Oz in the News 10.28.10

Meinhardt Raabe Wizard of Oz Archive We are currently offering for sale the personal Wizard of Oz archive of  Meinhardt Raabe, the “Coroner of Munchkinland”. The material consists of  8 original lobby cards and many signed and inscribed original photographs including Judy Garland.

MarVista Spotlights Witches of Oz Mini-Series Event The six-movie slate MarVista Entertainment is touting for AFM includes the fantasy adventure Witches of Oz, a two-part mini-series that puts on a modern twist on L. Frank Baum’s classic tale.  The mini-series stars Christopher Lloyd as the Wizard of Oz, with Sean Astin, Billy Bod, Lance Henrikson, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Combs and Ethan Embry rounding out the cast. Paulie Rojas plays Dorthy Gale.

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Oz in the News 10.25.10

‘Wicked’ author explains methods “When I am writing a book, everything in life seems to be related to the story — everything I see seems to speak about Oz,” Maguire explained. “Once I start working and start playing with matches, I can’t get out of it.”  Maguire explained that authors “play with matches” in their creative process of writing a book to give readers permission to enter the world of the story and open up the imagination.  “A book is always open — you can always go home to it,” Maguire said. “And we all know there’s no place like home.”

Oz in the News 10.24.10

Lloyd Webber Forks Out Millions On New Production Lord Lloyd-Webber said: “The auditorium is being changed so when the theatre opens for the production in March they won’t recognise it. I can’t say how we are going to replicate the yellow brick road but it will be spectacular.”  Manchester schoolgirl Danielle Hope, 17, was chosen to play Dorothy by viewers of the BBC reality show Over The Rainbow. Michael Crawford will play the Wizard.  But the creator of Cats has raised doubts about Toto the dog.  Dangerous Dave pawed his way into the hearts of viewers for the role but the producer said: “I am afraid the dog will not behave.”

Oz in the News 10.23.10

Joe Maddalena interview, Hollywood Treasure on Syfy delivers the goods I mean the ruby slippers to me are like van Gogh’s Starry Night. They are the most symbolic thing of film history. So,  there are four pairs that survived.  There’s a missing pair that we think existed that no one knows what happened to it. There’s the rumor Toto might have eaten a pair. And then 2005 a pair was stolen out of the Judy Garland museum so one of the themes of the show is we’re searching for the ruby slippers everywhere.  I think the touring pair belonged to Michael Shore and in 2005, the week of Katrina, the Judy Garland museum was robbed and the slippers were stolen.  It didn’t get very much news because it was the week of Katrina and it wasn’t a big news story obviously, so we’re basically picking up that trail of 2005 and we’re actively searching and trying to source that. We’re offering a $10,000 cash reward to anybody with the leak that leads to the recovery of these slippers.  And, there’s a rumor that the Tin Man’s costume is in Colorado.

Oz in the News 10.21.10

Oz exhibit fun for Munchkins — and book has lessons for today On loan from the Great Exploration Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla., the exhibit brings the original novel to life, by having children walk through what amounts to a larger-than-life-size pop-up book, where they build their own yellow brick road, model tornadoes, study brains and hearts, and launch winged monkeys.  The show is timed to run over the Halloween and Christmas season to keep our local munchkins and wicked witches entertained. But as our election dust settles, as the wizards of Edmonton and Calgary embark on their idealistic quests to transform their dusty prairie towns into veritable Emerald Cities, it’s an opportune time to take a fresh look at the real, original Oz.

The sci-fi and fantasy 25 The U.K.’s Guardian guide to the greatest sci-fi and fantasy films of all time, part of the Guardian and Observer’s Film Season 2010.  The Wizard of Oz comes in at #5.

Wizard of Oz: Redux’ a hilarious take off on the original “The Lion is still cowardly, but the Tin Man now has a computer processor that goes wacky and makes him a real ladies’ man when a switch is hit,” Rauschenberger said. “He doesn’t know how to love. The Scarecrow needs a brain. He uses a very large vocabulary, but doesn’t understand a word he’s saying. As for Dorothy, she isn’t so much lost as she is unable to get cell phone service.  “There are so many elements of today in it,” she added. “The kids absolutely love it. They were hooked right from the first read-through.”

Film legends meet new talent at horror fest Legends of Hollywood mingled with some of the best new directors and actors during memorable parties at the Big Bear Horror Film Festival last weekend.  Jerry Maren, who handed Judy Garland a lollipop in “The Wizard of Oz,” told me that the stories of Munchkin orgies during the making of that film were simply not true and he worked hard for his $50 per week in 1939.

Oz in the News 10.20.10

THE WIZARD OF OZ Blog: Casting Wizard… In the first of a series of video blogs with The Wizard of Oz Casting Director David Grindrod, he tells us all about his role in the early audition stages of Over The Rainbow and the other BBC TV talent shows he has worked on with Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Paul Miles Schneider at the Lawrence Public Library will be a participating author in their Second Annual Book Club Night, which will feature Author Speed Dating, as well as handouts, prize drawings, refreshments and more! If you are in a book group or want to be, you will enjoy this program featuring the author of “Silver Shoes”.

Oz in the News 10.18.10

Wiyos, oh wiyos, can’t I? Weber explained that in 2009 the group performed in Kansas with a dance troupe that had adapted material from the band’s last album, “Broken Land Bell,” to a piece loosely based on “The Wizard of Oz.” In response, the group has decided to create their own new song cycle, dubbed “The Wiyos of Oz.”  Many of the pieces — including “Mary” and “Mama Had a Baby and Its Head Popped Off” — directly quote parts of the classic Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg score, while upending them at the same time.

Comic book convention hits Minn. While Ethan Tarshish was telling a group of six about his comic book, a man dressed as Iron Man walked by and the group’s attention immediately wandered from what Tarshish had to say. “It happens,” Tarshish said while shrugging his shoulders.  Tarshish and co-creator Kelly Brown were there to promote their series “Woe is Oz,” a re-telling of L. Frank Baum’s the Wizard of Oz.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Announces Launch of Wizard of Oz Kids and Online Destination To kick off the The Wizard of Oz Kids efforts, WBCP, in association with KidsWB.com, will introduce wizardofozkids.com, a brand new interactive site for kids 2-11, featuring games, activities, downloadables and more. The site will continue to roll out fresh, innovative content for kids over the next year to fully bring the world of Oz to fans everywhere. Fans can also visit WBshop.com to discover and own an array of The Wizard of Oz products and merchandise.