Vocally Inspired Performers

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Dorothy Gale: A sweet, innocent young lady who lives on a farm with her

Aunt Em and Uncle Henry but dreams of escaping to a far-off place where

she does not get into so much trouble. She and her dog, Toto, are inseparable.

She is a bit outspoken and headstrong, but dearly loves her family and friends.

Dorothy sings the most well known song of the musical,“Over the Rainbow” and

must be an extremely strong vocalist. 
 

Aunt Em: A typical hard-working farmer’s wife. Although she is consumed
by her responsibilities, underneath it all she cares very much for Dorothy’s
feelings and well-being. Aunt Em must be able to show both her strong side
and her softer side. Aunt Em sings in the reprise of “Over the Rainbow”, but
this is mainly an acting role.

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Uncle Henry: The owner of the farm and Aunt Em’s husband. He adores
Dorothy, but it is clear that Aunt Em is much more in charge of Dorothy’s
upbringing. Uncle Henry is a speaking role with only a few lines.
 

Hunk (Scarecrow) - One of three farmhands who offers Dorothy advice
about how to deal with Miss Gulch. The same person who plays Hunk also
plays the Scarecrow when in Oz. Both characters talk about being smart
and having a brain. The Scarecrow is also quite clumsy, so this actor will
need to have good body control. The character sings the solo, “If I Only
Had a Brain”. A male or female may be cast in this role.
 

Hickory (Tin Man) - One of three farmhands who offers Dorothy advice
about how to deal with Miss Gulch. The same person who plays Hickory
also plays the Tin Man in Oz. The Tin Man believes he lacks a heart, but he
is actually kind, sweet, and nurturing. The character sings the solo, “If I
Only Had a Heart”. A male or female may be cast in this role.
 

Zeke (Lion) - One of three farmhands who offers Dorothy advice about
how to deal with Miss Gulch. The same person who plays Zeke also plays
the Lion in Oz. The Lion is lacking courage. Although the character will act
tough from time to time, his true fearful self comes out in any scary
situation. The actor who plays the Lion must have good comedic timing and
a strong character voice. The Lion will sing two solos, “If I Only Had the
Nerve” and “If I Were King of the Forest”. A male or female may be cast in
this role.
 

Miss Gulch (Wicked Witch of the West) - Dorothy’s well-off neighbour who
is cold-hearted and hates Toto for getting in her yard. In Oz, the same
actress plays the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants revenge on
Dorothy. The character must have a strong stage
presence and a flair for being dramatic.

Professor Marvel (Wizard of Oz, Oz’s Voice) - A traveling salesman
whose career at the moment is fortune telling. The audience should get the
idea that Professor Marvel is a bit of a con artist; however, the character
has a good heart. Similarly, the Oz counterpart, the Wizard, is a con artist
as well - just an average person with a fantastic facade. When playing the
mysterious voice, the actor should sound strong and commanding. This is a
speaking-only role so the actor must be able to convincingly deliver the two
different sides to the character. This character has a significant amount of
dialogue to memorize. A male or female may be cast in this role.
 

The Doorman/The Guard of the Emerald City - The Doorman is a
comical character who tries to be tough but turns into a “softy”. Similarly,
the Guard changes from harshness to sympathy upon hearing Dorothy cry.
Depending on auditions, the Doorman and The Guard may be played by
the same actor or may be cast separately.
 

Glinda - The Good Witch of the North who guides Dorothy in her journey
through Oz. The character should have a delicate, graceful manner and a
lovely voice. Glinda is a mother figure for Dorothy, as well as for the
Munchkins.
 

The Munchkins - The little people who live in Munchkinland, the place
where Dorothy’s house has landed. The Munchkins have a child-like
innocence, and they are full of joy and enthusiasm as they celebrate their
newfound freedom. There are several Munchkins who have featured
moments in “The Munchkinland Musical Sequence”, including the Mayor of
Munchkin City, the Barrister, City Father #1, City Father #2, the Coroner etc.
 

The Jitterbugs - A group of dancers who have been sent by the Wicked Witch to out-dance

Dorothy. These dancers must be comfortable learning a more complicated dance.
 

The Winged Monkeys - The Witch’s animal army, with no lines or singing
involved.
 

Nikko - The leader of the Winged Monkeys and has a small speaking part.
 

The Winkie Guards - A group of the Wicked Witch’s guards. These
characters sing a little bit and will move in military formation.

Leader of the Winkies - The leader of the Wicked Witch’s guards.
 

The Ozians - The people who live in the Emerald City.
 

Note: If an auditioner is cast as a member of the Ensemble, it is
possible the actor may play multiple roles.