English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is set to audition dogs to look for the perfect canine to star as Toto in his new West End production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’.
Lloyd-Webber has confirmed he will audition dogs through the new BBC1 talent search programme.
Although the exact format of the dog auditions has not yet been disclosed, a BBC source said that “a Barbara Woodhouse-type expert” would help with the casting.
The announcement of this new show has also shot down rumours that Lord Lloyd Webber was about to switch from the BBC to ITV.
“A big sticking point for me, this was,” the Telegraph quoted Lord Lloyd Webber as saying.
“This is what the BBC wanted and I had to point out to them that as a cat man, this was not something that I was very happy about at all. The whole thing fills me with extreme concern.
“I might insist on having a cat on the programme, because I think the BBC as a public service broadcaster have got to give equal time in my view to cats,” he added.
Along with the dogs, Lord Lloyd Webber is also searching for a new Dorothy to take on the iconic Judy Garland role from the 1939 film.
“I want to play her as a slightly rebellious girl who wants to get away from home,” Lloyd Webber added.
Lloyd Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater will also write new songs for classics from the original film such as ‘Over the Rainbow’ for the West End production.
“We are going to write an opening number, and there is no song for the wizard. There isn”t really anything for the wicked witch – pretty obvious holes,” Lord Lloyd Webber added.
