Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Good News and Wizard of Oz

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TheActingTechie
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Joined: 3/13/06
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Topic: Good News and Wizard of Oz
Posted: 8/16/06 at 2:24am

Hi, I can't find almost any info online about the Musical "Good News" and was wondering if anyone could tell me about it, or better yet give me a link to something that gives some in depth info.

Also I am looking for some info on the stage version of "Wizard of Oz." Of course we have all seen the film, but I don't know how similar it is to the play.

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POB14
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Posted: 8/16/06 at 9:27am

I haven't seen the film of Good News in at least four hundred years, and I've never seen the stage version, so no help there.

However, Wizard we saw last Christmastime. It's very very similar to the film, with all the great "Yip" Harburg songs we all know. The version we saw had the people playing Munchkins on little scooters, with their costumes (mostly) covering the scooters, so they could be short and not kill themselves. Hilarious. My kids just ate it up.

There's a bunch of stuff added to the second act, and a lot of breaking-the-fourth-wall kind of moments, especially with the Witch. Bottom line, it's really, really good.

POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard

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Linda S
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Posted: 8/16/06 at 10:10am

Hi,

There are 2 versions of the Wizard of Oz. Tams Witmark carries them both. "A version of WIZARD OF OZ based on the motion picture was presented with book adaptations by Frank Gabrielson by the Municipal Theatre of St. Louis in 1945. A second version with book adaptations by John Kane follows the famous motion picture even more closely and was presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Centre in London in 1988."

I like the RSC version best.

Linda

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POB14
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Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:16am

I was not aware that the older version was still out there. I'm 95% sure the one I saw was the RSC.

POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard

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TheActingTechie
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Posted: 9/01/06 at 1:36am

I have a question about Good News, if there is anyone out there who knows about it.

I recently saw the 1947 film version, starring Peter Lawford and June Allyson. I was surprised at how little Lawford sang as Tommy Marlowe, the lead male, and was wondering if this was true for the stage show as well. It seems that since the film was made, the score has been changed considerably, with the addition of many songs, and the loss of others. I don't know which version my theatre is doing, so I would like to know how much Tommy Marlowe sings as it is generally performed on stage.

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Author	Message
TheActingTechie Player Joined: 3/13/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Topic: Good News and Wizard of Oz Posted: 8/16/06 at 2:24am
	Hi, I can't find almost any info online about the Musical "Good News" and was wondering if anyone could tell me about it, or better yet give me a link to something that gives some in depth info. Also I am looking for some info on the stage version of "Wizard of Oz." Of course we have all seen the film, but I don't know how similar it is to the play.

	IP Logged

POB14 Celebrity Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349	Posted: 8/16/06 at 9:27am
	I haven't seen the film of Good News in at least four hundred years, and I've never seen the stage version, so no help there. However, Wizard we saw last Christmastime. It's very very similar to the film, with all the great "Yip" Harburg songs we all know. The version we saw had the people playing Munchkins on little scooters, with their costumes (mostly) covering the scooters, so they could be short and not kill themselves. Hilarious. My kids just ate it up. There's a bunch of stuff added to the second act, and a lot of breaking-the-fourth-wall kind of moments, especially with the Witch. Bottom line, it's really, really good.
	POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard
	IP Logged

Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 8/16/06 at 10:10am
	Hi, There are 2 versions of the Wizard of Oz. Tams Witmark carries them both. "A version of WIZARD OF OZ based on the motion picture was presented with book adaptations by Frank Gabrielson by the Municipal Theatre of St. Louis in 1945. A second version with book adaptations by John Kane follows the famous motion picture even more closely and was presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Centre in London in 1988." I like the RSC version best. Linda
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POB14 Celebrity Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349	Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:16am
	I was not aware that the older version was still out there. I'm 95% sure the one I saw was the RSC.
	POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard
	IP Logged

TheActingTechie Player Joined: 3/13/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Posted: 9/01/06 at 1:36am
	I have a question about Good News, if there is anyone out there who knows about it. I recently saw the 1947 film version, starring Peter Lawford and June Allyson. I was surprised at how little Lawford sang as Tommy Marlowe, the lead male, and was wondering if this was true for the stage show as well. It seems that since the film was made, the score has been changed considerably, with the addition of many songs, and the loss of others. I don't know which version my theatre is doing, so I would like to know how much Tommy Marlowe sings as it is generally performed on stage.
	IP Logged

Topic: Good News and Wizard of Oz( Topic Closed)