Anthony Warlow to star in Australian tour of The Wizard of Oz
John Frost and Suzanne Jones announced today that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s London Palladium production of The Wizard of Oz will be coming to Australia in 2017. Set to open in Brisbane in November the production will continue to Sydney in December.
Anthony Warlow will lead the cast as The Wizard and Professor Marvel. Most recently seen in Australia as Tevye in the 2016 production of Fiddler on the Roof, Warlow has been thrilling audiences since his 1981 debut with the Australian Opera at the age of 19 in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His lengthy stage credits include creating the role of Dr Yurii Zhivago in the Australian premiere production of Doctor Zhivago: The Musical (2011), Australian tours of Annie (2000 and 2012), performing the title role of The Phantom of the Opera (1990 and 2007-2008) and creating the role of Enjolras in the Australian production of Les Miserables (1988).
The new production of The Wizard of Oz had its world premiere at The London Palladium Theatre in March 2011. After a successful West End run, the production had its North American premiere in Toronto in December 2012, and then embarked on a US tour from September 2013. The production boasts a stellar creative team: Jeremy Sams (direction), Robert Jones (set and costume design), Arlene Phillips (choreography), Hugh Vanstone (lighting design), Mick Potter (sound design), Jon Driscoll & Daniel Brodie (video/projection design), David Cullen (orchestrations) and Guy Simpson (musical supervision).
Tickets will be on sale from Monday 29 May in Sydney and Monday 5 June in Brisbane. Waitlist now to be the first in line to purchase tickets at wizardofozthemusical.com
the new songs by Lloyd Webber n Rice were very pedestrian in the London production, and they stupidly dropped the Lion’s fantastic song “If I Were King of the Forest!.”
Will this tour in Melbourne too? If not, I’ll have to take my son to Sydney.
Hi Kelly, So far there have only been Brisbane and Sydney seasons announced. We are not sure whether it will just be a short tour or if they will continue the production around Australia in 2018. We will be sure to let you know as soon as there is word