Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz
# Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz is a musical with a book by Marc Acito, based on the life of Judy Garland.

## Premise

Conceived by Tina Marie Casamento, with musical adaption and arrangements by David Libby the musical follows Judy Garland's early career from vaudeville baby to MGM teen star.

## Productions

The musical premiered at the Flat Rock Playhouse on December 2, 2015 and ran for a limited time through December 19, 2015.

Following a series of workshops and industry labs, it was announced in March 2019 that the show would have its world premiere at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Previews for Chasing Rainbows began on September 26, 2019 at the Paper Mill Playhouse. The world premiere of Chasing Rainbows opened the following month on October 6. The limited run closed on October 27, 2019. Following the Paper Mill Playhouse production, the producers planned to continue workshopping the musical.

## Musical numbers

Paper Mill Playhouse

## Cast and characters

| Character | Flat Rock Playhouse (2015) | Goodspeed Musicals (2016) | Industry Reading (2017) | Industry Workshop (2019) | Paper Mill Playhouse (2019) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Frances Gumm / Judy Garland | Ruby Rakos | Ruby Rakos | Ruby Rakos | Ruby Rakos | Ruby Rakos |
| Joe Yule / Mickey Rooney | Michael Wartella | Michael Wartella | Michael Wartella | Andrew Keenan-Bolger | Michael Wartella |
| Frank Gumm | Ben Crawford | Kevin Earley | Max von Essen | Daniel Reichard | Max von Essen |
| Louis B. Mayer | Kevin B. McGlynn | Michael McCormick | Michael McCormick | Michael McCormick | Stephen DeRosa |
| Roger Edens | Michael McCorry Rose | Gary Milner | Jason Danieley | Colin Hanlon | Colin Hanlon |
| Ethel Gumm | Wendy Bergamini | Sally Wilfert | Sally Wilfert | Sally Wilfert | Lesli Margherita |
| Ma Lawlor / Kay Koverman | Janet Dickinson | Karen Mason | Karen Mason | Karen Mason | Karen Mason |
| Baby Frances Gumm | Kyra Hewitt | Ella Briggs | Sophie Knapp | Sophie Knapp | Sophie Knapp |
| Shirley Temple | Nicole Johanson | Lea Mancarella | Violet Tinnirello | Violet Tinnirello | Violet Tinnirello |
| George Jessel | Michael McCorry Rose | Gary Milner | Kevin B. McGlynn | Kevin B. McGlynn | Kevin B. McGlynn |
| Mary Jane Gumm | Katie Drinkard | Lucy Horton | Samantha Joy Pearlman | Samantha Joy Pearlman | Samantha Joy Pearlman |
| Young Mary Jane Gumm | Katie LaMark | — | — | — | Alluson O’Malley |
| Virginia Gumm | Andrea Laxton | Andrea Laxton | Tessa Grady | — | Tessa Grady |
| Young Virginia Gumm | — | Piper Birney | — | — | Molly Lyons |
| Deanna Durbin | Clare Griffin | Clare Griffin | Christina Maxwell | Christina Maxwell | Christina Maxwell |
| Clark Gable | Zachary Berger | — | — | John Battagliese | Sean Thompson |
| Lana Turner | Maddy Kinsella | Berklea Going | — | — | Clara Cox |
| Jean Harlow | Alexandria Van Paris | — | — | — | Kimberly Immanuel |
| Buddy Ebsen | Davis Wayne | — | — | — | Drew Redington |
| Gale Sondergaard | — | — | Mackenzie Bell | Mackenzie Bell | Mackenzie Bell |
| Bill Gilmore | Scott Treadway | Jesse Sharp | — | Jesse Sharp | Joe Cassidy |
