After all the rumours, Wizard of Oz closes 2nd September

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 8:43am

As previously tipped by Whatsonstage.com, veteran entertainer Des O'Connor will take over in the title role of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.

O'Connor succeeds Russell Grant in the role, which was originally played by Michael Crawford, from 22 May to take the show through to its final performance on 28 October 2012. Sophie Evans, runner up in BBC’s Over the Rainbow, continues in the role of Dorothy.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of The Wizard of Oz, which opened at the Palladium on 1 March 2011 (previews from February 2011), is directed by Jeremy Sams and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.

O'Connor, who turned 80 in January, made his West End debut last year in Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre.

http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831336566678/Des+O%27Connor+confirmed+as+Wizard+of+Oz%2C+show+finishes+in+October.html

Updated On: 5/9/12 at 08:43 AM

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 9:05am

Scrap that, they changed the article, it DOES close 2nd September after all

http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831336566678/Des+O%27Connor+confirmed+as+Wizard+of+Oz%2C+show+finishes+in+September.html

As previously tipped by Whatsonstage.com, veteran entertainer Des O'Connor will take over in the title role of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.

O'Connor succeeds Russell Grant in the role, which was originally played by Michael Crawford, from 22 May to take the show through to its final performance on 2 September 2012. Sophie Evans, runner up in BBC’s Over the Rainbow casting show, continues in the role of Dorothy.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whatsonstage.com Award-winning production of The Wizard of Oz, which opened at the Palladium on 1 March 2011 (previews from February 2011), is directed by Jeremy Sams and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.

“
O'Connor has performed over 1,000 times at the London Palladium”

L Frank Baum wrote the first 1903 stage version of his 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The stage musical version, adapted by John Kane from the Warner Bros movie, was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican in 1987, with a young Imelda Staunton as Dorothy. It has music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and EY Harburg and last had a major London outing at the Royal Festival Hall in summer 2008.

Des O'Connor, who turned 80 in January, made his West End debut last year in Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre. He first appeared on TV in 1963 and has starred in his own shows for over 45 years – making him one of the most enduring entertainers in the world. His most recent titles include the Des O’Connor Tonight specials, the award-winning ITV talk show Today with Des and Mel and his interview last year on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.

He is also a successful music and recording artist, having produced no less than 36 albums, selling over 16 million copies to date. He has performed over 1,000 times at the London Palladium, with his starring role in Oz returning him to a theatre with which he is synonymous.

[Sally]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 1:20pm

I'm sorry that the show is ending so (relatively) soon. I found it to be very entertaining. I don't know how well it did with the original Dorothy and Wizard, but it seems to have gone downhill from there as far as ticket sale are concerned since they left.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 5/10/12 at 11:28pm

^ It rsan for a year-and-a-half, which is about the same amount of time the Plladium's previous musical, 'Sister Act' played for.

I am confused though. That article says that the show closes on September 2, but these two articles say that tickets are on sale through October 28.

https://www.playbill.com/news/article/165755-Des-OConnor-Will-Join-The-Wizard-of-Oz-to-Play-Title-Role-for-Shows-Final-London-Season

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Des-OConnor-to-Make-Musical-Debut-as-The-Wizard-in-THE-WIZARD-OF-OZ-from-May-22-20120509

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 5/11/12 at 4:30am

The articles are wrong, the website you can only book until 2nd September

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/11/12 at 6:01am

I found it spectacularly un-magical, I'm afraid.

It's never a good sign when from the front row of the dress circle I could see straight down the drum to the crew re-setting the revolve!

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 5/11/12 at 5:32pm

"The articles are wrong, the website you can only book until 2nd September"

The Broadway World article has been fixed. But the Playbill one has not.