Down the Yellow Brick Pod

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay begin to ease on down the road as they dive into the development history of The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" ! Rabbit holes include context of what was happening in America in the early 1970s, details on the creative team, casting debacles, and how previews were received out of town. Stay tuned for an unpacking of the Broadway produ...

Send us Fan Mail Conor DeVoe joins the Slipperhood to share his experiences as a performer aboard Disney Cruise Lines, directing, choreographing and producing “A Journey to Oz," a tribute to the beloved movie musical in which he plays his dream role of Dorothy, and shares what's up ahead on his yellow brick road as an actor in New York City! Show Notes: Conor's Website Insta: @Conor...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay dive into the wonderfully wacky world of 1972's "Journey Back to Oz" and are ready to give Liza Minnelli's Dorothy and Ethel Merman's Mombi all the LOVE! Rabbit holes include the history of Filmation, the company that created the move, the long backstory of how the movie finally came to be, and your gingham gals' personal favorite (and...

Send us Fan Mail The incredible Danielle Paige joins the Slipperhood to share all about her incredible "Dorothy Must Die" series!! We are fangirling. Rabbit holes include how Danielle stays creatively disciplined and excited, what it was like to promote her work virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, how the world of Oz fuels her imagination and even some dream Dorothy casting ideas!! S...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay officially bid farewell to 1939's "The Wizard of Oz" by each ranking their top 10 favorite deleted scenes and sharing if they'd prefer it to be added back into the film or not! Rabbit holes include insight into Busby Berkeley's background, the origins of the word 'jitterbug' and extra love for our boyfriends, Ray and Jack. Thank yo...

Send us Fan Mail Shanice Williams joins the Slipperhood to share her experience stepping into the silver shoes of NBC's "The Wiz Live!" as Dorothy in 2015! Shanice recounts what it was like to go through her first audition process while being followed by a camera crew, shares how supported and encouraged she felt by her cast during the production, dives into the Dorothy/Little Red c...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay continue unpacking the impact of 1939's "The Wizard of Oz" on the world with its initial premiers in Los Angeles and New York City, reviews and reactions, and of course its renewed relevance with annual television showings beginning in the 1950s. Your gingham gals give their best reading of promotional headlines, share the history of The Carthay Circl...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay fall down ALL the rabbit holes unpacking the immediate months following the wrap of filming and the publicity circuit that ensued before the August premieres! Rabbit holes include love for editor Blanche Sewell, normalizing menstruation, 1939's The Tournament of Roses drama, initial reviews from previews and radio promotion. Part 2 dropping Wednesday morning! S...

Send us Fan Mail Brynn joins the Slipperhood to share her memories playing Dorothy in Broadway's The Oz Project: A Tribute to The Wizard of Oz & The Wiz, waiting for her Grandpa's name in the credits of "The Wiz" film as a part of the music department and the personal growth she has experienced on her yellow brick road in the past year. Show Notes: Broadway's THE OZ PR...

Send us Fan Mail Dott, Tara and EmKay are back to discuss our final scene of Dorothy returning to a sepia-toned Kansas, share in the frustration of none of the other characters believing her journey really happened and celebrate Dorothy's ability to choose her own path forward for herself. Your gingham gals close the chapter on this classic MGM film by exploring what Oz means to them today. S...

Send us Fan Mail Dott of Dusty and Dott and Down the YBP's Slipperhood joins Tara and EmKay to dissect the final scene back home in Kansas of MGM's "The Wizard of Oz"! Rabbit holes include a deleted ending in the script involving Leo the Lion, appreciation for the subtle set details of Dorothy's room, and a debate over what it would mean if Dorothy was wearing the ruby sli...

Send us Fan Mail The always inspiring Ryan Jay joins the Slipperhood Series to share his journey of becoming the acclaimed Oz historian and film critic he is today! An experienced television producer, Ryan spills some of his memories interviewing the likes of Kristin Chenoweth, rocking ruby slippers on the red carpet and gushes over his new best friend, his very own Toto! Stay tuned after the clos...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay dive back into the Wizard's hot air balloon to bid some tearful goodbyes to the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow as Dorothy clicks her heels together three times to return to "no place like home." Tara and EmKay gush over the sentimental details, give their opinion on the most quotable Oz line from the film and spend a considerable amount of time trying to...

Send us Fan Mail Dorothy and Toto find themselves aboard the Wizard's hot air balloon and are about to embark, but not before our favorite fierce lady with the cat thwarts everyone's plans! Tara and EmKay spill the latest news in the Oz world (squeal!), unearth a deep cut "Gone With the Wind" inside joke reference, recount a deleted filmed montage scene, and celebrate Helen Sea...

Send us Fan Mail Tori Calamito of The Oz Vlog joins Tara and EmKay to share how she started her popular YouTube channel highlighting her miraculous Oz collection! A fan of everything having to do with the 1939 MGM film, Tori shares what brought her to the Land of Oz, her experience co-hosting Oz festivals around the country with fellow Slipperhood member Ryan Jay and how Oz can be a balm for our s...

Send us Fan Mail And we're back! The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion are ready to receive their hearts' desires, but unfortunately there is nothing in the Wizard's black bag for Dorothy, so our journey isn't quite over yet. Tara and EmKay attempt to define some of the Wizard's extravagant vocabulary, realize the Wizard is an Instagram ad and dive deep into the meaning behind t...

Send us Fan Mail Dorothy and friends are about to pull back the curtain (thanks to Toto!) on the Wizard and Tara and EmKay are HERE for the metaphors! Your gingham gals have a pyro appreciation moment, reflect on moments when they were told to "go away and come back tomorrow," and share about their personal Totos who are pulling back the curtain on the hard stuff. Part 2 dropping Wednesd...

Send us Fan Mail The delightful Andrea Dotto joins the pod to share about her experiences playing Dorothy in several productions of "The Wizard of Oz," and even one where she co-starred with her now husband, Brendan, as the Scarecrow! Further discussions include reflecting on the meaning of the line, "I won't look any further than my own backyard," some musical coaching fr...

Send us Fan Mail Tara, EmKay and Alli are BACK to melt a wicked witch and proclaim her dead at last! The gals give some love to Mitchell Lewis, encounter another dreaded bout with asbestos and Alli shares her lasting connection to the film. Each week on SSR Podcast, Alli and a guest break down their reactions to and memories of the books they used to read in middle school and high school! “This is...

Send us Fan Mail Tara and EmKay are joined in the Witch's Castle by the incredible Alli Hoff Kosik of SSR Podcast and things are getting spookier by the minute! The gals celebrate Terry's heroic scene-stealing moments, remember being traumatized as children by the sight of the straw-less Scarecrow and take a detour to ponder whether their parents would ever join them in doing extra work...

Send us Fan Mail Today's Slipperhood episode transports us to Beech Mountain, North Carolina, where the Land of Oz Theme Park is reopening this summer! Steph Twomey, who has been stepping into the ruby slippers at Land of Oz as Dorothy since 2017, joins us to share her love for the park, celebrate the supportive community of women playing Dorothy, and highlights her personal connection to Jud...

Send us Fan Mail The spooks continue as Tara and EmKay deep dive into the costumes and makeup of the winged monkeys as well as the special effects required to create the flying monkey nightmare scene that haunted your childhood! They also give some always well-deserved love to Margaret Hamilton and unpack some deleted scenes and songs, including everyone's favorite, "The Jitterbug."...

Send us Fan Mail Dorothy and friends have stumbled upon the spookiest woods in Oz to find a sign with questionable spelling warning, "I'd turn back if I were you!" As our friends wield their weapons from an uncertain origin, Tara and EmKay unpack key differences from the shooting script to the screen and deep dive into the life of the original Wicked Witch of the West, Gale Sonderga...

Send us Fan Mail The effervescent Sarah Lasko joins the Slipperhood today to share her experiences spreading the magic of Oz as Dorothy in the 2015-16 North American Tour of "The Wizard of Oz!" She designs her dream ruby slippers, recounts some of her favorite effects from the stage show, reflects on irreplaceable connections made with audience members and looks forward to the future of...

Send us Fan Mail Dorothy and friends are FINALLY admitted to see the Wizard.. but not before Tara and EmKay unpack the history behind Dorothy's favorite expression: "Jiminy Crickets!" and uncover some amusing cut lines and scenes. Episode highlights include illuminating the inspiration and design behind the throne room, the special effects that went into creating the Wizard's t...