I'm Julie Moran. And I'm Olga Villaverde. Today, our Broadway

Balances America Series is once again going behind the scenes of Broadway's best shows

as they travel across the country. And this one will have us all over the rainbow.

It's one of the most beloved pieces of stage and cinema, The Wizard of Oz.

Love it. Developed from the popular MGM Screenplay, this live production contains the cherished

songs from the Oscar winning movie score, all the favorite characters of course, and

iconic moments. Plus, a few surprises including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Balancing Act starts right now. (music).

Broadway Balances America brought to you by Broadway Across America, bringing the best

of Broadway to a city near you. We are once again heading to Broadway and

beyond as our Broadway Balances America series takes us behind the scenes of some of the

most beloved Broadway musicals as they travel across the country and into your local theatres.

And today we're heading over the rainbow as Balancing Act Correspondent, Amber Milt, meets

some of the cast members of the newly updated stage and screen classic, The Wizard of Oz.

And there really is no place like home especially for the young lady who's stepping into those

iconic ruby slippers and gingham dress. That's right ladies. There may be no place

like home, but getting to meet Dorothy, The Wicked Witch of the West, and even getting

in on the action myself had me clicking my heels all the way to Baltimore for a journey

to Oz like no other. (music).

Sarah, you are playing one of my all time favorite characters, Dorothy. How does it

feel to be stepping into this role? I feel so amazing. I'm really excited and

definitely a little bit nervous, but I am ready to do it. It's been one of my favorite

roles from the time I was very little. So, I'm really excited to get to actually play

this iconic character. Stepping into those iconic shoes is something

Sarah Lasko is more than ready for. I actually grew up in a family that was very

musical. My mom is a singer. My dad's a pianist. And I begged and begged them to let me do

community theatre when I was 13, and they finally gave it and from then on I was hooked.

And I did my first professional job when I was 16.

For Sarah, a Maryland native, today feels quite like home as she finds herself at the

Producer of the tour, Troika Entertainment's Costume Shop in Baltimore for her first fitting.

So, Danielle, this room is just massive, and I see people everywhere working. What goes

on here? Absolutely everything goes on here from cutting

the fabric to stitching it together to dying to painting to beading.

Danielle oversees this 7,000 square foot building that houses hundreds of costumes from various

Broadway productions including The Wizard of Oz.

We start in Kansas, which is very brown, and cream, and white, and dark. And then we progress

to the blues of Munchkin City, and Dorothy's dress changes to that iconic blue gingham.

And we progress to Oz and the greens and all the bright wonderful color that you get.

Amber, I think maybe the time has come. Don't forget the shoes!

Okay, look straight in the mirror. Okay.

I'll get a few more pins in and you'll be ready to go.

Sarah, you look so good. How does it feel? Oh, it feels amazing and overwhelming!

Are we going to try on the shoes? Of course we're going to try on the shoes.

Beautiful. Let's see. Give us a twirl. So, is there still no place like home?

Oh, there's no place like home. (clicks shoes).

Costumes, of course, only tell part of the story. This enchanting adaptation features

all of the classic songs plus new music from Broadway powerhouse's Andrew Lloyd Webber

and Tim Rice. The new songs integrate so beautifully into

the original. Some people aren't even aware that they're new, which I love. I love the

fact that they're surprising yet inevitable. There's an establishing song for Dorothy called

"Nobody Understands Me" that sounds like it was right out of the film.

Finding our true home and understanding our place in the world are important themes.

This Dorothy really puts herself out there. It's not just, you know, over the rainbow.

You know, it's about taking what you need and figuring that out. And also, you know,

people joke that this is a story about two women fighting over a pair of shoes. But it's

also really about staking your claim and owning the things that you come into. She goes down

a path that she's never been, and she learns to become herself.

She's such a strong female role model, especially for young women today, and I think one of

the big things that she does is she just takes risks and she goes after things even when

they're scary. That is an important message for young women today. And, also, I feel like

because the show doesn't exactly make the Wicked Witch black and white bad or good,

I think it kind of lets you see into her mind a little bit, and lets you see. You know,

she's a different type of strong woman. Speaking of that much maligned character...

(Singing) "I want those shoes!" What is your process for approaching that?

Well, so what I do is I kind of try to find a quality about her that is relatable. And

she is passionate and dedicated. And those are the two that I'm really like, "Well, that's

how I am." You know, I want to pay homage to the original way and everything, but then

making it my own in a fresh new take. She's breathing new life into this character

with one of the new original songs, "Red Shoes Blues." There is line that I really like.

She says, "My power will grow. It will blossom and flow through the world, through the years,

and straight to my heart." So, I feel like that's kind of like I can play with that a

little bit and think about what she means by that. If she means, like, she does have

a heart and she wants to do something else with her life, or if she just means that she

is power hungry or what not. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it.

As for the infamous shoes... Oh, it's definitely the woman who has all

the power. The shoes help her find her power. The shoes have no real power. I think it's

Dorothy's magic. You know, "There's No Place Like Home" is

such a famous line from this. What does home mean to you?

Home is where the heart is. I think that that's kind of the underlying meaning of "No Place

Like Home" for Dorothy. My home will always be New York, but I will have like a minnie

home on the road, you know, with my new friends and cast members and company members.

Tim Rice's best lyric in the new version of the show, it comes late in the Second Act,

when Dorothy is about to click her heels together. And Glinda reminds her that home is a place

in your heart. (music).

Now, I think it's my turn to get in on the action. Don't forget the shoes.

Oh my gosh! You look like you're having so much fun. I

just wanted to get in on the action. Oh, you look amazing!

Oh my God, you look great! I think I'm going to have to change my job, though. I think

I want to be on Broadway. This is so much fun.

You are dressed for the part. Now, about those shoes. Nah, I'm good with

mine. Have a great tour. Thank you.

Soon, the entire cast and Toto, too will be journeying through a magical land to meet

the Wizard and obtain their hearts' desires. It's sure to be a fantastic musical treat

for the whole family. I always say it's a show that keeps on delivering.

Like whether it's an amazing beautiful thing like a huge rainbow, or the magic of the tinman's

hat going toot toot and smoke coming out of it. Like, it shows all those things, but whether

you're dealing with, each new aspect of the show adds up so you feel like it never stops

piling the enjoyment. I want them to walk away with the timeless

message of hope, and of family, and of the things that are really important: courage,

intelligence, a heart. Those are the things that the three characters want but they've

always had. Those are the things that Dorothy wants but she's always had.

You know, it's okay to dream big. It's okay to go out on the limb and do something that

not everyone else is doing, and it's just like Dorothy. I feel very similarly with that.

I feel like take those steps, take those risks, and they can be very rewarding.

So, I'm not sure I'm gonna get to sneak out of here with these...But at least I got to

try them on. Are you ready for a journey to Oz like no other? Check out BroadwayBalancesAmerica.com

or go to our website, TheBalancingAct.com for all the show information, tour dates,

and more. (music).

Time to say goodbye. Yes it is.

Yes it is, and you know I definitely think the woman makes the shoes or the shoes makes

the woman? No, the woman makes the shoes. You got it,

sister. Amen. Okay.

There really is no place like home or our website, TheBalancingAct.com for much more

information. We're also on Facebook and Twitter. And until

the next time... Remember, find your balance. So long, everybody.

(music).