The Wizard of Oz (1902 stage play)

The Wizard of Oz
Fred R. Hamlin's Musical Extravaganza
One of many promotional posters for the show, featuring The Scarecrow, Dorothy, the Tin Woodman (in a Scottish kilt and minus his funnel hat), and some Poppies
Music	Paul Tietjens Charles Zimmerman Gus Edwards Leo Edwards and others
Lyrics	L. Frank Baum Vincent Bryan Will D. Cobb William Jerome and others
Book	L. Frank Baum Glen MacDonough
Basis	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Productions	1902 Chicago 1903 Broadway

The Wizard of Oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, which was originally published in 1900. Much of the original music was by Paul Tietjens and has been mostly forgotten, although it was still well-remembered and in discussion at MGM in 1939 when the classic film version of the story was made. Although Baum is the credited bookwriter, Glen MacDonough was hired on as jokewriter after Baum had finished the script.

The show premiered at the Chicago Grand Opera House on June 16, 1902 and later moved to the Majestic Theatre on Broadway on January 21, 1903, where it ran for 293 performances until December 31, 1904, followed by travelling tours of the original cast. It starred Anna Laughlin as Dorothy Gale, Fred Stone as the Scarecrow and David C. Montgomery as the Tin Woodman (who is called Niccolo Chopper in the musical; he had no name in the original book, but would be called Nick Chopper in the sequels). Arthur Hill (no relation to the Canadian actor) played the Cowardly Lion, but in this version his role was reduced to a bit part. The Wicked Witch of the West is mentioned but does not appear in this version, and Toto is replaced by a cow named Imogene. An element from the show – the snowfall caused by the Good Witch of the North, which defeats the spell of the poppies that had put Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion to sleep – was later used in the classic 1939 movie. Other new characters in the piece are King Pastoria II and his girlfriend, Trixie Tryfle (a waitress), Cynthia Cynch (a lady lunatic), Sir Dashemoff Daily (the poet laureate), Sir Wiley Gyle, and General Riskitt. Dorothy Gale's surname was introduced in this piece. It was not mentioned in the original novel, though it is mentioned in Ozma of Oz (1907).