John Fricke News

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, a new Broadway-bound musical about the early life of Judy Garland, from her vaudeville sister act through her rise at MGM to win the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, will have an industry presentation today, January 10, in New York City.

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture has announced its 2019 winter/spring season, a rich program of theater, film, music, poetry, art, and talk events featuring artists and thought leaders including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter;Tony Award winner Lena Hall; Grammy Award-winning musician and recording artist Eileen Ivers; Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nomineeAlexander Gemignani;and journalist and former Wall Street Journal columnist Sohrab Ahmari.

Legendary Broadway and Hollywood songwriter Stephen Schwartz was announced today as special guest of the annual 'OZ-Stravaganza!'/WIZARD OF OZ festival, June 1-3, in Chittenango, NY. The Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist will take part in two separate events today and Sunday that weekend, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of WICKED, which opened on Broadway in 2003. The musical is among Schwartz's greatest international successes, recounting the saga of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. Chittenango, just east of Syracuse, is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, who introduced those characters in his iconic children's book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (1900).

It was confirmed this week that Stephen Schwartz, composer/lyricist of WICKED, has added music to his personal appearance at the annual OZ-Stravaganza! WIZARD OF OZ Festival in Chittenango, NY, on Saturday, June 2nd. His on-stage, free-to-the-public interview was announced earlier this month, but Mr. Schwartz has now offered to perform songs from the score of WICKED during that presentation. Schwartz, a three-time 'Oscar' and four-time 'Grammy' Award winner, will appear as the headliner of the 6:30 p.m. event at Chittenango High School, 150 Genesee Street. (Doors open at 6:15.)

Legendary Broadway and Hollywood songwriter Stephen Schwartz was announced today as special guest of the annual 'OZ-Stravaganza!'/WIZARD OF OZ festival, June 1-3, in Chittenango, NY. The Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist will take part in two separate events on Saturday and Sunday that weekend, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of WICKED, which opened on Broadway in 2003. The musical is among Schwartz's greatest international successes, recounting the saga of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. Chittenango, just east of Syracuse, is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, who introduced those characters in his iconic children's book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (1900).

Following two successful productions at Flat Rock Playhouse and Goodspeed Musicals, the producers of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz have announced three private industry lab performances today, July 13, and tomorrow, July 14, in New York City.

Following two successful productions at Flat Rock Playhouse and Goodspeed Musicals, the producers of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz have announced three private industry lab performances on Thursday, July 13 and Friday, July 14 in New York City.

What Not to Miss on Connecticut Stages this Fall

Goodspeed is thrilled to announce the cast of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, abrand-new musical that chronicles a time before "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Easter Parade," and "A Star is Born"-a time when Judy Garland was simply, "the girl with the great big voice." Filled with many beloved songs sung by Judy Garland throughout her career, Chasing Rainbows will run September 16 - November 27 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn. The show is sponsored by The National Endowment for the Arts, Eversource Energy, ConnectiCare, Comcast, and Webster Bank.

Stars of New York's Cabaret and theatre worlds will perform the songs of renowned composer/arranger Larry Kerchner in the fourth edition of 'Hidden Treasures: Songs of Larry Kerchner.'

Show your Emerald City love, my pretties!

Aaron Harburg, great-grandson of The Wizard of Oz lyricist E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg has begun production on The Sound of Oz. The feature-length documentary honors both his great-grandfather and Oz composer Harold Arlen.

When Margaret Whiting died on January 10, 2011, the news was like a dagger into the heart of the New York cabaret community. Whiting was a beloved singer for almost seven decades, who seemingly delivered every American popular song ever written, conquered almost every musical art form--from Big Band to Country to Musicals to Cabaret, from radio to the recording studio. On top of all that, Whiting worked with and mentored many New York cabaret musical directors and performers, including the late Mary Cleere Haran and K.T. Sullivan, who along with Whiting's daughter Deborah, hosted a 90th birthday Whiting tribute show on Monday night at Carnegie Hall's elegant Weill Recital Hall. Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, for which Sullivan is Artistic Director, It Might As Well Be Spring! A Celebration in Song of the Life of Margaret Whiting was an almost three-hour concert featuring two All-Star teams worth of cabaret stars spanning a few generations.

Margaret Whiting was one of America's favorite and most venerated singers for more than sixty years. She delivered stellar performances on record, radio, television, and the musical comedy, concert, and cabaret stages. She received twelve Gold Records. She offered a repertoire that ranged from Jerome Kern to Leon Russell, and from Rodgers & Hart to Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman.

Margaret Whiting was one of America's favorite and most venerated singers for more than sixty years. She delivered stellar performances on record, radio, television, and the musical comedy, concert, and cabaret stages. She received twelve Gold Records. She offered a repertoire that ranged from Jerome Kern to Leon Russell, and from Rodgers & Hart to Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) has announced that six of their classic films with upcoming tent-pole Blu-ray anniversary and special editions will be featured at the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival from April 10-13 in Hollywood.

Internationally renowned Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland expert John Fricke will visit Oakland University for a lively and engaging talk from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 in Oakland Center Banquet Room A. The author, entertainer and historian has written several books on the iconic film and actress, including 'The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic,' released in 2013.

The wonderful world of Oz is a magical place-and has been for generations of Americans since L. Frank Baum penned his enduring classic in 1900. With the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland, Oz was forever woven into our culture. Over the course of the 20th century, Oz continued to capture the hearts of the American people-as well as people all over the world.

To coincide with the 75th anniversary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's classic motion picture The Wizard of Oz, the Farnsworth Art Museum will open the exhibition The Wonderful World of Oz-Selections from the Willard Carroll/Tom Wilhite Collection on Saturday, October 12, 2013. The show, drawn from the world's most comprehensive collection of Oz materials, which is based in Maine, will run through March of 2014 in the museum's Crosman Gallery. The opening will be celebrated at a members' preview and reception, on Friday, October 11, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. throughout the museum's galleries.

Marking the 75th anniversary of THE WIZARD OF OZ, Warner Bros. has produced a 3D remastered version of the film which will launch a comprehensive, cross-divisional campaign encompassing theatrical, home entertainment, consumer products and a number of promotional partnerships.