Neddys Wiz Review *UPDATED* **SPOILERS**

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 5:50pm

It looks like the last one didn't work properly so I will try again. If it did work then just delete this one...

I am an awful review writer so I will give it my best shot.

The recent revival of The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse is not a revival, it is as Des McAnuff calls it a "Revisal". The La Jolla
m sure this is nothing like the original but it was pretty cool. The house sprung up and started tturning and moving up and down while a bunch of people in black come out and start dancing like crazy, then they come out and they have cows and pigs attached to what looked like fishing poles and they swung those around so it looked like they were flying. And then came what I thought was the coolest part of the show. In the back of the stage a lady in pink on a skateboard all of a sudden started to levitate and spin around multiple times.

He's The Wizard- The number is one of my favorite in the show. Addeperele is played by a white woman, but that makes the role ten times more funny. She tries to act more "ghetto?" (I am not sure what the proper term is). The whole bit was halarious. My favorite line of hers was "My name does start with ADD for a reason". This was sung with her in munchkin land. The munchkins look kind of like FERBYS? and some are real and some are puppets attached to them, although from far back you would not be able to tell.

Soon As I get Home- I don't remember it very well. I think it was just her standing their singing.

I Was Born On The Day Before Yesterday- This number is great. When the scarecrow falls off of his post, he falls onto a trampoline and jumps up a few times. Then the plants around him come alive and it is a really fun number, which includes a trio of crows singing, and crows flying down around the stage.

Ease on Down the Road- It was nothing special, they ran through the theater with TOTO (who is played by a dog in kansas and in oz he is played by a human on those shoes with roller skates, and a video camera attached to his head for TOTO CAM)

Slide Some Oil To Me- This number was OK. It was very bland, nothing spectacular about it. Although the tinman's costume is amazing. It is a bunch of scraps of metal that are melted onto his costume (a keyboard, cd player, light switch etc.) The coreography resembled "The Robot"

Mean Ole Lion- The set for this number was Titus (the Lion) and a bunch of trash cans that made him look like he was living on the street) While he was singing, people popped out of the trash can and became the chorus. Titus is by far the star of the show.

Kalidah Battle- This was two GIANT monsters on those springy shoe things called Caladors. They chased them around the stage, jumping up and doing tricks and then fell in the pit in the middle of the stage (the stage opens and closes in the middle which is where the set comes from)

Be a Lion- Nikki and Titus NAILED this number. It starts of with Dorothy singing to Lion, and then bridges come down and they cross onto the bridges which are 8 ft. high, and then tinman, scarecrow, and toto join him up there. This song prob. got the biggest applaud of the night.

Lion's Dream- This number was...special. The number started off with Lion running into a "drug dealer" who says "From Afganistan" and then the poppies come out and take lion in. The stage starts spinning while Lion goes in the middle and dances with the lead poppy (Valerie Petitford (sp?))...until the cops come and take him away and all the poppies run.

Emerald City Ballet- It isn't very much of a BALLET. OZ is a disco club where they are all dancing, so the ballet is more of a hip hop dance.

So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard- Nothing special, David Alan Grier pops out of a giant disco ball and sings to them!

To Be Able to Feel (What Would I Do If I Could Feel)- This song was sung by all four friends from differnt parts of the stage

Act Two opens with the winkies dumping water into a well, and they come out from all areas. Evillene's Castle is a giant sponge (green on top, yellow on bottom)

No Bad News- Evillene singing with the winkies doing some wierd dance around her (the winkies look like little roaches)

Funky Monkeys- THe Monkeys flying around and dancing with the black hand things that Jackie Chan uses in all his movies with the chain link attaching them

Everybody Rejoice- The biggest dissapointment in the whole show. In brief, the Winkies rip off their closed to reveal themselves in short white shirts and tanktops (with the midriff showing on girls) and they go behind what looks like white streamers to pretend they were showering, while some were in a "hot tub" in the middle of the stage. The only good part was when TOTO did some MAJOR breakdancing.

To be honest at this point I got pretty tired and the show kept stopping (I didn't fall asleep) so I don't remember a chunk of songs here.

Y'all Got It!- If I remember correctly in this song The Wiz takes off his robe (he is cleaning his disco ball when Dorothy and friends return) and he gets in a giant green jump suit and leaves...

Believe in Yourself- Glinda singing and then the OZIANS from different parts of the stage...

Glinda- She flew in on the back of the stage and sang her songs while singing.

Home- Dorothy singing downstage and clicking her shoes

The strongest person in the cast was by far Titus. He nailed every part of that role (THE LION). He has a nice silver manicure and he is just halarious in every single thing he does.

The lady who played Evillene had not much of a part, except for everytime they said her name she appeared in another part of the theater and yelled.

Nikki- She has a gorgeous voice, played a very sweet lovable Dorothy. I have no complaints, she was really just spectacular.

One noticable difference between her Dorothy and others is that normally Dorothy seems most connected to the Scarecrow, I felt that Dorothy felt most connected to the Lion. That is just a thought.

If you would like any details on sets and costumes feel free to ask! (It might take a day for me to get back to you)

Edit: They added this whole thing where the witch can only be talked about using the name WWW or W3. This is without a doubt referring to George W. Bush




Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:50 PM

[boxers7]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 5:58pm

So excited to read the end of this! Come back soon!

[morosco]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 6:07pm

Uh-oh. It's starting to sound more and more like a cross between CATS and STARLIGHT.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 6:17pm

It sounds horrindous. I hope I'm wrong.

[morosco]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 6:19pm

"...In the back of the stage a lady in pink on a skateboard all of a sudden started to levitate and spin around multiple times..."

You gotta have a gimmick.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 7:47pm

It isn't sounding good at all.

And I disagree. I think FEELING WE ONCE HAD is a great number, full of soul and love.

I am interested in hearing about the rest. And Nikki.

[Thespinoy]

Posted: 9/25/06 at 11:14pm

"I am an awful review writer so I will give it my best shot."


It's actually not as cheesy as Neddy is making it sound. The principals are amazing especially Nikki James.

FEELING WE ONCE HAD is simple and real. Definitely not boring.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 2:25am

Do we really need another "Wizard" on Broadway? I assume that it is planned to hit NYC. This show was already dated when it was new.

[Jovie24]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 2:38am

It does not sound all the great from what neddyfrank2 wrote, but remember, Des wanted it to be more appealing to what is happing in today's world in terms of culture and the music world. He also wanted to appeal to the younger I beleive 11-17 age range... and if what I read is true Skateboard, Disco, Breakdancing, HotTubs, well then I think you got it...but to everyone else, we dont have a clue!

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 3:00am

I think I need to wait and see some pictures...I don't understand most of what was described

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 3:01am

Toto cam?

::shakes head::

[eddie2]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 5:22am

I was at the dress rehearsal also. First of all it was a rehearsal so I will excuse the holding for technical difficulties. I thought the casting was perfect. The principals were amazing. I do agree with "Brand new Day" being a little weak but then again it wasn't even a preview. I didn't understand some of things going on in that #. I was expecting some hardcore acro or turns. didn't happen. I think they start previews tonight. Overall it was very entertaining. Can't believe they packed the house. They didn't have a curtain call 'cause Des said it wasn't rehearsed. hopefully they'll be ready for tonight.

[alterego]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 9:29am

Oh dear, this sounds like crap. What is with Toto cam? Ugh.

[Blue J]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 9:37am

It sounds sort of intriguing to me ... but I'm a definite member of the "MTV age". Maybe it's a difference of generations? And I'm sure they'll clean up some things in previews. I'd have to see it though to make my final decision.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 9:53am

It does sound pretty terrible - but perhaps a total camp fest - THE WIZ after all should be fun!

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 11:25am

I'm so glad they have finally revived "Got Tu Go Disco".

Updated On: 9/26/06 at 11:25 AM

[Flippancy]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 11:32am

After reading that, I think I threw up a little bit in my mouth. Sounds like they're trying to interpolate some of the "best parts" of the film version -- that's their first mistake, assuming that any of the movie warranted a "best part" designation.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 12:07pm

It all sounded "decent" until I heard "toto cam" - that's just wrong. The thing I hate is when older people - like Des - try and make something "hip" because it never turns out hip. It's always going to be what they think is hip. We're not dumb. Look at the success of Wicked/RENT/Hairspray - none of them had to have "toto cams" or ladies on skateboards. I dunno, I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 12:16pm

How was Valarie Pettiford as Glinda? Can you just please give a little more info on how she was?
Thanks

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 12:20pm

A sponge castle.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 12:36pm

I don't understand why the movie, and now the revival, wants to set this show in an urban setting. That's what ruined the movie for me. The original show didn't take place all over New York or in a disco. It was fantasy. (And I disagree that it was dated when it was new) I will see it if it hits New York but even with the description I just read above, I know I will always prefer the original. (Which I saw 3 times).

Updated On: 9/27/06 at 12:36 PM

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 1:05pm

It sounds like they went overboard with the staging. I don't think I'd like this at all.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 2:06pm

I don't know. They closed down all "The Wiz" stores a few years ago. Maybe a musical about a failed electronics store would be more interesting than another "The Wiz" revival. After all, nobody beats "The Wiz" and we have one wizard too many on Broadway as it is.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 2:25pm

Things like the Cam *could* work, but only if theyre part of some kind of over-arching concept, which it doesnt sound like this one has. You also have to rehearse that cam to the letter, so it always has a definite purpose and a definite goal, but how often do we see that happening?

I dunno. Seems like overkill, big time. And here I thought the European version was bad... :)

[otis33]

Posted: 9/26/06 at 3:07pm

I found the Toto Cam totally unclear. I had heard/read that it would be there, but I never saw one on Toto. Occasionally pieces of "Ease on Down the Road" would appear on the jumbo screens, but my friend and I actually thought they were pre-taped. It wasn't until after the show I remembered the 'cam' concept. Maybe it's still being toyed with?

I think it's a little premature to making judgements on the show when this is the invited dress rehearsal that was 'reviewed.' It was completely a rehearsal - with production tables set throughout the theatre, stage crew running around in clear view, unfinished costumes, the first time Acts 1 and 2 had been run in the same day, AND the first time the cast and orchestra had run Act 2 together.

While I wasn't blown away as I had hoped to be, I'm aware of the fact that I got a sneak peek into the work process. Let the show open.