Audition Materials & Character Breakdowns

The Wizard of Oz-Young Performers’ Edition 2024

Audition Materials

Please prepare two audition songs and recite one monologue from the characters below

Songs:

  • Girls, please choose one of the following: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or the beginning of “Munchkinland.” Also, prepare “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.”

  • Boys, please choose one of the following: “If I Only Had a Brain” or “If I Were the King of the Forest.” Also, prepare “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.”

  • All songs will need to be sung with the performance track for your audition

FEMALE SONGS

Song:  Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

Song:  Munchkinland (click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

Song:  Ding Dong the Witch is Dead (click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

MALE SONGS

Song:  If I Only Had a Brain (Click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

Song:  If I Were King of the Forest (click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

Song:  Ding Dong the Witch is Dead (click here for lyrics)

With Vocals: Use this track to practice with.

Without Vocals: Use this track for your audition.

Monologues

  • Please prepare and memorize a monologue of your choosing from the characters listed below.

FEMALE MONOLOGUES

Dorothy “Yellow Brick Road”

Follow the yellow brick road? Follow the yellow brick road. Okay, here it is, but which now which way do we go? (looking at scarecrow) That’s funny. Wasn’t that scarecrow pointing the other way? (talking to her dog) Don’t be silly, Toto, scarecrows don’t move- hey, you moved! I think you’re trying to tell me which way to go, but- are you doing that on purpose or can’t you make up your mind? 

 

Glinda the Good Witch “Which Kind of Witch Are You?”

Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Or is that the witch? Well, I’m a little muddled. The munchkins called me because a new witch has dropped a house on the wicked witch of the east. There’s the house and here you are and that’s all that’s left of the wicked witch of the east. And so, what the munchkins want to know is, are you a good witch or a bad witch?

 

Wicked Witch of the West “Jitterbugs”

Nikko, Nikko! Where is the commander of my aerobatic apes? There you are. I have an important task for you. My enemies are about to enter the Haunted Forest. I want you to rouse your men and snatch the sickening little girl and her equally nauseating little dog. I'll conjure up a spell to take the fight out of her. Now which of my creepy crawlie creations shall I send to plague her? The flibberty gibbet? No! The fly by night? No! Aha! I have it! The jitterbug! There is no more infectious bug in my book of spells. Once bitten, they can never stop dancing till they drop! And when they do, you shall be there to scoop up the little brat and the little brute and bring them both to me! Now go!

 

Munchkin Girl “Lollipop Guild”

We represent the Lollipop Guild and on behalf of the Lollipop Guild, we’d like to welcome you to Munchkin Land. We thank you very sweetly for doing it so neatly. You’ve killed her so completely that we thank you very sweetly. Let the joyous news be spread! The wicked old witch at last is dead.

  

Dorothy “Miss Gulch”

Aunt Em! Aunt Em! Just listen to what Miss Gulch did to Toto. Aunt Em, she hit him and . . . Oh, but Aunt Em, Miss Gulch hit Toto right over the back with a rake just because she says he gets into her garden and chases her nasty old cat. But he doesn’t do it every day, just once or twice a Week and he can’t catch her old cat anyway. Now she says she’s going to call the sheriff!

 

 

MALE MONOLOGUES

Lion “Courage”

Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What have they got that I ain't got? Courage! You can say that again!

 

Munchkin Major “Undeniably”

As Mayor of the Munchkin City, in the county of the land of Oz we welcome you most regally, but we have to verify it legally. To see, if she is morally, ethically, spiritually, physically, undeniably and reliably dead. Then this is a day of independence for all the munchkins and their descendants. Let the joyous news be spread. The wicked old witch at last is dead!

 

Scarecrow “Talking Without Brains”

Pardon me, that way is a very nice way. It’s pleasant down that way, too. Am I confusing you on purpose, of course not. You see, I can’t make up my mind because I haven’t got a brain, only straw. How can I talk if I haven’t got a brain? Hmmm, well some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?

 

Wizard “Clinking and Clanking”

Come forward. I am Oz the great and powerful. Who are you? WHO are YOU? Silence! The great and powerful Oz knows why you’ve come. Tinman, step forward. You dare to come to me for a heart, do you? You clinking, clanking, clattering, collection of collinginous junk.

 

Tinman “Oil Can”

(talking through a closed mouth) Oil can. Oilllll caaaaaan! My mouth. (jaw loosens a bit) The other side. My, my, my, goodness. I can talk again! Oil my arms, please. Oil my elbows. It feels wonderful. I’ve held that ax up for ages. It was about a year ago that I was chopping that tree and suddenly it began to rain. Right in the middle of a chop I rusted solid.

Character Breakdown

Lead Characters

  • Dorothy Gale: A sweet, innocent young lady with a streak of boldness, outspoken and headstrong, who dearly loves her family, friends, and dog, Toto. She lives on a farm in Kansas with her Aunt Em & Uncle Henry but dreams of escaping to a far-off place where she will not get into trouble. (strong singer)

  • Aunt Em:  A typical, hard-working farmer’s wife who is firm & no-nonsense but also warm and caring (Sings reprise of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as a duet with Dorothy)

  • Uncle Henry:  Farmer whose wife, Em, runs things; Adoring uncle to Dorothy; (Non-singing Role)

  • Hunk (Scarecrow):  Clumsy farmhand on the family’s Kansas farm. Both characters talk about being smart and having a brain.

  • Hickory (Tin Man):  Kind, sweet, and nurturing farmhand; Tin Man has no heart but is very caring

  • Zeke (Lion): Farmhand who lacks courage; Acts tough, but fearful self comes out in any scary situation.

  • Miss Gulch (Wicked Witch of the West):  Well-off, cold-hearted Gale neighbor who hates Toto

  • Professor Marvel (Wizard): Traveling salesman who lives by telling fortunes; A bit of a con man but with a good heart

  • Glinda:  Good Witch of the North who is the mother figure for Munchkins and Dorothy whom she guides through Oz; Delicate and Graceful

 Supporting and Featured Characters

  • Toto, Doorman

  • Nikko, Leader of the Winkies

  • Munchkin #1, Munchkin #2

  • City Father #1, City Father #2

  • Three Tots

  • Three Tough Kids

  • Mayor of Munchkin City

  • Barrister

  • Coroner

  • Crows

  • Apple Tree #1, Apple Tree #2, Apple Tree #3

  • Optimistic Voices

  • Cat

 

Chorus

  • Munchkins

  • Jitterbugs

  • Winged Monkeys

  • Ozians