The remaining cast members for the forthcoming West End production of The Wizard of Oz have been revealed ahead of previews beginning at the London Palladium on June 23rd. The musical will have its official opening night at the venue on July 6th, with performances due to run until September 3rd.
Leading the cast and reprising the iconic role of Dorothy Gale that she played previously in the Leicester Curve Production last Christmas will be Georgina Onourah. The actress is currently starring as Ado Annie in Oklahoma!, and has also recently featured in Cinderella and Millennials.
West End producer Michael Harrison commented on the appointment: “It’s thrilling to announce today that Georgina will play Dorothy in our new production of The Wizard of Oz. She is a rare talent with great warmth. When she first played the role in Leicester last year, her soaring rendition of Over The Rainbow brought the whole house to their feet. She completes our casting, and along with Jason, Ashley, Dianne, Louis, and Christina, is going to ensure it will be a summer to remember at the Palladium."
Onourah will join an all-star lineup featuring Ashley Banjo as The Tin Man, Jason Manford as The Cowardly Lion, Dianne Pilkington as The Wicked Witch of the West, Christina Bianco as Glinda The Good Witch, Louis Gaunt as The Scarecrow, and Gary Wilmot as The Wizard/Professor Marvel.
Other key members of the cast include Ben Thompson, Annie Southall, Sam Stones, Charlotte St.Croix, Claire O’Leary, Jessica Daley, Lauren Stroud, Eamonn Cox, Harrison Wilde, Emily Ann Potter, Geoff Aymer, Jacqui Dubois, Marley Fenton, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, and Michael Lin.
The plot of The Wizard of Oz musical follows the fortunes of Kansas teenager Dorothy and her faithful dog Toto as a tornado sweeps the pair up and transports them to a new world. Once there, Dorothy teams up with a lion, a tin man, and a scarecrow to travel to the city of Oz to find the all-powerful Wizard, who she believes can help her to return home. The musical features songs from the classic 1939 movie starring Judy Garland, along with several new offerings from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice such as "Red Shoes Blues" and "Farewell to Oz."
Nikolai Foster directs The Wizard Of Oz, with sound design by Adam Fisher, set design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Shay Barclay, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, and lighting design by Ben Cracknell.
Booking & Theatre Information For The Wizard Of Oz
The London Palladium is a large West End theatre which has a capacity of 2303 seats that are situated on three levels. There are excellent views available throughout the auditorium due to both the wide stage and steep rakes, and the venue has very few restrictions as there are no pillars or restrictive bars to obstruct the view, There is also only a very slight overhang from the upper tiers making the seats towards the rear in lower price bands good value for money.
The front section of the Dress Circle offers very good and panoramic views of the stage and is ideal for big productions especially for patrons who prefer to view the stage from an elevated position with the premium seats being located in the front and centre which will be reflected in the price. The middle of the Stalls also offers a great overall views of the stage and value can also be found in the front of this section as ticket prices are often reduced due to the height of the stage. Bargain hunters looking for cheap tickets to The Wizard Of Oz and those on a budget can also find good value in the front rows of the Upper Circle which can be great value for money if you don't mind leaning over a little! As always when booking London theatre tickets it is beneficial to study the seating plan prior to purchase however seats in the London Palladium marked as 'restricted view' can be good value for money, as any restrictions are minimal.