'Wizard' is Full of Magic
By A.K. Whitney, Special to the Press-Telegram

Scarecrow (John Bisom), Tin Man (Todd Nielsen), Dorothy (Deidre Haren), Toto (Impy) and the Cowardly Lion (John Massey) are off to see the Wizard. Red shoes, an adorable dog, a green-faced witch and lots of little people were all part of the fun Saturday when Musical Theatre West opened the last show of its 55 th season at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. "The Wizard of Oz" has to be the most ambitious (and, if one can infer from producer Paul Garman's opening speech, the most expensive) production the company has put on in years. With a huge cast, elaborate sets and plenty of special effects, MTW definitely has pulled out all the stops. But was it worth the financial risk? Judging from the reaction of the many children in the audience, absolutely.  Click HERE to read more...

Great Production, Performances Put

“Oz” Over The Rainbow
By James Scarborough

It’s not just lions and tigers and bears, oh my. It’s trees that sing like the Andrews Sisters. Birds that mock a scarecrow. A tin man that tap dances. A Cowardly Lion who brays like Erwin the Accountant in the Larry Miller mattress commercials. A wicked witch’s castle that looks like a roach motel. It’s green-garbed Ozonians who wear sunglasses because everything’s so bright. It’s a magic spell that causes Dorothy and Co. to jitterbug until they drop from exhaustion. It’s one of the most wondrous things you’ll ever see, a production that brims with sheer spectacle-ness, held in check by a quartet of fine performances, five if you count a remarkably competent dog (Impy) that played Toto, too.  Click HERE to read more...

Another Standing Ovation for Wizard of Oz

by Marchelle Hammack

Once again Musical Theatre West has produced an incredible show of such top-quality and heart that audience members jumped to their feet, letting cast and crew know their efforts went above and beyond.  The sets, costumes, level of talent and direction (Shauna Markey is billed as director/choreographer and Jeff Rizzo as musical director) are Broadway caliber. Paul Garman, executive director, announced that this was one of the most expensive shows they've ever produced. It was well worth it. Click HERE to read more...

Review:  "The Wizard of Oz"

***CRITIC'S PICK***

July 18, 2008
By Les Spindle

It feels like Christmas in July as Musical Theatre West offers an enchanting and visually spectacular revisit to this stage adaptation of the beloved 1939 MGM movie musical. The heartwarming story originated in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the vintage film remains in a class by itself. Under the helm of director-choreographer Shauna Markey, this lavish and consummately performed rendition brings us a wonderland of sugarplum delights. Click HERE to read more...

“We’re off to see the wizard!”

by Steven Stanley

Children of all ages (and that means parents and grandparents too) will be following the yellow brick road from now until July 27 as Musical Theatre West concludes its 55th season with its very first staging of the L. Frank Baum/MGM classic. The international success of Wicked (aka “the other Oz musical”) makes the original “W” even more of a box office draw, and while (for me at least) Wizard lacks the emotional wallop that Wicked packs, it has one enormous plus in its favor. There’ll be hardly an audience member at the Carpenter Center who doesn’t have childhood memories of seeing the Judy Garland blockbuster, and that means everyone from the youngest kindergartner to the oldest great-grandparent who was probably still in grade school when MGM released The Wizard in 1939.  Perhaps the biggest thrill of attending MTW’s excellent production is seeing the movie so lovingly and faithfully brought to stage life, scene by scene.  Click HERE to read more...

The Wizard of Oz

by Robert Machrae

It was with great trepidation that I journeyed down to Long Beach to see a stage version of that beloved classic movie The Wizard of Oz that starred Judy Garland with help from Ray Bolger, Burt Lahr, Billie Burke, Jack Haley, Frank Morgan, Margaret Hamilton and of course those Munchkins. Though not highly successful at the time, the movie has gone on to be considered one of the top ten movies of all time in the A.F.I. rankings and its signature song “Over the Rainbow” was voted the “greatest movie song of all time”, again by an A.F.I. poll. How could any stage show come even close? Well, the production at Musical Theatre West comes pretty darn close.  Click HERE to read more...