Dorothy of Oz's Megan Hilty stars in the new hit show Smash on NBC
Megan Hilty stars on the new hit television show Smash, premiering February 6th at 10pm on NBC. Megan has received numerous rave reviews for her portrayal of Ivy Lynn, a promising broadway actress, competing for the part as Marilyn Monroe in the drama executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
In Dorothy of Oz, Megan voices the tiny and delicate China Princess who is fragile on the outside and afraid to be broken, literally and figuratively. But she contains a larger-than-life and occasionally boisterous personality, which she relies on to head her beloved and beautiful China Country.
Previously Megan has received a Drama Desk Award Nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination, Drama League Nomination and LA Ovation Nomination for Lead Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes in Broadway’s 9 to 5 the Musical. Megan graduated from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University and quickly thereafter, made her Broadway Debut as Glinda in Wicked. Megan went on to perform that role in the National Tour and in Los Angeles. Megan then starred in Two by Two, as part of the Reprise Series in Los Angeles, opposite Jason Alexander, Steve Webber & Faith Prince. Among her television credits are: The Untitled Adam Carolla Project (Pilot), Bones, The Closer, Desperate Housewives, CSI, Shark, Ugly Betty, Eli Stone and The Suite Life of Zach & Cody. Megan’s voice can be heard on Disney’s The Secret Life of Magic Gourd, Phineas & Ferb, Glen Martin DDS, American Dad, and as the singing Snow White in Shrek the Third. Currently, Megan voices the character of Rosetta in Disney’s Tinker Bell & The Pixie Hollow Games.
SAN DIEGO (TheWrap) - Patrick Stewart has boldly gone where he had not gone before: to the Comic-Con convention.
The man who played Capt. Jean-Luc Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" finally made his way to the annual geek-fest on Saturday to participate in a panel on the upcoming animated musical "Dorothy of Oz," but of course the first question to address was: How could he have not attended the convention, where he's pretty much revered as a god, in the past?
"First of all, can I just point out that I'm a Broadway girl too?" Stewart quipped, referring to his "Dorothy" co-star, "Wicked" veteran Megan Hilty, who was also on the panel.
"You see, I thought I'd been here already; it was my publicist who told me I wasn't," Stewart joked. "I must've come down here for a party, and thought I was at Comic-Con."
Stewart's maiden voyage to Comic-Con turned out to be a memorable one, and not just for the adoring audience that greeted him with a standing ovation in the packed Hall H. During the panel, Hilty led the crowd in serenading Stewart -- who turned 71 years-old on July 13 -- with a rendition of "Happy Birthday."
As for "Dorothy of Oz" -- which was written by "Wizard of Oz" author L. Frank Baum's great-grandson Roger S. Baum and boasts a star-studded cast that includes Lea Michele, Kelsey Grammer, Dan Aykroyd and Martin Short -- Stewart noted that the fact that it's an animated feature held great appeal for him.
"Right now my feeling is that the greatest innovations in cinema are being made in the world of animation. There's such a diversity of work that's being done," Stewart, who provides the voice of Tugg in the movie, enthused. "So when there's a chance to take part in this new wave of great filmmaking, I like to take part in it."
Plus, Stewart quipped, "I haven't done many iconic pieces of work in my life, so to be associated with those two letters -- O-Z, as we say in England -- is a huge compliment."
Stewart went on to note that the field of animation is especially suited to his acting style.
"I've always thought of myself as a stage actor who occasionally does movies and television, so when I get in front of a film camera, invariably the director is saying to me, 'less,'" Stewart noted. "In my experience, in animation the directors always want, 'MORE! MORE!'"
Surely, the worshipful audience at the panel shared in that sentiment. here
A wide range of licensed products is expected to adorn many major retailer shelves Summer 2012 in conjunction with film release
LOS ANGELES, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Summertime Entertainment, through its exclusive licensing agent Travis James, LLC, recently signed a master worldwide toy license agreement with Bandai America Incorporated for the upcoming 3D CGI animated musical feature, DOROTHY OF OZ. DOROTHY OF OZ is on track to bow in the Summer of 2012.
Bandai's toy line will feature an array of products that evoke the magic and wonder of OZ, including dolls, play sets, plush, role play, trading cards, and more.
"We are very excited to be working so closely with the talented team at Bandai to deliver a compelling and endearing toy line in support of this beloved family-friendly film franchise," said Travis J. Rutherford, CEO ofTravis James, LLC, who is spearheading the global licensing and retail development efforts on the DOROTHY OF OZ brand for Summertime Entertainment.
"We have seen some amazing new technology and play patterns brought to bear in the initial product assortments from Bandai and the early response from the retail community is tremendous. We look forward to bringing Dorothy and all of her lovable Oz friends to life in a way that has never been done before in a kids toy program," said Ryan Carroll, producer of DOROTHY OF OZ, and co-founder of Summertime Entertainment alongside his brother and fellow DOROTHY OF OZ producer, Roland Carroll.
The large range of licensed product is expected to be on the shelves of many major retailers by Summer 2012 in conjunction with the movie release.
"DOROTHY OF OZ boasts an impressive, award-winning cast, crew and musical talent, and we're sure this musical family adventure will enthrall a new generation with the world of OZ. Bandai looks forward to introducing an inspiring line of toys and collectibles that captures the spirit of the new franchise, and honors the legacy of the most watched film ever," said Andre Lake Mayer, Vice President, Licensing for Bandai America.
Additionally, Sheldon Rabinowitz, Summertime Entertainment's new business affairs consultant will be instrumental in helping to grow the franchise.
DOROTHY OF OZ is a 3D CG animated musical feature that stars Lea Michele (Dorothy), Martin Short (The Jester), Jim Belushi (The Cowardly Lion), Dan Aykroyd (Scarecrow), Kelsey Grammer (The Tin Man), Megan Hilty (China Princess), Hugh Dancy(Marshall Mallow), Oliver Platt (Wiser the Owl), and Patrick Stewart (Tugg). The film is based on one of the world's most popular and beloved fairy tales, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, and the further adventure books written by his great-grandson, Roger Stanton Baum.
For more information, visit www.dorothyofoz.com
For more information, visit www.summertimemedia.com
About Summertime Entertainment:
Summertime Entertainment is a multi-media company specializing in family-friendly entertainment for film, television, digital, mobile, and other trans-media platforms. Currently, Summertime is in production on a new franchise of epic proportions — the re-vitalization of the indelible and beloved Oz world originally created by L. Frank Baum and carried on through the creative minds of Roger Stanton Baum, the great grandson. Through various forms of digital worlds, online communities and a brand new stereoscopic, 3D-animated feature film, Oz will soon be brought back to life in literally new dimensions, for a whole new generation to love and cherish.
About Bandai America Incorporated:
A leader in developing engaging, quality toys that capture children's imaginative spirit and provide endless "Fun For The Future," Bandai America Incorporated is the manufacturer and master toy licensee of some of the most popular brands in children's toys and interactive entertainment today. The Bandai America brand family includes Power Rangers®, ThunderCats™, Ben 10™, Fashion Design by Harumika®, and Pocoyo™, among other boys, girls, preschool and hobby product lines. Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings (USA) Inc., an entity that resulted from the integration of Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co. Ltd. of Japan. Global interests encompass three strategic business units: Toys and Hobby, Amusement Facility and Contents. The company is headquartered in Cypress, California. Find out more about our expertise in connecting with kids in fun and fresh ways at www.Bandai.com.
Contact:
Charley Walters / Emilie Chan
CW3PR
323-476-1050
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For more information on Toy Inquiries Contact:
Katie O'Neill
Weber Shandwick for Bandai America Incorporated
310-854-8238
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The first poster has been released for Dorothy of Oz, which doesn't have a release date set at this time. Take a look at the one-sheet for the new animated adventure, which features the voices of Lea Michele, Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi and Kelsey Grammer.
Summoned by Glinda, Dorothy and Toto return to the land of Oz. Joined by her old friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion, Dorothy sets out on a perilous journey to stop the Jester from using the power of the Wicked Witch of the West's wand to turn the people of Oz into puppets.Dorothy of Oz comes to theaters May 2012 and stars Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi, Martin Short, Kelsey Grammer, Lea Michele. The film is directed by Dan St. Pierre.
A single thought ran through my head as I looked at new footage of Lea Michele in a recording session for Dorothy of Oz: This is the side of her I prefer. (Although, what we saw last week was technically the front, not a “side.”)
Following last week’s GQ controversy, I had wanted to believe that she was better than that. Then this footage arrived in my inbox to prove me right.
There are two main reasons I have been excited about the Glee star’s role in the upcoming animated feature since it was announced. First, I was ridiculously excited about the music. (It’s worth noting that I’ve never met another person with more music from animated movies on their iPod.) Judging by the video below, I won’t be disappointed. Second, this is exactly the kind of role I envisioned for the young actress. It’s a natural fit that harnesses her energy and enthusiasm. “[Dorothy] does definitely have that elegance and softness that Judy Garland brought to the role, but I feel I’m showing a little bit more of her youthful side,” Michele says in the video.
GQ missteps aside, it all comes down to talent, and I hope to see more of hers in projects like this.
What do you think, PopWatchers? Are you excited about the movie? Do you, like me, prefer the fun, animated Lea Michele more than the provocateur? And what do you think of the Dorothy music so far? (Seriously, the score on the official site nearly made me teary.)