Lloyd Webber — who is also busy readying his Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies, for the stage — said in his on-line video blog, "I'm writing six new songs for the show, but of course all the favorites will be there: 'Over the Rainbow,' one of the greatest songs ever, ever written. I'm not even going to try to challenge that." The award-winning composer also said that he expects Wizard of Oz to begin performances in the West End toward the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011.

As previously reported, Lloyd Webber will take part in a BBC TV reality casting program that will search for the roles of Dorothy and Toto for the stage production.

In a previous press statement, Lloyd Webber commented, "Our previous musical talent searches have provided an incredible shot in the arm for musical theatre in Britain and I can't wait to work with the BBC again in the hunt for Dorothy – an iconic role of course made famous by a young Judy Garland in the film in 1939, but, as a cat man myself, however, I approach casting Toto with considerable trepidation."