Artist Nick Botting Observes WIZARD OF OZ Cast for Paintings

With Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright producing, The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all time classic, starring Danielle Hope, winner of BBC TV's Over the Rainbow, as Dorothy and Michael Crawford, the original Phantom, as the Wizard. This new production contains all the much-loved songs from the Oscar winning movie score, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

Inspired by the production was artist Nick Botting, who was invited behind the scenes to paint the cast in rehearsal. "The difficulty of painting something like this is that the cast were always moving. I hope I have captured something of the intense effort and professionalism of the rehearsals," Botting tells the Islington Tribune.

Developed from the ever-popular 1939 MGM screenplay, The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic, totally reconceived for the stage by the award-winning creative team who delighted audiences of all ages with their recent London Palladium revival of The Sound of Music. Audiences will be captivated as The London Palladium is transformed into the mythical Emerald City with breathtaking special effects and scenery to bring to life the real story of Oz.

The exhibition, entitled 'Observations', will take place from April 14 through May 6 at the Portland Gallery; click here view one of the paintings and read the full Islington Tribune article.