THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL- Page 13

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 11:19pm

Just found out that multiple sources have told Us Weekly that Beyoncé is in talks to play Glinda in this.

Beyoncé as Glinda?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 11:21pm

Didn't Audra tweet that she was playing a good witch? 

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 11:22pm

She must've meant it in some othet way....

[Showface]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 11:23pm

If they can get Beyonce', then this is definitely going to be a ratings smash! I mean, this was going to bring in ratings anyway, but Beyonce? That would be pretty darn great.

Anyone else think that if they hadn't cast Mary J Blige, she could have been a great Evillene?

Updated On: 7/29/15 at 11:23 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 11:50pm

"Didn't Audra tweet that she was playing a good witch? "

 She did, but I imagine if they suddenly have the chance to cast Beyoncé, arguably one of the three biggest female pop stars (alongside Taylor Swift and Katy Perry) in the country, you tell Audra, "thanks but no thanks."

Maybe they'll offer her a role in the upcoming revival as consolation (because surely they won't get Beyoncé for that!).

Updated On: 7/28/15 at 11:50 PM

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 10:18am

If I were the producers I would be a bit hesitant to say no thank you to Audra but I heard she's a sweet soul so she'll probably understand if they were given a chance to cast one of the top three female pop stars ever. I mean c'mon it's Beyoncé she'll bring in the ratings that Peter Pan was denied and hopefully surpass The Sound of Music!

 

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 10:57am

What if Audra is play Addapearl (sp) ?  After all that character is also a good witch 

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 11:16am

"What if Audra is play Addapearl (sp) ?  After all that character is also a good witch "

 That could be... she could have meant that she was playing Addapearle instead of Glinda....

[Showface]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 12:10pm

Her tweet didn't even say anything about The Wiz, for all we know, she could have been referring to something else--maybe she's starring in a Broadway production of Bewitched, maybe it was an inside joke...who knows?
:)

[Brick]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 12:22pm

Audra ain't new. If they ultimately cast Beyonce, I can't imagine Audra being surprised. Disappointed, sure. But no producer would pass up Beyonce, at this moment in her career.

[anmiller07]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 12:26pm

Excited about Queen Latifah, very meh about MJB.  She can be very iffy in the vocals department.  If Beyonce is cast I would be ecstatic. 

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 1:14pm

Heather Headley was the first person who came to mind for me when thinking of someone to play Addaperle, though I imagine much of that character's material may change in the re-write being done by Harvey Fierstein. Her whole persona feels the most dated of anything in the show.

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 1:18pm

I would sh** myself if Beyonce was in this!

Updated On: 7/29/15 at 01:18 PM

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 3:05pm

Since Glinda and Addaperle have smaller roles - the singer/actor may not need to be available for the entire rehearsal process.  It does not appear Beyonce is on tour in the fall - although there were rumours of a Destiny's Child reunion tour.  

[Starship]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 3:19pm

I'm not really going to buy those Beyoncé rumors until we hear something more official. Bey really is a huge name to lockdown and I'd be surprised if she was willing to dedicate her time to something that has been iffy in the media. But we'll see. Maybe she knows of other names involved that made the project a draw for her. If the rumors are true, I think this would really be quite spectacular. Just with Bey, Stephanie Mills, Mary J. Blige, and Queen Latifah you'd have millions of viewers sold.

[victorg]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 3:48pm

WONDERFUL! but, as a huge fan of the original production. would love to see it close to that. no bells and whistles-which was one of the many, MANY things wrong with the movie. (did i say MANY). a talented unknown as Dorothy would be great! (it worked for Stephanie Mills).

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 4:19pm

"WONDERFUL! but, as a huge fan of the original production. would love to see it close to that. no bells and whistles-which was one of the many, MANY things wrong with the movie. (did i say MANY). a talented unknown as Dorothy would be great! (it worked for Stephanie Mills)."

 In terms of bells and whistles you DO REALIZE that Cirque du Soleil is co-producing the live telecast do you? But the creative team IS looking for an unknown to play Dorothy as it was already stated.

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 5:10pm

"I would sh** myself if Beyonce was in this!"

 Keep dreaming it was a false alarm...

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Beyonce-to-Play-Glinda-the-Good-in-NBCs-THE-WIZ-LIVE-20150729

Updated On: 7/29/15 at 05:10 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 7:35pm

E! is reporting Uzo Aduba is also in the mix for the show, though I'm inclined to think she'd be a candidate for Addaperl rather than a back-up Glinda as they imply.

http://www.eonline.com/news/681446/beyonce-in-talks-to-join-nbc-s-the-wiz-find-out-which-oitnb-star-is-also-on-the-wishlist

Updated On: 7/29/15 at 07:35 PM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 8:40pm

^I wouldn't be surprised if Beyonce is on the Addaperl track as well. Sure, Glinda is the more well known role, but it's also very small and does not fit Beyonce quite as well as Addaperl would. I'm still holding out for Audra as Glinda. 

Why isn't Anika Noni Rose being considered for anything?!

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 8:43pm

I for one am thrilled by this casting. NBC seems to be learning from their mistakes last year and casting multiple "star names" in the roles here. Queen Latifah could do well with her own vehicle show ON Broadway. Hey, if some casting director saw potential in Nene Leakes...

Has Mary J. Blige acted before, or was she exclusively a singer till this point?

I'm ready to ease on down the road, baby...

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 11:20pm

I'm so bored of Queen Latifah and Mary J Blige being cast in non-stage musicals. And now the thought of Beyoncé? I mean how unoriginal. A real shame these producers are too lazy to look for other popular singers that could probably act. 

[Starship]

Posted: 7/29/15 at 11:30pm

^ was that sarcastic? I'm hoping that's sarcastic.

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 7/30/15 at 1:30am

For those of you that keep asking if Mary J Blige can act should do some research and find out! 

Yes she can act, did anyone see the the movie Betty and Corretta? She play Malcome X's wife opposite Angela Basset who played Martin Luther Kings wife. Mary acting is pretty good. Watch the clip below and you can see for your self. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWck06GFQ7s

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/30/15 at 9:51am

Not at all sarcastic, Starship. Queen Latifah was in Chicago and Hairspray, and Mary J Blige - and why don't people remember this? - was in Rock of Ages.