Full casting has been announced for Curve’s festive musical The Wizard of Oz, which runs in Leicester from 19 November 2022 to Sunday 8 January 2023.

Joining the previously announced Georgina Onuorah as Dorothy will be Jonny Fines (Curve’s My Beautiful Laundrette and An Officer and a Gentleman) as Scarecrow, Paul French (Curve’s Grease, Dominion Theatre) as Tin Man, Giovanni Spanó (Bat Out Of Hell, London Coliseum) as Lion, and Ben Thompson (101 Dalmatians, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Dorothy’s canine companion Toto, brought to life on stage using puppetry.

Stage, screen and YouTube sensation Christina Bianco will play Glinda, alongside Charlotte Jaconelli (Heathers the Musical, West End) as the Wicked Witch of the West, Mark Peachey (Dear Evan Hansen, West End) as Professor Marvel and the Wizard, Jacqui Dubois (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, UK tour) as Aunt Em, and Geoffrey Aymer (Curve’s The Color Purple) as Uncle Henry.

The cast is completed by Andrew Dillon, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Martin McCarthy, Ellie Mitchell, Natasha Mould, Mervin Noronha, Amy Oxley, Andrew Patrick-Walker, Christina Shand, Charlotte St. Croix, Tom Watson and Daisy West.

This production of The Wizard of Oz marks the regional premiere of the musical which features additional songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, as well as Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s iconic songs from the original MGM film.

The Made at Curve production will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, with choreography by Shay Barclay, musical direction and musical supervision by George Dyer, set design by Colin Richmond, projection design by Douglas O’Connell, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, lighting by Curve Associate Ben Cracknell, sound by Adam Fisher, and casting by Kay Magson CDG.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said: “Joining our extraordinary Dorothy, Georgina Onuorah, on the glorious yellow brick road, a company of musical theatre’s finest. Jonny Fines, Paul French and Giovanni Spano will raise the roof as Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion respectively. Christina Bianco and Charlotte Jaconelli ignite the Emerald City with Glinda and the Wicked Witch. We are thrilled to welcome them all, alongside a phenomenally talented company of actors, who will bring this magical musical to life. Christmas at Curve is always a special time of the year, but this year promises to be extra special with families and children of all ages coming together to share this much loved musical adventure with magnificent actors, all born to play these iconic roles. There’s no place like Curve this Christmas!”

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