THE WIZ- Not going to broadway??????- Page 3
THE WIZ- Not going to broadway??????
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#50Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/11/06 at 10:58pmI haven't seen The Wiz but I have seen the movie. I know it was horrid and it was nothing like the show but I just can't see The Wiz selling out every night, especially with a no name cast (not that that's bad or anything.)
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#51Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/11/06 at 11:10pmI can see the Wiz doing fine on Broadway. If you can't get a ticket to Wicked, why not see The Wiz? Same subject matter basically. And this show, nor any other good show, would work in the Helen Hayes. It's a small theater not intended for musicals.
#52Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/11/06 at 11:15pm
Same subject matter basically.
Or...you know...two entirely different stories.
"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde
#53Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/12/06 at 12:03amhmmm, and I've heard, from friends that have seen it that they weren't impressed.......
It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story...
AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#54Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/12/06 at 12:19amFOAnatic. We're talking about two totally different things. Subject matter: They both deal with different takes on The Wizard of Oz. Two different stories: yes, one is about Dorthy, the other about the witches. 'Nuff said. I don't see the argument.
Thespinoy
Swing Joined: 5/7/05
#55Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/12/06 at 2:20am
"Have you seen The Wiz? It does NOT belong in a small theater, the production is HUGE"
Neddyfrank is right. The set was actually orginally designed for the Hirshfeld when they were going to do it directly on B'way several years ago. The yellow brick road was going to go through the orchestra section as well as in front of the mezzanine level. If you've ever been to the Mandell Weiss Theatre in La Jolla, you know that it is a regular proscenium style house. There would have to be much more tweaking to the original design if they were to put it into Circle in the Square. Also, the set looks like it was "shoe horned" into the Mandell Weiss. It needs a large theatre, not a small one.
Mmm, Mmm, I feel sorry for the poor folk that got to pay to see this play. - The Maid from "Bullets Over Broadway."
#56Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/12/06 at 6:34pm
People are not going to be satisfied with a ticket to THE WIZ when they wanted to see WICKED.
It's not the same subject matter. THE WIZ is a retelling of "The Wizard of Oz" while WICKED is the story of how Glinda/Elphaba became who they are.
WICKED is the huge multi-million dollar spectacle that everyone wants to see. So, just because THE WIZ has tickets available doesn't mean people will be satisfied seeing that instead of WICKED.
"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#57Come on and Ease On Down Ease On Down The ROAD!
Posted: 11/12/06 at 8:51pmi don't know about anyone else... but when i saw the WIZ a few weeks ago i actually didn't care for them walking through the audience... and i didn't like how they had people sitting on the stage... it was so awkward... i feel this isn't one of those shows that can really do that (although it seems lke it would)... i'd rather the show just be regular proscenium... it was/is already a great show... they just tried waaaay to hard to make it something new and different and it shows that they tried too hard
#58MY TWO CENTS RE THE WIZ
Posted: 11/12/06 at 9:56pm
I just got back from the Wiz in San Diego. I enjoyed it but thought it is badly flawed. It will definitely get trashed by the NY critics in its current state- IF (and that's very big if) it were to go to Broadway.
I found two major problems with the show. The post-industrial/postmodern concept of the show did not work for me. There are some very impressive visuals in the show but the production doesn't capture the HEART of the show. Too much attention is paid to cute visuals and updated jokes at the expense of character development. All the bells and whistles detract from the audience's identification with Dorothy. As much as the show was fun to look at, there was no emotional payoff at the end.
Secondly, the orchestrations for this revival were "updated", i.e. greatly reduced to 8 instruments and heavily synthesized. Keeping the original orchestrations, with a 24 piece orchesra including string section would have injected some needed humanity into this very high-tech production.
While one could quibble with certain performances or certain choreography choices, I found the directorial vision and the synthesized orchestrations to be the main negative with this production With some more attention paid to develping the character of Dorothy (and including some QUIET moments in this very loud production) and bringing back the old orchestrations, this show could become a Broadway hit.
"It does what a musical is supposed to do; it takes you to another world. And it gives you a little tune to carry in your head. Something to take you away from the dreary horrors of the real world. A little something for when you're feeling blue. You know?"
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#59MY TWO CENTS RE THE WIZ
Posted: 11/13/06 at 3:39amsomeone explain to me... now the tinman... how much tin is he really in the new production? because his costume looked like he was made from computer parts and whatnot... not much tin to me... am i missing something??
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