Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland was a relative unknown when she was cast as young Dorothy Gale in the MGM musical “The Wizard of Oz” in 1939. The movie propelled her to stardom as one of Hollywood’s leading ladies. On this 80th anniversary of the film’s release, The Algarveans Experimental Theatre Group is bringing the stage version of this timeless classic to the Algarve.
The Wizard of Oz was a box office success and a major hit with audiences and critics. Although it lost the Academy Award for Best Picture to “Gone With the Wind”, it did win two Oscars, including Best Song for Garland’s “Over the Rainbow”. Garland also won an Honorary Academy Award for her “outstanding performance as a screen juvenile”. “Over the Rainbow” became her signature song throughout her career and has been re-recorded by dozens of performers over the years.
While both are based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 book called “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, the stage version includes some scenes not in the film. One dance number in The Algarveans’ version that is sure to delight audiences is “The Jitterbug”, which was recorded but ultimately deleted from the movie.
While Dorothy and her new friends, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, are searching for the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West, the latter sends the jitterbugs to retrieve Dorothy’s ruby slippers. Choreographer Shelly Kenny has created an energetic version of the dance scene, using moves from the jitterbug dance that was popular at the time of the film’s premiere. Audiences can also expect to hear extended versions of some very familiar songs from the movie.
“The Wizard of Oz” will be performed in English at the 300-seat Carlos do Carmo Auditorium in Lagoa on November 21, 22 and 23 at 7.45pm and a 2pm matinee on November 23. Tickets at €10 are available at all Worten and Fnac stores as well as the auditorium box office, or online at www.ticketline.pt.
