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The Wizard of Oz
by Eugene Paul There’s no need to ask if you’ve ever seen the 1939 movie of The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow”, her voice filled with chills and wonder, longing and pathos, all of us melting in surrender before her. Around ever since, its brand new, history making Technicolor refreshed again and again, declared America’s favorite movie again and again. What could be better than experiencing it in the flesh? Which is, exactly what the Westchester Broadway Theatre has done, brought Dorothy and Toto and the whole mishpocha, Kansas to Oz, right here to Westchester, every song lovingly sung, every character, Dorothy, Aunty Em, Glinda, The Wicked Witch of the West, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Munchkins, Flying Monkeys, and especially Toto – what a marvelous critter! –right there in front of our eyes and noses, even a whole, incredible “The Jitterbug” dance number cut from the movie, back in place, costumed, choreographed, sung to beat the band. It’s a Wizard of Oz feast.
So,, it’s no wonder that Dorothy (Devon Perry), singing “Over the Rainbow”, her heart’s desire, in drab, no color Kansas immediately felt she had lots of company. She did. Not only us, everyone from old to young, couldn’t help singing along inside. Sometimes a little louder. Well, gee, it’s estimated that 200.000.000 people know the song at any one time so how could it not be? It’s the song that made everything possible. From L. Franks Baums’s original book onward. There never was the word “rainbow’ even mentioned in his book, but after Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg wrote “Over the Rainbow”, magic happened. Frank Baum wrote thirteen more Oz books, “The magic in song only happens when the words give destination and meaning to the music and the music gives wings to the words.” Those are E. Y Harburg’s own words about his words. The extraordinary “Yip” Harburg, one of our greatest lyricists. Rainbows were in his joyous soul; he even wrote Finian’s Rainbow. And “Over the Rainbow” has circled the globe. Well and a day, as you know, poor little Dorothy and her faithful dog, Toto are tossed into another world by one of those unpredictable tossers of a Kansas storm and where does she land? In Munchkinland? Yes. It’s in Oz. Oz? Yes, you know, over the rainbow, and who floats down from a cheery sky to greet her? The beautiful Good Witch, Glinda, (Michelle Dawson) whose directions for helping Dorothy get home to Kansas are pretty wonky. She must get to the Emerald City? In Oz? Because that’s where the Wizard is? Who knows all, and that covers a lot? Including the way home. And how to get to the Emerald City? Well, even the Munchkins know that: “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” they sing. And how does wonderful Glinda protect Dorothy and Toto from the Wicked Witch of the West? By giving Dorothy magic ruby slippers. You can clearly see, as well as hear in song after song that this isn’t as easy as it looks. Or sounds. But – off she goes.
First stop: a corn field. And there is where she meets Scarecrow (Tim Dolan). Who talks! And flops around a lot once she gets him off his perch where a couple of crows are noshing on corn he’s supposed to be protecting from crow noshers, but wasn’t doing a very good job. Because he needed a brain. And Dorothy needs a way home. They join forces. Off to the Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road. ”We’re Off to See the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. The wonderful music of Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. And, as we all know, Dorothy and Scarecrow find a rusted stiff Tin Man (Chris Kind) in an apple orchard where some enchanting apple trees (probably courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company who created this stage version in 1987) who are laughingly tricked into sharing their apples. The Tin Man, once oiled up in his joints (we know how that feels) joins Dorothy and Scarecrow on their journey because he needs a heart, and the Wizard has just the thing. However, they have to go through a scary, darkling Wood, probably full of lurking “Lions and Tigers and Bears” and don’t they just meet a huge and scary Lion! (Jayson Elliott) which, fortunately, we all know is not scary at all because he’s a Coward. The Cowardly Lion even has to be persuaded to join them so that he can ask the Wizard for some Courage. Which they all will need. Don’t forget the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants Dorothy’s ruby slippers in the worst way. Director Richard Stafford is blessed – as is the customary blessing at WBT –with a company that gives 110 percent all the time so it’s small wonder we’ve been very familiar with everyone we’ve met so far because they’re all channeling the movie stars, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and it’s old home week, but keep your fingers crossed: the green Wicked Witch of the West (Nicole Tori) is ten times screechier than Margaret Hamilton ever was and cackles ever cacklier, all of which somehow seems perfectly appropriate and by the time we meet the Wizard, (Ken Jennings) we’re in his pocket, we’re delighted with his fraudulent shenanigans, we are all in the groove. The sets, the costumes, the lights, the sound, the flying, all get rounds of applause. Everything is accepted! And enjoyed! Kudos to all, including some very hard working musicians who never let us down. Full disclosure: I’m obviously Yip Harburg struck. Shortly before he died, my wife and I were invited to dinner to meet him. He became an instant friend. Burton Lane once said” Yip was all joy.” True words, rue words. The Wizard of Oz. At the Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford, NY. Tickets: Dinner and Show: $54-$80. 914-592-2222- or BroadwayTheatre.com. Thru Sept. 21. After 75 years, the world wide beloved The Wizard of Oz and “Over the Rainbow” is now live, on stage in Westchester. 
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