Interview: Aaron Fried Channels His Inner Lion in THE WIZARD OF OZ

The gang has all come from somewhere over the rainbow to perform at the San Diego Civic Theater this week! Aaron Fried is the King of the Forest as Dorothy's fearful, fuzzy friend the Cowardly Lion in this production and I was lucky enough to chat with him about being a part of this tour.

This tour is a reimagined version, which has some additional songs by the dynamic duo of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. What can we expect from these new additions to the show?

"They went back to the movie and stuck with it, there are all of the iconic moments and all of the characters from the movie that did not have their own songs in the movie, but they were still very important in the movie. What the creators in our show did was go back and write music for the Wicked Witch of the West, the Wizard, Glinda, because those are some of the main characters that didn't have songs.

But the new songs fit so well into the show, and move the show along so well you might not even know they are new. Our production is so big, technologically, the sets, the costumes, the pyrotechnics, and they all pay homage to the movie on stage."

Aaron has really enjoyed the chance to step into a show that is not only a classic, but also offers a chance to introduce kids to the show and to the theatre.

"It's really, really amazing to be a part of a show that has been a part of our American history for so long. It has such a tradition in this country and it is great to be able to introduce it to all of the kids. I am surprised by how many kids have not seen the movie, so our show is the introduction and then they end up running home to watch the movie.

It's a great introduction for kids to the theatre. It's always fun hearing stories from our conductor about when after the curtain comes down, he is always amazed to watch the kids rush down the aisle to the orchestra pit and watch the musicians play at the end of the show."

You'd think that because this role has a lot of history behind it, tackling it may seem like a daunting task, but Aaron has really enjoyed the process.

"This role is so iconic and everyone has the imagine of Burt Lahr's lion from the movie, and I can't tell you how many people say to me 'that's my favorite part.' So going into it I really had to pay homage to that while also really personalizing the Lion for myself. I grew up being this big guy, at over six feet tall, and people used to say 'you must be a football player' and here I was this actor. So I totally understand that he's supposed to be this big ole meanie and the king of the forest and that not really who he is, down at the and really it's all about self-discovery. It's been really fun personalizing the lion while staying true to what everyone loves.

It was really special to hear from the creative team to be allowed to make this lion true to myself and I think that stands true with our whole cast. I think everyone was able to make discoveries and be honest with the storytelling, which is really exciting."

Another fun aspect of this role is the process of becoming the Lion through his costume and makeup.

"I play 2 characters so I start off the show as one of the farm hands on Dorothy's uncles farm and each one of the friends has a different amount of time to get ready, , but it takes about 20 minutes for me to get into it all. It's a very strict process of what goes on, the makeup, the wig, the costumes; it's just lots of layers and padding. I look like a stuffed animal! It's a blast to perform in and hearing the audience's reaction makes it all worth it. The moment I get on stage I feel warmth from the audience because they know what this character represents."

In a show full of wonderful moments and songs, Aaron does have one favorite moment.

"I think may favorite moment is after I enter the stage as the Lion and I sing "'f I only had the Nerve' and then we all sing the final 'We're off to see the Wizard' and it's Dorothy, Toto and the three friends and we're all there on the yellow brick road and the gang is all there ready to see the wizard. I think that's a great moment. We all look out to the crowd, all of us on the yellow brick road and it's a great feeling."

Don't miss the chance to see this moment and the rest of this reimagined classic on stage at the San Diego Civic Theatre, playing through Sunday , March 20th. Follow the fun that Aaron has on the road with this tour by going to his Instagram at (@itsaaronfried)or go to his website www.aaronfried.net ticket information and show times go to www.Broadwaysd.com.

Photo Credit: Wizard of Oz Tour

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