The Wizard of Oz sets initial casting for tour

Casting has been revealed for various tour stops for The Wizard of Oz, which embarks on the open (yellow brick) road this winter.

Featuring numbers from the iconic original score by Harold Arlen and E Y Hardburg, including “Over The Rainbow”, “Follow The Yellow Brick Road” and “We’re Off To See the Wizard”, the musical also has additional songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

It received a glowing review in Leicester from WhatsOnStage, being described as “sheer theatrical wizardry and far too good to miss.” The show will open with a festive season at Liverpool Empire from 13 December 2023 to 7 January 2024, ahead of the tour visiting Oxford, Southampton, Hull, Sheffield, Canterbury, Edinburgh, Southend, Norwich, Llandudno, Bradford, Plymouth, Bristol, Nottingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Woking, Belfast, Aberdeen, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Wolverhampton and Sunderland.

Directed by Nikolai Foster (Billy Elliot The Musical, A Chorus Line), The Wizard of Oz has choreography by Shay Barclay, set design by Colin Richmond, projection design by Douglas O’Connell, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, creative consultancy by Mark Kaufman, musical direction and supervision by George Dyer, casting by Debbie O’Brien, props supervision by Marcus Hall Props, and wigs, hair and make-up design by Elizabeth Marini.

The role of the Wicked Witch will be shared by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner and Dancing on Ice finalist The Vivienne. Gary Wilmot will reprise his West End role as the Wizard.

As already revealed, Aston Merrygold (JLS) will be playing the role of the Tin Man during the show’s longer spell at Liverpool Empire this winter, alongside The Vivenne. The latter will then appear at New Theatre Oxford, Mayflower Theatre Southampton, New Theatre Hull, Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Bristol Hippodrome, Theatre Royal Nottingham, Theatre Royal Newcastle, Palace Theatre Manchester, Grand Theatre Wolverhampton and the Empire Theatre Sunderland.

Horwood will be performing at New Victoria Theatre Woking, Grand Opera House Belfast, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Dublin, Birmingham Hippodrome, Glasgow Kings Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen, Milton Keynes Theatre and Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff.

Wilmot, who starred in the show at The London Palladium, will perform in Canterbury, Edinburgh, Southend, Norwich, Llandudno and Bradford.