Page 8 Portland Observer March 12,1881
The
eginning:
ACT ONE
Early in 1903, a musical comedy opened in New York
City at the old M ajestic Theatre on Columbus Circle
called The H izard o f Oz. " It was the first stage adap
ta tion o f L. Frank Baum's classic c h ild re n ’ s story.
Repeating the success it enjoyed out o f town the
previous fa ll, the Grand Opera House in Chicago, it
took New York by storm and ran for eighteen months.
It became one o f the greatest successes o f the firs t
decade o f the century, surpassed only by "F lo ra d o ra "
and "T h e M erry W id o w ." Ann Laughlin played
Dorothy, Arthur H ill played the Cowardly Lion, but the
overnight hits in the show were two minor vaudeville
stars, Fred Stone as the Scarecrow, and David M on
tgomery as the Tin Woodman. Stone’ s brother Edwin
also gained considerable notoriety as Imogene the Cow.
Imgone the Cow? Wait a minute! How does that con
cept fit into "The Wizard?" Well, in 1902 the director,
Julian Mitchell, decided that training a real dog to play
Toto was too time-consuming a chore, and that it would
be enormously d iffic u lt to have an actor perform as a
dog (although that feat was neatly accomplished five
years later in "Peter P a n" when Nana was portrayed by
a human being.) So D orothy’ s pet dog became a pet
spotted calf, and lmogne the Cow worked with much
success. Touring companies o f "T h e Wizard o f O z "
were still playing to packed houses across the country as
late as 1911.
ACT TWO
Early in 1975, a musical comedy opened in New York
City at the new Majestic Theatre on West 44th Street
called "The W7j” its the latest adaptation o f L. Frank
Baum’ s classic children’s story. Repeating the success it
enjoyed out o f town the previous fa ll, in Baltim ore
(where it premiered October 21, 1974), D etro it, and
Philadelphia, it’s been taking New York by storm and is
already one o f the most successful all-Black musical
comedies yet produced.
All-Black? Wait a minute! How does that concept fit
into "T h e W izard?" Well, in 1971, Ken Harper, the
producer, intent upon try in g a new version o f the
familiar property, hit upon the idea o f an exotic produc
tion using an all-Black cast. William F. Brown wrote the
book; Charlie Smalls composed the score; Geoffrey-
Holder directed; George Faison choreographed, and
the result? As Ted Kalem o f Time magazine said: “ The
show, with all new music and lyrics, is saucy with Black
urban humor. Its talk is jumping jivernacular, its walk a
big city strut, its dances have a blowtorch frenzy, and its
songs range from a warm gospel glow to the rock beat
o f a riveter mining asphalt."
Curtain?
Not likely. Oz seems to be an institution that will be
reborn many times, many ways, in many generations.
The Wiz performs at
Portland's Paramount
NBC critic Leonard Probst stated it very well: "T H E
H IZ is cleverly conceived and enormously funny...The
best adult/children’ s entertainment to reach Broadway
since The Magic Show. THE WIZ is Black magic, sassy,
original and a trip worth taking.” THE WIZ is coming
Io the P ortland Paramount f o r two performances on
Wednesday and Thursday, March ISA 19at 8 PM
And what a hit THE W IZ is! The winner o f Seven
Tony Awards including Best'Musical Score, THE W iz
is playing to standing room audiences on tour
everywhere.
THE W H IZ is a contemporary musical treatment o f
L. Frank Baum’ s “ The W onderful W izard o f Oz. "
W illiam Glover, Drama C ritic for the Associated Press
stated his enthusiasm in contem porary hyperbole,
TH E W IZ is a wow! Even Judy Garland fans can
cheer. A giving, colorful, jovial musical.” In contrast to
much o f Broadway’ s recent offerings, the music from
THE W t7 is hannv and unheat - a compelling reason
for capturing the Grammy Award’s coveted Best Album
o f the Year Award.
The nationally touring stage production appearing
here w ill contain a ll o f the p roduction elements so
beloved in the Broadway p roduction including the
irrepressable dog Toto. Originally written by William F.
Brown with musical score by Charlie Smalls, this all new
national touring p roduction o f TH E W IZ w ill be
produced by Barry Singer o f K im -T o dd , L T D ., in
association with Broadway Productions’ Dyke Spear,
Executive Producer who will be handling tour direction
and promotion. Spear and Singer have become North
America’ s most active producers o f touring Broadway
a ttractio ns. T heir jo in t e ffo rts have culm inated in
national tours o f H A IR , O H ! C A L C U T T A :, JESUS
CHRIST SUPERSTAR. GODSPELL and GREASE in
over one hundred and seventy-five Am erican and
Canadian communities during the past five years.
y
M arline G irault as D orthv - M artine’ s professional
career began in the role o f Tuptim in a local production
o f "The King and I, ” a role in which she received most
favorable reviews from the New York D aily News. In
1979, 15 year old M artine toured Philadelphia,
Baltim ore and New York as L illy Mae in "T h e Me
Nobody Knows. " In June o f 1979, M artine starred in ’
the first all-Black version o f "The Wizard o f O z" in the
role o f Dorothy, originally played on the screen by Judy-
G arland. A t the age o f 16, M artine is a thorough
professional. Besides singing, dancing and acting, she
speaks French fluently.
Preston Smith - is the W izard! Previous stage ex
perience for Preston Smith includes the portrayal o f
Tony in two productions o f West Side Story and the
leading role in Rhimes and Times o f Edward Eliscu, a
revue which he performed in the summer o f 1978 and
Presenting to Some
and
Introducing to Others
Featuring
1979. The 6’ 1 tenor who makes his home in Danbury,
Connecticut, did lead vocals w ith " C o a litio n " and
"C arism a" from 1971 through 1978. More recently, he
has been perform ing with an accompanist in clubs in
New Haven and Avon, Connecticut.
The Exotic “Cattani Lingerie of California
THE WIZ: WHO'S WHO
0
Ray Harris
Ray Harris - Scarecrow - M r. Harris is a young dan-
cer/actor from Ohio. He has danced w ith the A lvin
Ailey Dance Company since 1978 and has performed
with the celebrated group in New Y o rk’ s City Center
and the Kennedy Center in W ashington, D.C. With the
Alvin Ailey W orkshop Company, he toured Trinidad
and Barbados earlier this year. Earlier in his career, he
was a member o f the Daton C ontem porary Dance
Company and the Karamu House Dancers. He was a
soloist on the M erv G riffin Show and performed in
several Karamu House theatrical productions including
the role o f Barnaby in "H ello Dolly. ”
n » i
« a «
pate: Sunday -
March 29,1981
Great
Time:
5:00 - 9:00 PM
Spring
Place:
"On The Rocks"
15N.W. 6th
Larry Brown
Larry Brown plays the Lion in this WIZ production.
His stage career began while attending North Carolina
Central University serving as featured vocalist with the
University Touring Chorale. Since then, his stage credits
have included fulm inations in " O ff- White, " Nathan
D etroit in "G uys and D o lls " and the B illy H oliday
Theatre production o f "Tambourines to G lory” in New
York C ity. The versatile singer and actor hails from
N orth C arolina and dedicates his performance to his
family and friends, his main source o f inspiration.
Preston Smith
Sponsored by
The Oregonian
Ladies"
O °°
Admission: $2.50 Single
$5.00 Couple
& oor p .
I
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