castle.
Glinda hears Dorothy’s plea, and instructs her that her silver shoes can carry her back to Kansas (Golden Road Reprise). Dorothy realizes that she doesn’t want to go to Kansas: she wants to go home.