''Over the Rainbow'' is a Canadian reality talent competition, which premiered on
CBC Television on September 16, 2012. Based on the 2010 series ''
Over the Rainbow'' in the United Kingdom, the series auditioned aspiring
musical theatre performers for the role of
Dorothy for a Toronto production of
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
stage musical adaptation of ''
The Wizard of Oz''.
["CBC fall season reflects reduced budget"](_blank)
CBC News
CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca ...
, May 10, 2012. The series was hosted by
Daryn Jones
Daryn Jones (born January 3, 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia) is a Canadian comedian and television personality.
Career
He began his career in stand-up comedy clubs at the age of 17, receiving formal training in a private training school.
H ...
.
, Thom Allison, and
Louise Pitre
Louise Pitre (born January 1, 1957) is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical '' Mamma Mia!'', which earned her a 2002 Tony Award ...
served as judges alongside Webber.
The competition began with a Dorothy "boot camp" run by Lloyd Webber, which trained contestants and eliminated all but 10 finalists. Following a public telephone vote on 4 November 2012, 20-year-old
Danielle Wade was chosen as Dorothy to perform the role for
Mirvish Productions in Toronto, which started on 20 December 2012.
[Ahearn, Victoria]
"''Over the Rainbow'' winner realizing she's not in La Salle, Ont., anymore"
''The Province'', Canada.com, 7 November 2012 Wade has played several leading roles in student and community theatre and is an acting major at the
University of Windsor
, mottoeng = Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge
, established =
, academic_affiliations = CARL, COU, Universities Canada
, former_names = Assumption College (1857-1956)Assumption University of Windsor (1956-1963)
, type = Public universi ...
. The judges praised her as "a consistently solid performer with a big voice and girl-next-door likeability and charm".
The show also auditioned Canadian dogs for the part of Toto. CBC and Weber did not restrict the breed of Toto to
Cairn Terrier (as used in the 1939 film), but instead searched for a dog that embodies the spirit of Toto: One that is a "bright fun loving companion full of energy and charisma".
["Toto Auditions](_blank)
The winner was a small mixed breed dog named Linzy, that looks similar to the film's Toto, owned by Reta Thompson. However, Linzy did not appear in the stage production.
[Simcoe, Luke]
"Ontario pooch Linzy wins ''Over the Rainbow'' Toto contest"
''Metro'', Free Daily News Group Inc., 6 October 2012
Finalists
Ten contestants made it through the audition rounds and performed during the live shows.
* at the start of the series
Results summary
Live shows
The live shows saw the finalists eliminated one by one following both individual and group performances. At the end of every live show, the losing Dorothy would have her shoes stripped by the Dorothy who survived the sing-off, and the shoes would be given to Lloyd Webber (week 1) and Phillips (weeks 2-7).
Week 1
Following the first week of the competition, Kelsey was the first Dorothy to be eliminated from the competition. The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"Follow the Yellow Brick Road"
(from the musical ''The Wizard of Oz'')
**"
One"
(from the musical ''A Chorus Line
''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante.
Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'')
Sing-Off
Week 2
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
"Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" is a song in the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz''. It is the centrepiece of several individual songs in an extended set-piece performed by the Munchkins, Glinda (Billie Burke) and Dorothy Gale. Highlighted by the Lol ...
"
(from the musical ''The Wizard of Oz'')
**"
Defying Gravity"
(from the musical ''Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe
* '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
'')
Sing-Off
Week 3
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
The Merry Old Land of Oz"
(from the musical ''The Wizard of Oz'')
**"
Anything You Can Do"
(from the musical '' Annie Get Your Gun'')
Sing-Off
Week 4
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
If I Only Had a Part"
(from the musical ''The Wizard of Oz'')
**"
I Enjoy Being a Girl
"I Enjoy Being a Girl" is a show tune from the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Flower Drum Song''. It is the showpiece for the character of Linda Low, the lead showgirl. The musical is a comedic love story about growing up Chinese in Americ ...
"
(from the musical ''Flower Drum Song
''Flower Drum Song'' was the eighth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on the 1957 novel, '' The Flower Drum Song'', by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. It premiered on Broadway in 1958 and was then performed in the ...
'')
Sing-Off
Week 5
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain on My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical '' Funny Girl''. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra ...
"
(from the musical '' Funny Girl'')
**"''
Mamma Mia!'' Medley" with
Louise Pitre
Louise Pitre (born January 1, 1957) is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical '' Mamma Mia!'', which earned her a 2002 Tony Award ...
Sing-Off
Week 6
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
Together (Wherever We Go)"
(from the musical ''Gypsy
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
'')
**"
You Can't Stop the Beat"
(from the musical ''Hairspray
Hairspray may refer to:
* Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind
* ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters
** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album
** ''Hairspray ...
'')
**"
The Trolley Song
"The Trolley Song" is a song written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and made famous by Judy Garland in the 1944 film ''Meet Me in St. Louis''. In a 1989 NPR interview, Blane said the song was inspired by a picture of a trolleycar in a turn-of-t ...
"
(from the musical ''Meet Me in St. Louis
''Meet Me in St. Louis'' is a 1944 American Christmas film, Christmas musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes, starting with Summer 1903, it relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith famil ...
'') with
Thom Allison
Sing-Off
Week 7
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"
Don't Stop Believin'"
(from the musical '' Rock of Ages'')
**"
Seasons of Love"
(from the musical '' Rent'')
**"
Something's Coming"
(from the musical ''West Side Story
''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents.
Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...
'')
Sing-Off
Week 8
For their individual performances, the contestants sang songs by
Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**"''The Wizard of Oz'' Medley"
**"Already Home"
(from the musical ''The Wizard of Oz'')
**"
Sing"
(by Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band featuring Military Wives)
References
External links
Official Program Website at cbc.ca
{{Andrew Lloyd Webber musical revival search
CBC Television original programming
2010s Canadian reality television series
2012 Canadian television series debuts
2012 Canadian television series endings
Music competitions in Canada
Singing talent shows
Television series about teenagers
Television series by Temple Street Productions