La Jolla THE WIZ - official reviews- Page 3

[marcmcmartin]

Posted: 10/14/06 at 11:06am

Alterego
This is completely rhetorical, not challenging, but where do you think that the "heart" of something comes from? Dorothy's journey to Oz is viewed by most as a dream, so for me the "updating" doesn't bother me. Why should a modern audience be forced to dream in the 70's? There are many reasons to never return there!!!!
I doubt that the heart has been drained from this staging because of the overhaul, it was probably never there to begin with.
I strongly suspect, as with "Purlie", that black audiences were so eager for something to call their own, that "The Wiz" served a much greater purpose than entertainment 30 years ago--it was more a right of passage--even if it was not perfect. I think that George C. Wolfe was the first man to really bring a thinking man's musical to Broadway, and sadly, after Noise Funk, the only other successful musical has been the Color Purple. I thought the Color Purple had a lot of heart, although many call it sugary and manipulative, so I guess you can't win.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/14/06 at 11:12am

>I think that George C. Wolfe was the first man to really bring a thinking man's musical to Broadway<

Ever? That's quite a statement.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/14/06 at 11:15am

For the record, Dorothy's journey to Oz is most certainly NOT a dream in the original L. Frank Baum book, which was the inspiration for THE WIZ. Dorothy "dreamed it" only in the MGM film.

The original production of THE WIZ had lots of heart!

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 10/14/06 at 11:35am

They went way overboard with the staging of this

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/14/06 at 2:39pm

I would agree. I think if they kept some of the "gimmicks" but not all of them, it might go over better.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 9:37pm

I saw the performance last Saturday (10-14-06). In size, the theater is quite similar to the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. The show was sold out. It was quite evident that this local production had a significant financial backing. The set was extensive, industrial looking with intricate concert lighting, video monitors, and amazing sound effects. Sounds of crows, wind, and thunder greeted the audience. The 10-piece(?)orchestra was situated on the custom-built balcony. There was a stadium-type seating surrounding a round stage that rotated ala-Les Miz style and connected to the audience via ramps and stairways to simulate the yellow brick road (not painted yellow). There were no roller bladders or skateboarders. For seamless scene changes, sets, props, & cast members were hoisted from above or raised from the retracting centerpiece of the platform. Two big video screens were installed on both sides on the rear of the stage. It wasn’t your standard curtain-type stage. This was quite impressive.

I’ve distanced myself from the 1978 Sidney Lumet film version to see this update with fresh eyes.

Let me start with my critique: The enlarged video monitors, the metal trusses, to Dorothy’s DVR, DVD, and satellite dish, the great costumes and special effects, right up to the hip-hop club at Oz, the production design was entertaining and visually stunning but it completely swallowed the small theater and may have overshadowed some scenes. It was a little tough to turn my head every time the cast goes to the yellow brick road located in the middle of the audience. The “Poppy Field” scene was beautifully done but, was quite irrelevant to the story. The demise of the grand dame Evilene was too quick with no fan fare, yet her “on-your-face” presence was relentless from the start of the show. Toto, who turns to a human being in Oz, was a little strange and the “Toto-cam" was pointless. The constant mention of the “WWW” (referring to a code to avoid Evilene from showing up and short for the 3rd surviving evil witch) was a little bit overdone. Pettiford’s Glinda, the "good-ole-here-comes-my-hero” grand wizardry entrance was beautiful. Looking and sounding like Vanessa Williams, “If You Believe” was sung flawlessly but it lacked the emotion and luster. If she could only stand still and connect to the audience, it could have been better delivered. To make it worse, she exits the scene via a scooter/segway type of vehicle which made her "wizadry" less believable.

And now, the good: Nikki James’ vocals were so pliable, with sweetness to her notes and a powerhouse to belt the higher octaves. Her duets with the leads were seamless and blended perfectly. Valarie Pettiford (Aunt Em & Glinda) was beautiful and sung powerfully. Orville Mendoza (Uncle Henry) was perfectly cast, with a wit and talent to change his accent from a Kansas native to a hilarious flamboyant Gatekeeper with a wonderful Filipino accent. Heather Lee’s Addaperle was witty, shallow and ditzy as how the character was recreated. I can’t seem to tune out her Broadway “Tessie Tura." Dorothy’s 3 other allies on her quest to Oz: Rashad Naylor as Scarecrow and Michael Benjamin as Tinman, were also as talented but, Tituss Burgess, the Lion, brought the house down with his hilarious portrayal of the recreated now-gay-lion character and his very emotional and powerful “Be a Lion.” The Wiz was just like the Wizard in Wicked…he’s there, he’s grand, but…it was just blah. But, David Alan Grier was a good actor and not a bad singer. Michael’s more soulful Tinman was also quite effective and his comical dialogue, funny. I was looking forward to my favorite song…the song that ended Dorothy’s journey from this crazy hip-hop, blinged-out Oz world, Nikki was definitely a star. Maybe it was me, but I only wished she didn’t adlib the notes too much that it almost didn’t sound like the original composition. (Paging Mariah Carey…..Christina Aguilera?) But….the audience loved it, and I gave her a standing ovation.

Overall, it was very entertaining. Would I recommend it? Of course, I would. And I'm sure with some tweaking (plea to Des!), this production may just work on Broadway. Nikki may even get a nod for her performance. We shall see next year.

Updated On: 10/16/06 at 09:37 PM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 9:49pm

That was an excellent review.

There were no roller bladders or skateboarders.

Toto is on shoes with rollerskates.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 9:54pm

Thanks, neddyfrank2. Well..not really a rollerskate technically but, regular sneakers with a hidden wheel at the sole on each shoe. Kind of like what you see on kids these days.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 9:59pm

Heelies.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 10:09pm

That's it. :)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:55am

I think the show would work well if they toned down some of "hip-ness." I don't like the idea of toto being a human. Does Toto ever talk? If not, then why not just use a fake dog or something a la the original "Into the Woods." Humans as animals just doesn't work. Updated On: 10/16/06 at 12:55 AM

[latheatrelover]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 2:33am

I went to see it on Sunday afternoon last week with extremely high hopes. I had seen the original production of The Wiz back in the mid-Seventies and it made me excited to see what Des McAnuff would come up with because I loved Tommy, and more recently was excited by his production of Zhivago. I really wanted to like it. Heck, I really wanted to love it as much I do the original show.

Unfortunately, I felt McAnuff only succeeded about 60% of the time. For spectacle, it is an incredible show. The sets are great. But what's missing is what was missing from the Tin Man, the heart. I felt none of the original show's charm. Several of the important numbers are revamped and in doing so, I feel they have lost their greatness: "No Bad News" and "Everybody Rejoice." The latter is one of my favorite songs but I feel it has been so reorchestrated that it has none of the incredible joy of the original. Too much business is done on stage during the number. The orchestra occasionaly drowns out the performers, particularly during "If You Believe."

I don't fault the cast any of the problem with the show, for they are superb, with three exceptions. The three are E. Faye Butler as Evilene, Albert Blaise Cataafi as Toto, and Heather Lee as Addaperle. I just didn't feel what I need to from Butler as Evilene. I think the only person who could do justice to the role that Mabel King was so incredible in is Jennifer Holiday. As to Cataafi as Toto, I think the whole idea of having Toto played throughout by anything other than a real dog is a big mistake. And that brings us to Heather Lee as Addaperle. From the moment she appeared on the scene in the first act, my reservations about this production show started. She was just annoying, to put it nicely.

Now, let's look at the strong points, Titus Burgess as the Lion, David Alan Grier as the Wiz, Rashad Naylor as the Scarecrow, and Michael Benjamin Washington as the Tin Man were terrific. (At some point during the show, Washington must have hurt his leg because he was definitely favoring one of his legs.)

I wanted to leave a separate paragraph for Nikki M. James as Dorothy. I sense a star in the making. She has in incredible presence and singing voice. To me, she was by far the best thing in the show. She comes across with such a natural inner confidence. However, that is a bit of a problem beause Dorothy is supposed to be brave but afraid. I never felt the "afraid" part from James. But I still loved her.

At the beginning of the show, a glitch happened with TV images not being shown and McAnuff stopped the show and came on stage to tell the audience he wanted to start it again so we could feel the entire effect. It was great seeing him there in person.

The set is a star of the show. With catwalks everywhere, the performers are free to be up, down, wherever. One problem comes out of this, though, McAnuff often has several things going on at one time during a scene (performers up on catwalk, some of the yellow brick road that comes throught the audience, some down in the center area that rises and falls, some hanging on cables as flying monkeys, etc.). One doesn't know where to look, but with all the spectacle, I know I missed concentrating on the main performers center stage. My seat was almost center in the F row, just in front of the "yellow brick road," and at times I could feel the brush of someone behind me on the "road".

Is it as good as the original? No. Do I think it will transfer to Broadway? Possibly. Should it? In the current state it is in, no. Do I think you should see it while it is at La Jolla? Definitely.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:43am

La Jolla Playhouse announces extension of the production of The Wiz. See link on article below.
Article

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:54am

I loved Albert as Toto