In January of 1989, I started rehearsals for the 50th
Annersary Tour of "The Wizard Of Oz"! It was set to be a 19 month US
tour, and then on to Japan and Australia. We were expecting to be
working this show for at least 3 years. After we played Radio City
Music Hall for 6 weeks (and broke all attendance records), there was even
talk of us going to Broadway! Well, as with the movie,
this production seemed to carry on the curse! Although I had a truly
wonderful time the 6 months I was on the road with this cast and crew...
it was a nightmare I hope never to re-live. The problems with the
production brought this amazing group of performers together in a way I
had never experienced before. They say your family is... whoever
your on the road with at the time.... but many of these people I still
consider family. Even those I haven't seen in years. "OZ" was
one of the few productions I've been involved with that still effects me
today. I met one of my very dearest friends on this show, my partner
in crime... R.T. Smith. And you'll be seeing a lot more of him on
this website in the near future. Stay Smoothe Bro.! |