Interview: Joel Sandel of THE WIZARD OF OZ at AD PLAYERS

Joel Sandel has been referred to as the “Energizer Bunny” of Houston's acting scene, and this captures him perfectly. He’s acted in so many shows that we couldn't even name them all, and even when faced with a medical emergency, he just bounces right back on the stage. Joel studied acting in Los Angeles, but he's been performing in Houston for decades. Joel is featured in THE WIZARD OF OZ from AD Players at the George Theater through August 10th. He's playing a dream role for most actors, the Wizard! BROADWAY WORLD writer Brett Cullum got a chance to sit down and talk all things Oz with this theater legend. 

Brett Cullum: I really wanted to pick out some roles for you to highlight your career, but I realized that your resume is so long. What do you consider your favorites, so that folks can realize where they may know you from? 

Joel Sandel: Well, I did George in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, which was the Houston premiere of that show in 1995. That was a major high point. And I got to play Gabriel Conroy in James Joyce's THE DEAD. her. Ned Lowenscroft in ELIZABETH REX at Stages. God! I love that show, so beautiful. Most recently, Robert Kennedy in RFK at Main Street Theater. Robert Kennedy, senior, I should point out. 

Brett Cullum: Oh, yeah, no, to me, you'll always be Robert Kennedy at Main Street. I saw that, and I thought you were brilliant in it.

Joel Sandel: Thank you.

Brett Cullum: You're at the George right now in THE WIZARD OF OZ. One of the things that I'm curious about is this production of the Wizard of Oz. Where's the script coming from? It's not the Lloyd Webber version.

Joel Sandel: No, and it's basically the screenplay. But it has been amplified, and it was done at an English theater, and I can't remember which one.

Brett Cullum: The RSC! There are a couple of English productions of it, and one was spearheaded by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which I'm assuming you're not in, because it doesn't say Andrew Lloyd Webber’s WIZARD OF OZ. It just says THE WIZARD OF OZ THE MUSICAL, which I think was the Royal Shakespeare Company, originated in the late 80s. It is super faithful to the film, or rather, it was when it came out. 

Joel Sandel: You'll recognize most of it. But then there's a lot of sort of almost panto-esque, broad humor elements that have been brought into it. It's definitely amped up the broad humor. The message of this show is so great. I mean, regardless of how well you know it. It's just everything about this story lands in a very real, deep way, and I think that's why it's lasted so long.

Brett Cullum: It has definitely stood the test of time. But what were auditions like for this thing? I mean, how did you end up being the wizard?

Joel Sandel: Well that this was really funny. Sarah Norris, who is directing, is from out of town. So she was doing video submissions. So I did a video thing, and it said, “Sing something in the style of the show”, which is something I hate when I see on an audition notice. It's like, “I don't know what you think is the style of the show.” So I thought, Well, I know “If I Only Had a Brain,” and it's from the show, and there's sort of an unspoken rule you shouldn't do anything from the thing you're auditioning for. But I thought, if I get considered for anything, it's going to be for the Professor or the Wizard. I did this verse of “If I Only Had a Brain,” and then I did the sides for the professor. And so when I get the callback notice. It was not only for the Professor-Wizard, but it was also for the Scarecrow! I got the notice for the dance call, and I had a heart attack. In my heyday, I was only a marginal dancer. I could do pretty much anything I was required to do as long as it didn't involve pirouettes, or you know, anything too extreme. But I mean, it was not my favorite thing because I'm not a natural. So I sent Kevin Dean, who's the artistic director at AD Players, a note, and I said, “Look, thanks so much. I just don't think it's for me. I'm nearly 65 years old. I cannot do the Scarecrow dance. So thanks so much, but I'll pass.” And he understood. 

The next week after the callbacks had happened. He called me one night, and he said, “Can we talk about OZ? We had the callbacks, and Sarah came in and said, “Where's Joel?” He explained to her what was going on, and she said, “Well, I'll cast him as the professor and the wizard! He didn't have to come in!” I said, “Are you offering the part? Yeah, I'll do that. I just did not want to put myself in a dance audition.” So that's how that happened. It was great. I love that she got enough from my video audition. I always wonder if they are working, or if they come across, and I have no idea. I do one take if I do a video audition because I start questioning myself. It's like, everything's bad. So it's just like, “Okay, it's out there. There it is. Go, do with it what you will.” And so this worked! And so, yeah, and so I end up getting to do it. So it's great.

Brett Cullum: Yeah. It’s always cool to just get cast from a single-take video audition. So tell me what it's like working at AD Players. I think this is your 3rd time with them, right?

Joel Sandel: This is my 3rd time on their stage. And I did one other show, I directed FOREVER PLAID, a couple of years ago. It's a great place to work. They're very warm, everything is professionally run, and the facility is just gorgeous! I mean, everybody really wants to work over there. They've been around for almost sixty years, I think. They're a terrific group of folks. And they're fabulous.

Brett Cullum: We know so funny, because for years and decades, I associated with that old schoolhouse building that they had. And then all of a sudden, they build this huge campus in the Galleria, and you're just like, “What the heck is this?”, and the scale of what they do now is so much bigger. They were always good, and they were always solid. I remember 12 ANGRY MEN in the old space, and things like that. The sets were always amazing. But wow! They really ratcheted up.

Joel Sandel: This is the most expensive production they've ever done, and for this show, they've added a fly system so that they can fly the witch and the flying monkey. There are a couple of other flying gags, and then, of course, the balloon at the end! 

Brett Cullum: Wow! That's crazy. I have to ask, are you personally a big, huge WIZARD OF OZ Fan?

Joel Sandel: Oh, my God, I imprinted on it as a very young child, or it imprinted on me, or both. I don't know how that works. It was one of those. There's something about Judy Garland in that story that just goes right into the core of your being, and you cannot help. Your soul is touched, and it fires something in you can't articulate. And of course, as a young kid, I was as terrified of the flying Monkeys and the Witch, and all that stuff! I'll watch it two or three times a year, just because it's so magical. It's one of the perfect movies. And that story just resonates in a very profound way. The ultimate message that comes out of it is with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. They've always had the properties that they think they're searching for. The Wizard basically says, “Well, you just don't have verification. But yeah, you've got it.” And then with Dorothy, “you've always had the power to go home.” Whatever we spend our lives searching for. There's something lacking within us, and we have to go out to find that we really have it all. It's just accepting that and finding peace within just that very simple idea that we are enough.

Brett Cullum: Very well said! THE WIZARD OF OZ is playing through August 10th at the George Theater, which is in the Galleria area. You can't miss it if you're driving down Westheimer, I mean, it's right there, past the Galleria on the right, and a huge building! 

Joel Sandel: This is something for the whole family, and you should definitely get all the kiddies together, and you can bring everybody to it, and everybody will enjoy it. And oh, we have a real Toto. Our Toto is Jodi, who is the actual dog, and she's a female! But we do use a mock version of her that we call her Faux-To. Because some of this stuff is just too complicated to have an actual dog in the scene. So we've got a lookalike toy that is in roughly half, maybe a little over half, of the scenes. It works pretty well, and the audience seems to buy it. So we're, I think we're doing good. And the dog's adorable. I think Jodi gets the biggest hand at the curtain call!

Brett Cullum: Of course, because it's a dog, I mean, never work with animals or kids, and that's what you've got both. So you're doomed. You will never get the curtain call loudest cheer! 

Joel Sandel: By the way, I've got to mention Libby Dean! She's Kevin and Jennifer Dean's daughter, and she plays the Mayor of Munchkin Land, and she steals the show when she walks on. I mean, she is adorable with a capital “a.”  It's all sorts of levels of cute, wonderful loveliness.