Over The Rainbow Graham Norton’s searching for a new Dorothy

After finding a Maria, Joseph and Nancy for the West End stage, Andrew Lloyd Webber is now taking a trip along the Yellow Brick Road in search of a Dorothy to star in his new production of The Wizard of Oz.

Hosted by Graham Norton, BBC1’s Over the Rainbow sees thousands of girls audition to fill Judy Garland’s ruby slippers. As the contestants are whittled down along the way, they’ll face a Dorothy Farm boot camp and three new judges: Charlotte Church, Sheila Hancock and EastEnders actor John Partridge.

We caught up with Graham Norton to find out more…

What kind of Dorothy are you looking for?
"We want Dorothy to have a modern edge. The person you would cast as Dorothy if you were making a film or a TV series would be very different to the person you would cast in the West End. On stage she is going to have to cope with men in costumes, Munchkins, flying monkeys and a lot of scenery, so she will need to have presence."

How different will the stage show be from the film?
"Andrew is going back to the original book, so there are some subtle differences. He is going to use the original songs, but also add some others."

What sort of people have auditioned?
"We’ve had a mixed bag with more younger people and fewer older women this time than we had with the Nancys. To be honest, it has been a more pleasant experience because I am happier to wave goodbye to a sobbing 16-year-old knowing they have their whole lives ahead of them and will have other opportunities."

Were there any eccentric auditions?
"They have to be a bit mad to want to do this, but we don’t really attract the proper loonies because we just don’t feature them. Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor show lots of their auditionees and their madness. We don’t do that, so it is a waste of their mad time."

How are the new judges working together?
"The dynamic is very different. You have got three areas of expertise in that Charlotte is all about the voice, Sheila is all about the acting and John is really into the movement because dancing is his background. They also have different ways of connecting with the girls and a different sort of empathy, which has been interesting to watch."

Who is the toughest?
"I would have thought Sheila, but in fact she has been a bit of a softie. I also think she is the loose cannon because she doesn’t care about Andrew. She cares passionately about the girls and isn’t in awe of Andrew. I think she will be a livewire."

You are looking for a Toto as well. Will your own dogs be auditioning?
"I have been asked to put my dog Madge in, but I think it would be a conflict of interest and a terrible idea!"

What captures people’s imagination about The Wizard of Oz?
"It’s one of those movies that everyone loves. It’s an oddly modern film, but also a tale as old as time in that it is about dreaming of escape and possibilities."

What do you love about doing these shows?
"It thrills me when these people open their mouths and out come these voices. There is something about singing musical theatre songs that makes us really connect emotionally. You have to have a heart of stone not to be moved."

You did your own West End stint last year in La Cage Aux Folles. Would you like a role in this?
"Part of me would love to take on the Cowardly Lion – he’s my favourite of all the other characters. I would only do it on telly, though, because I realised the stage is very hard work. As prizes go, winning this is a really tough prize. It is incredibly hard work – particularly if you are playing a big lead like Dorothy who is on stage virtually the whole time."