If you are auditioning for the lion please be familiar with both of these scenes.
Lion (Zeke)
Zeke is another farmhand who talks to Dorothy about her problems, advising her to just “have a little courage”. The same actor that plays Zeke will also play the Lion in Oz. The Lion lacks courage. Although he will act tough from time to time, his true fearful self comes out in any scary situation. The actor who plays the Lion needs to have good comic timing and is not afraid to take risks.
Either a boy or a girl can successfully play this role.
Scene 1
The Lion enters, growling ferociously!
Lion
Put ‘em up! Put ‘em up! I’ll fight you with one paw behind my back.
I’ll fight you standing on one foot. I’ll fight you with my eyes closed.
Tin Man
Go away and let us alone!
Lion
Oh, scared, huh? How long can you stay fresh in that can?
Come on! Get up and fight!
Tin Man
Yes, Scarecrow, get up and teach him a lesson.
Scarecrow
What’s wrong with you teaching him a lesson?
Tin Man
I hardly know him.
Lion
Grrrrrrr. Grrrrrrr.
The Lion spots Toto.
Lion
All right Pee-Wee, I guess it’s you and me!
The Lion chases Toto, who hides behind Dorothy.
Dorothy
Shame on you!
Dorothy raps the Lion on the muzzle.
Lion
Whadcha do that for? I didn’t bite him!
Dorothy
No, but you tried to.
Lion
You didn’t have to go and hit me, did you? Is my nose bleeding?
Dorothy
Of course not. Why, you’re nothing but a great big coward!
Lion
You’re right! I am a coward. I haven’t any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes. I haven’t slept in weeks.
Tin Man
Why don’t you try counting sheep?
Lion
That doesn’t do any good…I’m afraid of ‘em.
Scarecrow
Don’t you think the Wizard could help him, too?
Dorothy
I don’t see why not.
Lion
Well, wouldn’t you feel degraded to be seen in the company of a cowardly lion? I would.
Dorothy
No, of course not.
Lion
That’s awfully nice of you. My life has been simply unbearable.
Scene 2
During the song, ‘If I Were King Of The Forest’ the lion is imagining how courageous he would be if he were King.
Dorothy
Your, Majesty, if you were King, you wouldn’t be afraid of anything?
Lion
Not nobody, not nohow!
Tin Man
Not even a rhinoceros?
Lion
Imposserous!
Dorothy
How about a hippopotamus?
Lion
Why, I’d thrash him from top to bottomamus!
Dorothy
Supposin’ you met an elephant?
Lion
I’d wrap him in cellophant!
Scarecrow
What if it were a brontosaurus?
Lion
I’d show him who was King of the Fores’!
All
How?
Lion
How?
Courage! What makes a king out of a slave?
Courage! What makes the flag on the mast wave?
Courage!
What makes the elephant charge his tusk
In the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
Courage!
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the ‘ape’ in apricot?
What have they got that I ain’t got?
Courage!
Lion (Zeke)
Zeke is another farmhand who talks to Dorothy about her problems, advising her to just “have a little courage”. The same actor that plays Zeke will also play the Lion in Oz. The Lion lacks courage. Although he will act tough from time to time, his true fearful self comes out in any scary situation. The actor who plays the Lion needs to have good comic timing and is not afraid to take risks.
Either a boy or a girl can successfully play this role.
Scene 1
The Lion enters, growling ferociously!
Lion
Put ‘em up! Put ‘em up! I’ll fight you with one paw behind my back.
I’ll fight you standing on one foot. I’ll fight you with my eyes closed.
Tin Man
Go away and let us alone!
Lion
Oh, scared, huh? How long can you stay fresh in that can?
Come on! Get up and fight!
Tin Man
Yes, Scarecrow, get up and teach him a lesson.
Scarecrow
What’s wrong with you teaching him a lesson?
Tin Man
I hardly know him.
Lion
Grrrrrrr. Grrrrrrr.
The Lion spots Toto.
Lion
All right Pee-Wee, I guess it’s you and me!
The Lion chases Toto, who hides behind Dorothy.
Dorothy
Shame on you!
Dorothy raps the Lion on the muzzle.
Lion
Whadcha do that for? I didn’t bite him!
Dorothy
No, but you tried to.
Lion
You didn’t have to go and hit me, did you? Is my nose bleeding?
Dorothy
Of course not. Why, you’re nothing but a great big coward!
Lion
You’re right! I am a coward. I haven’t any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes. I haven’t slept in weeks.
Tin Man
Why don’t you try counting sheep?
Lion
That doesn’t do any good…I’m afraid of ‘em.
Scarecrow
Don’t you think the Wizard could help him, too?
Dorothy
I don’t see why not.
Lion
Well, wouldn’t you feel degraded to be seen in the company of a cowardly lion? I would.
Dorothy
No, of course not.
Lion
That’s awfully nice of you. My life has been simply unbearable.
Scene 2
During the song, ‘If I Were King Of The Forest’ the lion is imagining how courageous he would be if he were King.
Dorothy
Your, Majesty, if you were King, you wouldn’t be afraid of anything?
Lion
Not nobody, not nohow!
Tin Man
Not even a rhinoceros?
Lion
Imposserous!
Dorothy
How about a hippopotamus?
Lion
Why, I’d thrash him from top to bottomamus!
Dorothy
Supposin’ you met an elephant?
Lion
I’d wrap him in cellophant!
Scarecrow
What if it were a brontosaurus?
Lion
I’d show him who was King of the Fores’!
All
How?
Lion
How?
Courage! What makes a king out of a slave?
Courage! What makes the flag on the mast wave?
Courage!
What makes the elephant charge his tusk
In the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
Courage!
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the ‘ape’ in apricot?
What have they got that I ain’t got?
Courage!