Who was supposed to played Dorothy in The Wiz?
Stephanie Mills
Stephanie Mills, who starred in the Broadway production, was the top choice to play Dorothy in the movie before Diana Ross lobbied for the role. Many considered Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy, at 34, and Mills was 21.
Who was the original Dorothy in The Wiz on Broadway?
2. Original Dorothy, Stephanie Mills, was just 17 when she opened The Wiz on Broadway. Stephanie Mills rose to prominence when she created the role of Dorothy in The Wiz; the character’s finale ballad “Home” remains her signature tune. Surprisingly, she was just 17 when the show opened in January 1975.
Who has played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz on stage?
Notable Casts
| Character | Original West End (2011) | Australian Tour (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy Gale | Danielle Hope Sophie Evans | Samantha Leigh Dodemaide |
| Scarecrow/Hunk | Paul Keating | Eli Cooper |
| Tin Man/Hickory | Edward Baker-Duly | Alex Rathgeber |
| Cowardly Lion/Zeke | David Ganly | John Xintavelonis |
Who played Dorothy in the Black Wizard of Oz?
Oscar-nominated actress/pop diva Diana Ross played Dorothy, nascent pop superstar Michael Jackson played the Scarecrow and red-hot comic Richard Pryor was the Wizard. Director Sidney Lumet was also on a hot streak, having helmed the previous year’s social satire Network, which won four Oscars out of 10 nominations.
Why was John Badham fired from The Wiz?
Creative Differences: Original director John Badham left the production after Diana Ross was cast as 14-year-old Dorothy. The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher. Creator Backlash: Quincy Jones hated the film and the only did it as a favour to Sidney Lumet.
How old was Judy Garland when she played Dorothy?
17
Her best known role was that of Dorothy, at 17, in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” — in which she sang the song which became her trademark: “Over the Rainbow.”
Who has played Dorothy in West End?
Sophie Evans
Sophie Evans, the runner-up in BBC talent show Over the Rainbow, is poised to make her West End stage debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The Rhondda 18-year-old will appear at the London Palladium every Tuesday.
How old is Dorothy in the musical?
In the year 1900, Dorothy is a ten year old orphan who lives on a Kansas farm with her Uncle Henry, her Aunt Em and her pet dog Toto.
Is there a black version of Wizard of Oz?
An adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience.
What happened to Julie Garland in Wizard of Oz?
As a teen star in the fantasy musical, Garland was told to lose weight for her role as Dorothy and was given amphetamines to do so. According to TV Over Mind, MGM Studio boss Louis Mayer put her on a diet of chicken soup, black coffee, and a steady supply of cigarettes to suppress her appetite.
What has Helen Woolf been in?
Helen Woolf Biography Theatre includes: understudy ‘Glinda’ and ‘Nessarose’ in Wicked (Apollo Victoria) and in the original Wicked UK & Ireland Tour; Flat Stanley (Hull Truck Theatre); Beauty and the Beast (Engine House) and ‘Rachel’ in Friends the Opera (Comedy Central).
What happened to Sophie Evans?
Evans left Wicked on 20 July 2019, and was replaced by English actress and singer Helen Woolf. On 2 September 2021, it was announced that Evans would return to the West End production of Wicked as Glinda covering for Helen Woolf who was on maternity leave.
Was Wizard of Oz originally in black and white?
THE WIZARD OF OZ has not been colorized. The film was originally shot in both sepia-toned (which means brownish-tinted) black-and-white and Technicolor. The sequences in Kansas were in black-and-white and the Oz sequences were in Technicolor.
How old was Michael Jackson when he was in The Wiz?
When it came time for the Scarecrow part, Michael stepped to the microphone and began to sing, not the bright-sounding Michael Jackson of “I Want You Back” but the 18-year-old MJ whose voice had evolved into something as smooth and powerful as the Concorde. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping.