Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
#1Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 2:28pmI think it would be fun to see a revival of THE WIZ happen in the next 5-10 years. I have a whole list of other shows I'd love to see revived, but this is in my top five. It's such a fun and happy show with a really good score and it would be fun to see it updated (without being cheesy). Thoughts?
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#2Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 2:36pmYes.. but not the La Jolla Playhouse version from a few years ago
#3Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 2:41pmWillow Smith can have her eventual comeback in this when she's comfortable being in the public eye again.
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28
TheGingerBreadMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/7/12
#5Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 3:09pmI actually really liked the La Jolla Playhouse version. The new book was at least better than the old one and the new orchestrations were phenomenal. I know the dodgers planned to bring it to Broadway, but the plans fell through. It would have been great if it had made it to New York.
timote316
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/04
#7Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 3:32pmFunnily enough on Smash Jennifer Hudson's character was going to play Dorothy in the Wiz but she said "she didn't want to play good girl roles anymore" and quit. I wonder if that's what Jennifer Hudson feels in real life, because she would be an amazing Dorothy!
timote316
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/04
#8Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 3:38pmI suggested it because of Smash, not because she's perfect for the role. In fact, more the opposite.
#9Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 4:35pm
Veronica Moore is the only star big enough to sell The Wiz on Broadway; her last concert sold out in six hours and even Denzel and Julia can't pull off a box office coup like that.
We just had this at Encore's Summer With the Stars a few years ago and it didn't sell there well at all.
americanboy99
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/06
#11Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 4:53pmI think Jennifer Hudson might be just five years too old for Dorothy - I'd love to see Anika Noni Rose as Glinda.
#12Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:02pm
Veronica Moore is a multi-Tony winning actress. Her one night only concert was just filmed for Bravo, but an air date has yet to be released.
LaChanze was the only good thing about the Encores Wiz. Ashanti had a better voice than I expected she would, but she was completely charisma free on stage.
OrdinaryJukebox
Featured Actor Joined: 6/7/06
#13Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:18pmIf Jennifer Lawrence can sing she'd be a great Dorothy.
#14Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:38pm
I think you have to run a fine line with this one- is it the "black Wizard of Oz," the "blaxploitation Wizard of Oz," or the "soul-rock-funk-hippie-rock Wizard of Oz?"
It can be all black, even "big and black" if you want it to be, but does an all-black, jive-talking-filled, funky Wizard of Oz still sound quite as appealing as it used to? I'm wondering if not color-blindness, but pointed multicultural casting, a la the "Rent Standards of Casting" wouldn't make this a vibrant show without dating it in the Seventies Black Media cliches.
#15Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:46pmI think personally that The Wiz to work has to acknowledge it's 1970s Blacxpoitation of Broadway roots (of that period also Timbuktu!). It was born in the Blackula and Shaft era.
#16Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 6:30pm
I really would like a faithful revival that captures all of the creativity from the original production.
They should use the original sets, costumes, and (especially) choreography, since nobody today is doing anything better that the 1975 original.
(God bless Geoffrey Holder!)
And for a real mindblower, they should have Andre De Shields play the Wiz. He can still do the part and even fit into his original 1975 (skin-tight) costume! It's pretty incredible.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#17Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 6:53pmI'm with Whizzer. Ronnie is incredibly talented. Broadway's Sweetheart, some call her.
#18Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:01pm
I went to the City Center production but we left after 20 minutes. I felt like we were at Madison Square Garden. People going in and out, standing in the aisles talking and shouting at other people in the theater, taking pictures, etc. I've never seen anything like that before in my life. When I say we couldn't see or hear a damn thing on that stage, I'm not exaggerating at all. I went to the box office and demanded my money back and the woman just sighed a "Youre not the first one tonight" look.
So long story short, I'd love to actually be able to see this show.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#19Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:58pm
THE WIZ was the last high school show I ever directed. It didn't see the light of day, though.
On the day we were to open the girl playing Dorothy got picked up for shoplifting at the local mall and the girl playing the Wicked Witch went into labor. (She claims she didn't know she was pregnant.)
#20Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:02pm
*double*
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28
#21Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:02pmCan we have Grace Jones as Evillene again? That was epic.
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28
#22Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:08pm
THE WIZ was the last high school show I ever directed. It didn't see the light of day, though.
On the day we were to open the girl playing Dorothy got picked up for shoplifting at the local mall and the girl playing the Wicked Witch went into labor. (She claims she didn't know she was pregnant.)
So I guess you've sworn off directing shows with black people or minorities, Dollypop? A production of IN THE HEIGHTS isn't on the horizon for you then I guess.
#23Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:10pm
I went to the City Center production but we left after 20 minutes. I felt like we were at Madison Square Garden. People going in and out, standing in the aisles talking and shouting at other people in the theater, taking pictures, etc. I've never seen anything like that before in my life. When I say we couldn't see or hear a damn thing on that stage, I'm not exaggerating at all. I went to the box office and demanded my money back and the woman just sighed a "Youre not the first one tonight" look.
So long story short, I'd love to actually be able to see this show.
Because as we all know minorities as this and the current revival of EVITA has proven don't know how to behave in a public venue like a Broadway theater. I say we ban the whole lot.
#24Anyone else want a revival of THE WIZ?
Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:15pmReally, Carlos? That's what you took from what i wrote?
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