On the night of Thursday, Sept 24, 2009, “The Wizard of Oz” celebrated its 70th Anniversary and Warner Bros. Entertainment pulled out all the stops.
If you stepped outside into the post-work-rush-hour traffic of New York City, you may have wondered why the Empire State Building was illuminated in green with St. Patrick’s Day already several months behind you. But, those people walking by the west side of Central Park discovered exactly the reason. A giant emerald balloon, adorned with the images of four unlikely compatriots, signaled the start of Warner Bros. Emerald Gala.
Many flocked to the corner of West 67th Street and Central Park to see Lorna Luft, Judy Garland’s daughter, dressed in green and standing on a yellow brick road. Behind Lorna stood a giant-green hot-air balloon, the likes of which Dorothy’s small town in Kansas had never seen. Lorna was joined by five of the original munchkins, including the mayor of Munchkin Land and members of the Lollypop Guild.
As the night progressed, guests moved inside New York’s famous Tavern on the Green to celebrate the night with food, drinks, singing, and an auction of “The Ruby Slipper Collection” – to benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The centerpiece of the night was the 70th Anniversary Blu-ray release of “The Wizard of Oz.” Several members of the Warner family were in attendance, including DC Comics President, Paul Levitz.
Entertainment throughout the night included singing by the Wizard of Oz national tour group. The Scarecrow and Dorothy took center stage, to sing, “If I Only Had a Brain.” Next Lorna Loft grabbed the mic to swing a few songs, which transported the crowd back to the merry-old Land of Oz.
Jennifer Oz LeRoy, owner and CEO of Tavern on the Green shared a few words about her father. She told the audience a humorous tale about her father, who, at the age of 5, skipped down the yellow brick road on the set of “The Wizard of Oz,” and crashed into the set wall. He was then taken to the hospital.
The evening’s festivities closed with a performance by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and actress, Ashanti. The performer, just off from her theatrical debut as Dorothy in the City Center Encores! Production of “The Wiz,” sang a crowd-swaying rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” She finished off her quick set with “The Way That I Love You” off of her recent album “The Declaration.”
*To see pictures from some of the Emerald Gala, click the links below.
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