To Oz?

I think I have logged approximately 1209870328754329877624319 hours of Oz research on bing.com, google.com, youtube.com, thewizardofozmusical.com and everythingyoualwayswantedtoknowaboutozbutwereafraidtoask.comorgedu.  I have gathered pictures, posters, videos, articles and ideas from various stage productions, movies, animated movies and so on and so forth.  I've seen photos and videos ranging from good to bad and breathtaking to "what in the gay hell were they thinking??" 

Here is a list of some of my thoughts for re-creating Oz:

1. "Wicked: The Musical" will never be considered as a "go-to" for design ideas.  I swear, if I see one more flying Glinda bubble with clockwork designs on it, I will scream.  People, "The Wizard of Oz" was first. What in HELL did some of these theatres out there DO before they ripped off ideas from Eugene Lee's clockwork set for "Wicked"??  GAH!!
2. The script for Oz is very much like the movie and, in such, is very detailed and pretty darn technically challenging.  We need to find a way to effectively simplify the sets.  I see no reason for a full scale farmhouse complete with bedroom that will only be onstage for approximately 8 minutes.  Nor do I see a reason to make the Poppies a chorus of people like the script dictates.  Given the limited fly space and wing space, our set needs to be simple yet extremely effective and fun.
3. When in doubt, go to the original source.  In this case, we have TWO original sources: the movie and the book.  I am really on the fence about my feeling regarding the new Andrew Lloyd Webber production in London.  check it out here http://www.wizardofozthemusical.com/ I love the Dorothy in this production...but that's really about it.  I haven't seen enough to make a fair judgement of everything, but, to ME, it seems the designers strayed a bit too far from both the movie and the book in order to put their own stamp on it.  For instance, there is a clip somewhere of Dorothy singing "Over the Rainbow" while wearing a pair of work overalls instead of the iconic gingham dress. On one hand, I kind of like it...but it's almost too realistic.
4. Since we are not spending the exorbitant amount of money on a separate fly system for the actors, we need to find a way to "fly" the monkeys (We are tossing around some neat ideas with shadow puppetry, perhaps.  Not really sure how that'll work.) and Glinda.
5. Costumes...costumes....costumes.  My mind fairly spins when I think of the costumes.  Re-creating the costumes like the MGM counterparts is a pretty daunting and damned expensive task.  Plus, while I love the majority of the costumes from the movie, some of them have a decidedly art deco feel...and that look doesn't always translate well to the stage.  This is when I turn to the book.  The story is set at the very turn of the century and I really think the costumes should reflect that period as much as possible...especially in Kansas. ( I think it was pretty later on when I realized the movie wasn't set in 1939.) I think there is a neat way we can marry the two periods...I just haven't found it yet.
6. Special effects. Yowza.  I need a house to fly, a snowstorm (fly space is limited, remember, so a snow cradle might not be possible), a disembodied head, fire and a witch to melt into the floor. Most productions I have seen, use a built-up set piece for the melting scene. By God, I will find a way to use one of our trap doors in our new stage floor. Mark my words, that witch is going through that floor if I have to lower her down there, myself.

So. These are just some of the ideas floating around in my head. Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Ideas? Anyone??