This new multiauthor volume will examine The Wizard of Oz and its surrounding culture, centering on three areas of study: early adaptations of Baum’s novels, insights into the MGM film, and the legacy of The Wizard of Oz on the popular stage. Although the articles will devote some attention to the genesis of the musical and the biographical profiles of the creative team, the book will prioritize critical and analytical readings. Authors will primarily illuminate the reasons why The Wizard of Oz has become iconic in the history of the movie musical, acknowledging the great lengths to which MGM went in making it an exceptional project, and why it continues to hold so much appeal in the twenty-first century. The development of the score will receive particularly close attention, filling an important gap in the literature and addressing the fact that the songs are key to the movie’s popularity. Two central chapters will address the music in the MGM film, considering the interaction between the songs and the underscore, and also reflecting on the enduring appeal of the musical numbers. But the significance of the music in early stage productions and later reinterpretations will also be given careful attention: several of the authors will question how the music is employed alongside other components—on stage and screen—and to what effect. Ultimately, the book will incorporate a variety of scholarly approaches, to present an authoritative and engaging understanding of one of the most significant movie musicals that will appeal to film lovers and academics alike.
