Spotlight on: The Wizard of Oz!
If you’ve been searching for the perfect leavers' musical for your Year Six students, you may be interested in choosing one of our most popular musicals for schools. Tom Kirkham’s The Wizard of Oz is a brilliant musical adaptation of the famous novel itself by L Frank Baum.
Since its release in January 2023, this new school musical has engaged, entertained, and educated drama groups, children, and even secondary schools. So, grab a pair of silver shoes and join us on the Yellow Brick Road as we discover what makes this show such a hit!
What’s the Show All About?
Spoilers ahead!
In this script, suitable for KS2 and KS3 students, we meet Dorothy and her dog, Toto, who are swept from her aunt and uncle’s house by a powerful cyclone to the magical land of Oz. There, she comes across Munchkins, who thank her for inadvertently killing the Wicked Witch of the East. In an effort to return home, Dorothy must embark on a journey to the Wizard of Oz, befriending the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion along the way.
During the journey, Dorothy and her new companions must face several challenges as the Wicked Witch of the West plots her revenge. Dorothy accidentally melts the Wicked Witch by throwing water at her, and the gang goes to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. They discover that the Wizard is just an ordinary man who possesses no magic. Then, Glinda, a good witch, reveals that Dorothy has the power to return home by clicking her silver shoes together. Dorothy bids farewell to her friends and returns home to her family.
Making The Wizard of Oz
“I love the story, and it was a story I've always wanted to be able to tell in my own way. I wanted to make sure it was a really engaging and accessible version with lots of different parts so there was more chance for more children to play more meaningful roles…”
- Tom Kirkham
Production started with author Tom reading the book – several times! – working out how to distil the story within a 70-minute show. He got to work by creating the song Perfect Like You, sung by the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Lion, which first made Tom believe that this script could work as a show. He then followed with writing the opening number One Day in Kansas which further solidified this belief.
Tom decided to take on such a big story, stating that whilst there was already a great film version out there, he wasn’t convinced that there was a great – not to mention accessible – stage version of the much-loved classic. He wanted to create something that schools and drama groups could easily reproduce. Plus, Tom reckons that this musical would lend itself brilliantly to a school band, complemented by James Welch’s spellbinding backing tracks. So, if some of your students are able to take to the drums, keyboard, or guitar, why not give them a shot?
If you need another reason to purchase this musical, it’s worth knowing that three songs from this adaptation of The Wizard of Oz have been added to the ABRSM Musical Theatre syllabus. These include Wicked, Toto, and Small, offering students a chance to study and perform musical theatre pieces as a Practical Grade or a Performance Grade.
Watch Tom’s full Wizard of Oz interview to hear his thoughts in more detail.
What Can We Learn from The Wizard of Oz?
The fantastic thing about The Wizard of Oz school musical is that your schoolchildren can take away a few key messages. The gripping script offers a wide range of moral lessons and values, such as:
- Family and Friendship
Dorothy’s journey is all about finding her way home to her family. However, she also makes some unexpected friends along the way, who show her loyalty when she needs it most in order to get back home.
- Good vs Evil
The Wizard of Oz is full of contrasting characters, from the pure and kind Dorothy to the evil Wicked Witch of the West. This is fantastic at demonstrating moral choices to children, especially as good trumps evil at the end of this story!
- Self-Confidence vs Self-Doubt
The Wizard of Oz is all about the characters believing in themselves. While Dorothy learns that running away from her problems is not the right answer, the Lion learns that he can find courage within himself despite feeling afraid.
- Resilience
Dorothy must learn to be resilient when she is thrown into a faraway land. She is taught not to blame others for her circumstances and that simply waving a magic wand cannot solve her problems. This could teach children not to give up during tough times.
Who Should Purchase The Wizard of Oz?
The Wizard of Oz is a fantastic musical for school children aged 9-13, including a memorable and engaging script with valuable lessons to be learned about good versus evil, self-confidence, and friendship.
This show last for 70 minutes, making it more suitable for older primary school and secondary school pupils, who can typically manage longer narratives than KS1 students. Running for just over an hour, this length is perfect for helping the students and audience jump into a meaningful story.
Cast size is also a consideration. With 38 speaking roles, this musical adaption boasts an ideal cast size of 50 students, although this can range from 20 to 60+ students. Remember that some of your quieter students may not feel comfortable with drama acting and speaking roles, so you’ll need to select a group with enough students happy to take on the main parts.
Tom recommends rehearsing this for the best part of a term, so it’s important you can commit to rehearsing a couple of times a week. If that all sounds good, it’s time to take on nine magical songs and a heartwarming story today!
Take a sneak peek at one of Tom Kirkham’s catchy songs, ‘There's No Place Like Home’, below.
Ready to Put Our School Musicals to the Test?
Check out The Wizard of Oz today and get ready to put on the performance of a lifetime! Putting on a school musical is one of our top Year Six leavers' assembly ideas, fantastic for bringing students together before they all head off to secondary schools.
Take a look at our previous Spotlight on Oliver with a Twist to learn more about our different musicals, and keep an eye out for our next Spotlight blog!
Have a query about our adaptations? Please reach out to us today.
Meet the Author
Tom Kirkham: Tom is a writer and musician, and the co-founder and Publishing Director of The School Musicals Company. A qualified English and Drama teacher with fifteen years’ experience, Tom is the writer of numerous musicals, including Luna And The Skyrocket, Pantastic, A-la-la-la-la-laddin, Sherlock & Cinders, and Paws & Claws. Tom loves the process of creating stories and seeing them come to life on stage or screen. He also enjoys working with other writers, composers, illustrators and designers in a publishing and editorial capacity.
Tom co-founded The School Musicals Company with Matt Crossey in 2016. Learn more and meet the team behind our performances!