Oz in the News 1.23.23

Oz in the News 1.21.23

Watch Wicked star Ariana Grande sing haunting rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ The 29-year-old pop star and actress shared a TikTok video of herself singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Garland’s iconic Wizard of Oz tune, seemingly while on a break from production of her upcoming Oz-centric movie musical Wicked.

“Wanted to sing you a little something but don’t want to sing anything that is not ‘Ozian’ at the moment :),” Grande wrote in the clip’s caption. “Keeping to my little bubble for now … done with lots of love.”

The video — which had two million likes at the time of publishing — sees Grande sitting at a table with a large blanket covering her head as she softly sings the “Rainbow” lyrics a cappella.

Oz in the News 1.19.23

Journey to Oz with Elaut’s Emerald City coin pusher The stylish new coin pusher from Elaut follows on from its initial The Wizard of Oz machine, expanding on sights and sounds from the classic film in a fresh and dynamic way. The new experience is available in two, three and six-player versions, and will be available from the first quarter of 2023. Elaut’s upcoming game made a surprise appearance at the recent EAG Expo in London, where many could be seen basking in the game’s colour and stature. Officially licensing the lore and imagery of the beloved 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, Emerald City Edition features an array of intricate components, such as collector cards and chips, a closed loop system and a new yellow brick road bonus. In the game, players are able to win both character cards and colourful game chips, with the option to either collect or redeem them for tickets. 

Oz in the News 1.7.23

NONPOINT ANNOUNCES IMMERSIVE “TWISTED WIZARD OF OZ” THEMED TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUESTS BLACKTOP MOJO AND SUMO CYCO – Attention rock/metal music fans! Follow the yellow brick road to The Emerald Cities Tour, featuring Nonpoint with special guests Blacktop Mojo and Sumo Cyco. This all immersive “Twisted Wizard Of Oz” themed tour will transport you from the second you walk in the venue with visuals and amazing live performances that are sure to have you pitting in the mynical streets of Munchkinland.

The tour will be traveling through their top cities, including Virginia Beach, Houston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, and Tampa (Ybor City). This is your chance to take a musical journey and witness the critically acclaimed live shows of Nonpoint, Blacktop Mojo, and Sumo Cyco firsthand. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rock out in the Land of Oz. Get your tickets now before they’re all gone.

Additionally you’ll have the chance to gain access to watch them soundcheck, get autographs, early access to the venue and merchandise, snap some pics with the band in front of the stage, then make your way to their tour bus to listen to unreleased demos from 1997, demos they’re currently working on and be a part of the music making process as one of their VIPs, because after listening you get to vote on which songs Nonpoint should work on next to release to the public. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience!

Tickets on sale now at nonpoint.

Oz in the News 1.6.23

THE WIZ Celebrates 48th Anniversary- Watch Original Stars Reunite! BroadwayWorld is celebrating 48 years of The Wiz with a very special flashback to BroadwayWorld’s 2014 concert, BWW Visits Oz, at which stars of the original production reunited onstage at Joe’s Pub. Watch below as André De Shields, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ken Page and special guest Olivia Elease Hardy (Kimberly Akimbo) perform songs from the show! The evening, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and with Mary-Mitchell Campbell as music director, benefited Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.

Oz in the News 1.5.23

Funko Drops The Wizard of Oz Movie Poster Pop The Wizard of Oz Movie Poster Funko Pop features Dorothy and Toto figures set against the poster art for the film. It’s a Diamond Collection release, which likely means that those ruby slippers will truly sparkle. Plus, the whole thing is wrapped up in a protective case. Definitely a must have if you’ve been collecting the Movie Poster series. You can grab it here on Amazon and here at Entertainment Earth now for $59.99 (free US shipping on orders $39+ using the code FREESHIP39 at checkout though the month of January). 

Oz in the News 12.26.22

Sharjah launches 8-day fantasy world inspired by ‘Wizard of Oz’ The House of Wisdom in Sharjah yesterday launched a fantasy-inspired 8-day event titled ‘The Enchanted Gardens’, for young children, with a wide array of fun-filled activities enabling them to walk through the enchanted gardens and watch performances, activities, workshops, movie and magic shows coming alive. With a vision to enhance cross-cultural dialogue in children’s literature, the event, which runs from December 25 through January 1, is based on the 1900s best-seller book ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, a children’s novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. Children aged 5-12 can enjoy dedicated fun zones at the fair, which is being held at the Southern Gardens daily from 5pm to 10pm. Dorothy’s Village  Lined up with everything possessed by the central character of the legendary novel — Dorothy and her dog — children do have an opportunity to walk into her house and open the windows to feel themselves flying amid the tornado with cars, cows and little houses beneath them. Children can also grab merchandise from the novel — magical shoes, character figurines and stationery — at the venue.

Oz in the News 12.24.22

The Wicked Witch’s Hourglass From ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Was the Top Lot at an $8 Million Auction of Movie Memorabilia The gargoyle-decorated hourglass from The Wizard of Oz was the sale’s leading lot, fetching $495,000. In the 1939 film, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) threatens to end Dorothy Gale’s (Judy Garland) life when the glittering red sands run out. The prop was made of wood, papier-mâché, and handblown glass. The sale also included two costumes from the classic movie, known for its pioneering use of Technicolor in a feature film. The Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida, snapped up a test version of Dorothy’s blue-and-white gingham pinafore for $125,000 and a jacket from a resident of the Emerald City for $37,500.

Every Way Frozen’s Elsa Mirrors Wicked’s Elphaba Frozen‘s Elsa and Wicked‘s Elphaba have more in common than people may initially think, with similarities beyond the fact they are both played by the American actor and singer Idina Menzel. The musical Wicked starts before Dorothy’s arrival in Oz but catalogs her adventures in the fantasy land, telling the story from the perspective of two witches, Glinda and Elphaba. Frozen tells the story of two princesses, Elsa and her younger sister Anna. planned movie musical adaptation of Wicked will follow the Broadway show’s story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West, best known as the villain in The Wizard of Oz. Menzel played the role both on Broadway and in London, just as she played another character with magical powers, Elsa, in Frozen. Although set in completely different realms and undergoing different storylines, Elsa mirrors Elphaba in various ways, including hiding her magical powers and the song she is famously known for.

Oz in the News 12.20.22

Review: Claus the Musical at The Lowry is lively and meaningful As indicated by the title, Claus the Musical is jam-packed full of original musical numbers, such as A Star on a Christmas Night, Journey to the World, and Only if You’re Good. Every member of the cast gets involved with the singing, and the voices of Zurline, Necile, and Claus particularly stand out. The actors share a lot of chemistry on stage, but perhaps are ill-rehearsed in some parts of the play. This isn’t necessarily a problem or distraction from the plot, it just looks a little messy from the audience’s perspective.

This is a fourteen-person cast, which means that most of the actors take on multiple roles throughout the production. This allows for a huge display of talent, and the cast can really show off their range, however, the costumes for the changes to character could do with more distinguishable differentiation as it is confusing as to what part is being embodied at what time.

There is a unique use of lighting employed, where torches with a yellowy-green lens are lit and used to project shadows and silhouettes through sheets to develop the narrative and move the story along. The stage at times gets very busy with rope, ribbon, sheets, and scarves, so much so that at times it seems that the show is still in the early, initial brainstorming stage, trying to use lots of ideas at once, but really it could use some refinement.

Overall, this is a unique retelling of the ‘origin’ of Santa Claus which will definitely get audiences feeling festive. It’s a meaningful story which reinforces the importance of kindness and generosity over physical, and material gifts and reiterates how strong a mother’s love is.

Oz in the News 12.17.22

Ireland’s postal service’s new Christmas advert will melt your metal heart Created by the ad agency Folk Wunderman Thompson the advert is inspired by the novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. In the ad, the Tin Man, who doesn’t have a heart, is unable to get into the Christmas spirit. That is until he receives a card from one of his neighbors, Cianna, who sends him love and a heart-decorated card. The ad ends with a voice-over saying “send from the heart this Christmas. Send love with An Post.” Julie Gill, Commercial Marketing Director, Mails and Parcels An Post said: “As an island nation, Ireland is renowned for staying connected by way of post. Sending a card is such a simple way to tell someone they are loved this Christmas.