Archive for March 2010
Over the Rainbow and Toto-ally barking
Is your dog star struck? Or more to the point are you and just happen to have a furry friend? A pooch with pizazz? Andrew Lloyd Webber is looking for a special Toto to join Dorothy in a one-off gala performance of The Wizard of Oz.
Early next month, he’ll be inviting dogs of all breeds to open auditions for the part of Toto. They are looking for pets with potential, they don’t have to be professionally trained. No matter what shape, colour of size, your doggy diva could be Toto!
Helping Andrew on his canine quest is a whole new Toto Panel, who will be judging the Totos to make sure they’re up to scratch.
On the Panel is Jodie Prenger, the winner of I’d Do Anything who plays Nancy is the West End production of Oliver. Joining Jodie are two dog trainers to the stars, Gerry Cott and Sarah Fisher. Both have trained animals for the stage, so our Totos are in excellent hands.
Toto should be healthy and happy – a dog with a spring in its step and in tip-top condition. The winning Toto will need to be confident as they will be around lots of people and dogs in new environments and sometimes will be working with other people away from their owner. Needs to be a smart dog, still able to pick up a trick or two.
Finally, the Toto Panel are looking for a true star! The winning doggy will have bags of personality and not be afraid to show it off!
Do you think your dog has what it takes? Open auditions will be taking place early next month, with details being confirmed soon, so visit Over The Rainbow Twitter and Facebook Fan Page for the latest updates.
Toto Wizard of Oz
Source bbc.co.uk website
Dorothy and Toto come to BBC One
Andrew Lloyd Webber is bringing The Wizard of Oz to the West End stage and he needs you. Starting on 26 March at 9.00pm on BBC, Over The Rainbow reunites Lord Lloyd Webber and host Graham Norton in their search for a new Dorothy.
Helping Andrew and the nation choose the perfect Dorothy is the panel of experts: singer Charlotte Church, EastEnders and musical theatre star John Partridge and actress Sheila Hancock.
Of course The Wizard of Oz wouldn’t be complete without Dorothy’s doggy companion Toto. The show will be looking for a new furry friend – I wonder how the audition will go. Musician John Vickers has a dog called Sidney who sings every time he plays the violin, but I am not sure if that counts.
Be the first to know about all the Over The Rainbow gossip and news by joining the official Facebook Fan Page (facebook.com/bbcdorothy) and becoming an Over The Rainbow Twitter follower (twitter.com/bbcdorothy). Or you can watch my blog!
Source bbc.co.uk
Somewhere over the rainbow is the new Dorothy
Dorothy and Toto Wizard of Oz
Were you glued to TV’s reality search for star How do you solve a problem like Maria? Or was it Joseph or Nancy and Oliver? Then you’ll love the latest foray into casting by the GBP (Great British Public) Over the Rainbow which aims to find a new Dorothy for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest West End production of The Wizard of Oz.
Auditions are open to anyone, with or without experience, or in most cases talent, and nationwide auditions have already begun. All applicants have to be aged 16 or over by 26 June 2009. Once selections have been made, we will have to endure week after week of professionals, semi-professionals and checkout girls from Tesco trying to be Judy Garland until we find the perfect young lady from Kansas (or somewhere in the West Midlands at any rate). What a treat!
I thought they were looking for Toto the dog as well. That would be fun. Maybe I imagined it or it was wishful thinking.
A few years ago we had a brown Yorkie/Cairn cross called Nipper who sadly shuffled of this mortal coil about 5 years ago at the age of 16. When she was about eight years old we took her to an open audition for the part of Sandy in Annie at the local amateur theatre. Needless to say it was all an unmitigated disaster as there was no way she was going to answer to ‘Sandy, Sandy…’ in an American accent (that’s Annie with the accent not the dog) or sit still or do anything remotely obedient.
