A company of 16 actors will click their heels and skip down the yellow brick road in Birmingham REP’s festive production of The Wizard of Oz.
Chisara Agor will play Dorothy. The cast also includes Kelly Agbowu (Lion / Zeke), Shanay Holmes (Glinda / Aunt Em), Lorna Laidlaw (The Wizard / Professor Marvel), Dillon Scott-Lewis (Tin Man / Hickory), Jos Vantyler (Wicked Witch / Miss Gulch), Thomas Vernal (Uncle Henry / Oz Doorkeeper) and Ed Wade (Scarecrow / Hunk).
The Oz company will feature Rhys Batten, Jade Davies, Luke Fraser Yates, Zak Nemorin, Kerri Norville, Elisha Sherman, Emily Squibb and Ben Thompson. The cast is completed by local dogs taking on the role of Dorothy’s companion Toto.
Director Liam Steel said, “The Wizard of Oz is a story packed with memorable moments and marvellous music, but at its heart is a journey of self discovery. I can’t wait to explore this in the rehearsal room with a great company of actors as we bring a fresh, authentic take and a bit of sass to this glorious musical.”
Steel is a core collaborator at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and has worked on ten productions over ten seasons, including co-directing and choreographing Sondheim’s Into the Woods which picked up the Olivier Award for best musical revival.
The Wizard of Oz will be designed by Angela Davies with costume and puppet designs by Samuel Wyer, lighting design by Nick Richings and sound design by Paul Groothius. George Dyer is the musical director.
The Wizard of Oz runs at Birmingham REP from Saturday 24 November until Sunday 13 January 2019.