Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Wizard of Oz redux— …and some casting questions…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
24 Aug 2022
🖨️ Print Article
Wizard of Oz redux—  …and some casting questions…

                                                                                                                     Wizard of Oz redux—

                                                                                                            …and some casting questions…

Suppose Hollywood hits you up
‘bout this big budget redo of
The Wizard of Oz? What if they
say it’s all your call…’cept this?

They say you must shoot in Uvalde
using locals. No big name stars. Do you say
“OK” when they say, “And you must cast the
Cops?” Or, do you ask—“What as?”

Angry Apple Tree? Crows in the Corn
Field? Ozmites? Tin Polishers? Horse
of Another Color? Almira Gulch’s bi
cycle?

Lullaby League? Lollipop Guild? Scare
crow? Sleepyheads? Munchkin Fiddlers?
Munchkin Soldiers? Munchkin Barristers?
Munchkin Mayor? Munchkin Coroner?

Hunk? Uncle Henry? Hickory? Toto?
Dorthy Gale? Aunt Em? Almira Gulch?
Professor Marvel? Tin Man? Glinda?
Wizard? Wicked Witch? Ruby Slippers?

Winged Monkeys instructed: “Take your Army
to the Haunted Forest and bring me those boys
and girls! Do what you want with the others—
They'll give you no trouble I promise you that?”

Winkies chanting, “O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!” into
radios in the school hallway? Hearing, “Poppies,
poppies, poppies” instead of some shooter’s
Pop-pop-pop-pops for some 70 minutes?

Are we leaving any characters out?

© 2022. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.

Uvalde

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • BAR Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio November 6, 2026
    06 Nov 2026
    In this week’s segment, we hear about the Southern Human Rights Organizers' Conference (SHROC), which will be held in Jackson, Mississippi, in December. But we begin with an analysis of the Michigan…
  • Abdul al Sayed
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Abdul El-Sayed's Senate Victory in Michigan
    06 Nov 2026
    Abayomi Azikiwe is editor of the Pan-African Newswire and a Detroit-based activist. Abdul El-Sayed won his election and will represent Michigan as a United States senator. He defied the Democratic…
  • SHROC logo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Southern Human Rights Organizers' Conference
    06 Nov 2026
    Jaribu Hill is the executive director of the Mississippi Workers Center for Human Rights in Greenville, Mississippi. She joins us from Greenville to discuss the upcoming Southern Human Rights…
  • Jamarl Thomas and Jemima Pierre
    Jemima Pierre, BAR Editor and Contributor , Jamarl Thomas
    The Truth About Haiti's "Gangs" --US Guns. UN Troops. Blackwater Drones | Dr. Jemima Pierre
    04 Nov 2026
    Jemima Pierre joined Jamarl Thomas to discuss the ongoing occupation of Haiti, deaths at the hands of Eric Prince's mercenaries, El Salvador's intervention at the behest of the U.S., and the…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    U.S. Plans for An Attack on Iran
    04 Nov 2026
    Public opposition to war with Iran has forced Trump to wait until after the midterm elections to commit more war crimes. But all signs point to an imminent attack.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us