The Music
Oh, I have had so much fun with the music for this show! The primary vibe is the golden age of Broadway, but there’s some gospel, there’s jazz, there’s funk; there’s even a bit of boy-band/BTS snuck in here and there. Here are some rough demos of a few of the songs:
Winds of Change
The opening number. (video) The Munchkins, the Winkies, the Good Witches, and the Wizard each get a moment to tell us how the Wicked Witches are threatening the land of Oz.
No Magic In Me
(video) The Wizard has been doing everything he can to keep the Wicked Witches from taking over the Emerald City, but now that Dorothy’s gotten rid of them, he figures it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed as a phony. The rough demo here is for the entire song, and it’s a video file. On the other hand, it’s still me doing the singing, so it’s not great, but I think you’ll be able to tell just how awesome this song will be when we can get a professional to do it justice.
Looking
The Act I version is Dorothy's "I Want" song, and it comes it two parts. She starts singing it in the train station (audio), but doesn't have time to finish before the train shows up. She sings it again after reaching Aunt Em and Uncle Henry's farm. (audio) Then, in Act II, in the last scene, she sings it again, but now it's her "I Have" song. (audio)
You Need Some Pants
(audio) The Scarecrow explains to Dorothy how he ended up hanging around on a pole in a corn field in a flashback. This song is sung by the two Munchkin farmers that put the Scarecrow together. Both parts are sung by Joel Meyers.
Tracks below this line are short excerpts of the songs.
Ozography
Locasta, the Good Witch of the North, explains the lay of the land in this gospel number. (audio) Here’s a video excerpt that gives you a better idea of the potential.
Another Kansas Morning
Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and Dorothy are struggling to help Dorothy adapt to life on the farm in this song with Appalachian roots. (audio excerpt)
Plain as a Pig
The Scarecrow is trying to convince Dorothy that she ought to take him with her to the Emerald City. (audio excerpt) There’s a fun story behind this demo. The actor singing the part in the demo, Joel Meyers, was a local actor just out of school and we thought he was fantastic. A month or two after we recorded him, he told us he would regretfully not be available to us moving forward, since he’d just been cast as Harry Potter’s son in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” On Broadway. So cool! We’ve stayed in touch with him, and we’re hoping to rope him back in at some point.
Take The Journey
The closing number is an anthem about how growing up means stepping out, experiencing life, and meeting people, even if you’re scared to do it. (audio excerpt) After the curtain call, there’s a reprise of “You Have To Take The Journey” with the audience joining in (video excerpt).
Fairy Tale
Nick Chopper and his girlfriend Nimmee are very much in love, (audio excerpt) unaware that there’s a wicked witch who’s going to spoil everything
Malica’s Plan
Where the aforementioned witch, disguised as a Prime Minister, (audio excerpt) ponders ways to break up the couple.
Nobody Sees the Wizard
The citizens of the Emerald City explain to Dorothy and friends how their trip was pointless, since, as everybody knows, Nobody Sees the Wizard. (audio excerpt)
Tyrant’s Tango
Malica, the Wicked Witch of the West, successfully takes control of the Winkie Kingdom, but she finds that being Queen (audio excerpt) is more work than she’d originally expected.
Spread the News
The citizens of the Emerald City rejoice in the demise of Malica, and they make sure to, well, Spread the News (audio excerpt).