Vol. 68, No. 3 (Winter 2024) looks back to the origins of The Wiz on Broadway and Grampa in Oz in print!
At the end of 1974, a low-budget, high-energy new musical appeared on Broadway, almost certainly destined for a short, forgettable run. The Wiz was saved by a huge groundswell of enthusiasm from audiences who loved its songs, heard its message, and saw their own lives reflected on the stage. Fifty years later, we’re looking back at how it began, with an exclusive interview from Tony-winning choreographer George Faison. He has stories to tell and memories to share about this unique slice of Oz which continues to build its own legacy, while sharing in the legacy of L. Frank Baum.
Several performers who made up The Wiz‘s original cast went on to become Broadway legends—but in the Bugle, we briefly profile more than thirty other talented actors, singers, and dancers who auditioned for the show but became famous elsewhere in theater, film, and TV. We also look at the beautiful Geoffrey Holder-designed costumes that reside in the National Museum of African American History and Culture, noting their inspirations and representation of multiple communities and cultures.
2024 is also the hundred-year anniversary of Ruth Plumly Thompson’s Grampa in Oz, and we have a pair of articles placing the book in its own context—as well as a light-hearted “investigation” of Grampa’s famous board game, “scrum,” and how you might actually play it. Shhhhh, keep it secret—you can find a cut-and-play copy of our own version of scrum in this issue’s Oz Gazette!
We also have the second half of our Michael Patrick Hearn interview, in which Michael takes us through his emergence into the New York writing scene, the publication of The Annotated Wizard of Oz, and how it came to be renewed with a Centennial Edition. L. Frank Baum’s Great-Granddaughter, Gita Dorothy Morena, brings us the story of a personal mystery, and Brady Schwind ends the issue by introducing us to his friend and collaborator, original Wiz set designer Tom H. John—who has graciously allowed us to debut his new painting celebrating The Wiz on our back cover!
You’ll also find a selection of reviews, an Oz Gazette supplement, and a delightful melting Evillene craft by Kroffty!
This issue has now been mailed to members.
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