Waddingham Casts Spells at Palladium After Open Air???

We hear whispers that Whatsonstage.com award-winner Hannah Waddingham, who’s about to play the Witch in the Open Air Theatre’s revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, will be keeping the pointy hat to play the Wicked Witch of the West in Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s new production of The Wizard of Oz. If confirmed, she’ll join a line-up that’s led by Over the Rainbow winner Danielle Hope as Dorothy (with runner-up Sophie Evans playing on Tuesdays). The production, which features new songs written by Lloyd Webber and long-term collaborator Tim Rice, opens on 1 March 2011 (previews from 7 February) at the London Palladium.