Danielle Wade

Drama school reminds actor there’s no place like home

The University of Windsor will hold a place for Danielle Wade, says Tina Pugliese, director of the School of Dramatic Art.

Wade, an acting student who finished her second year, won a national search for the role of Dorothy in a Toronto-based stage production of The Wizard of Oz. The play, adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber from the books by L. Frank Baum, will begin performances December 20.

The 20-year-old LaSalle native finished as the fan favourite on the CBC-TV series Over the Rainbow to win the role. The show’s finale aired Monday.

Classmates cheer on aspiring Dorothy

Drama students, faculty and staff gathered Thursday for an impromptu rally in support of BFA acting major Danielle Wade, one of three finalists in a national contest to land the role of Dorothy in an Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz to open in Toronto in December.

The group donned her signature colour of light green, cheered on Wade, and even assayed a spirited rendition of “Over the Rainbow”—a song from the movie musical and the name of the CBC television program on which Wade is competing.

Drama student daring to dream of Dorothy

A UWindsor drama student is among the finalists in a national contest to land the role of Dorothy in an Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz to open in Toronto in December.

Third-year BFA acting major Danielle Wade has survived several rounds of competition, including the first installment of CBC-TV’s star search series, Over The Rainbow. Now she’s one of just nine aspiring Dorothys left. Over the next seven weeks’ worth of episodes, online voting will determine the winner of the plum role.