The Marvelous Land of Oz is a musical play by Thomas W. Olson (book), Gary Briggle (lyrics), and Richard Dworsky (music), based on the novel by L. Frank Baum. Briggle originated the role of the Scarecrow in the original 1981 production, directed by John Cark Donahue at The Children's Theatre Company and School of Minneapolis.
The production was filmed (videotaped) for television under the direction of John Driver, the first of six such productions with Television Theatre Company and the only one to be strictly bound to the theatre. The overture in the film depicts the cast and crew getting ready for the performance, while the other five films had openings that were shot on location or in studios.
In this extraordinarily faithful stage version of the second Oz book, the only major deletions were things unperformable on stage (The Jackdaw's nest and the Gryphon/Sawhorse chase) and an increase in the role of Jellia Jamb, who remains in the Emerald City in the novel. Tip is forced to live with a horrible witch Mombi, and decides one day to scare her with a Pumpkinhead man. Originally intending to smash it, she decides to test the powder of life she has obtained from Dr. Nikidik, which works. Forbidden to kill the boy, she plans to transform him into a marble statue the following morning. Taking the Pumpkinhead, Tip escapes during the night and meets General Jinjur and her all-woman army intent on conquering the Emerald City. Mombi agrees to help Jinjur, while Tip escapes the Emerald City with the Scarecrow to obtain the help of the Tin Woodman. Tip eventually learns the importance of his Emerald ring, and that he is the key to Restoration Oz. Written by Scott Hutchins
