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Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ — Page 3

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#51

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 4/30/09 at 4:28pm

That's the thing, Ashanti is just a disappointing choice, not the worst pick but when you consider all the other actresses who could have been cast, it is just sad that they went with this person. And I'm with WannaBeFoster, I only know who she is because of the press release saying that she's a music star, she's not a star to me.
Maybe they'll get a decent cast for the other roles, I hope, for the sake of THE WIZ fans that this doesn't turn out the same way DAMN YANKEES did and from this piece of casting...well, it's not looking good.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#52

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 4/30/09 at 6:39pm

I emailed the people I was planning on going to see this with telling them about Ashanti being Dorothy with a link to the article and got a reply from one of them saying, "we should def go i can't wait" haha, oh boy how I love my [non-theater-going, bad-taste-in-shows, only-sees-shows-with-celebs] friends, yay. (That's why I go to shows alone most of the time).

I'm probably not going to go see this now unless the rest of the cast is AMAZING.
#53

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 4/30/09 at 6:51pm

to Everybody Trying to Defend Ashanti and bashing us for being upset:

All I have to say is that I know for a fact that Tamyra Gray and Anika Noni Rose both auditioned for this role. It should've been between the two of them. Although Ashanti might not be horrible or the worst choice, she definitly 100% CAN NOT sing as well as them. That is why most of us are so upset because it is completely unfair to see 2 more talented broadway girls get over looked just because Ashanti is a "star".

I'm hoping that 1) Tamyra, Anika or Lachanze get parts as Glinda and/or Eviline to make up for the travesty.
or
2) If this show moves to a broadway run after this limited engagement that Tamyra or Anika are Dorothy, then I will be ready to buy tickets.
#54

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 4/30/09 at 8:59pm

This series was announced as a series for stars to play roles they were born to play. (Well, it was created for Patti to play Rose, but that's the reason they gave.)

And it's been obvious since she broke out onto the scene in CAROLINE, OR CHANGE that Anika was born to play Dorothy. She has shown she has significant chops and can play against that type, as she so brilliantly did in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, but Dorothy is a role she is born to play.

Now, who on earth has ever said, thought, or even cared to think Ashanti was born to play Dorothy.

That's why this choice is discouraging.
#56

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 4/30/09 at 11:44pm

At first i was really disappointed when hearing this news. After listening to her sing Defying Gravity tho her voice is alot stronger then i thought it was. Maybe she will be able to pull this off. Will have to see i guess.
#59

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 12:06am

I have to say, screaming or not, she is on pitch, which is what I was most concerned about. I think her career as a singer is pretty much over, so I'm not too concerned with the well being of her voice. I know that sounds awful :-/ sorry lol. As long as she makes it through this run, I'm good.
#64

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 6:50am

She doesn't sound that bad...
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&. "Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
#66

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 9:44am

She started out just ok...then the middle was very pitchy...then the end was just horrible and the screaming was painful to listen to.

Now I'm really not going to see this.
#70

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 12:09pm

First off, what's with Kail and Lacamore's gery curls? Do think they need to show off their black side because the cast is black? LAME!!!

Secondly, Ashanti isn't completely horrible but she is not great. She is no Tamyra or Anika. Whoever casted this made a horrible decision and this stain alot of peoples careers. Ashanti and Orlando as the leads are gonna be so overshadowed by LaChanze, Tichina Arnold, and Dawn Lewis, not to mention the tinman, scarecrow, and cowardly lion, that I think this show will end up looking very bad for the Encores series.
#71

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 3:59pm

Once again.. there are THREE whopping reasons to see this and three ONLY.

1.) Christian Dante White as the Scarecrow
2.) Scenic Design by David Korins
3.) Nigel as Toto, trained by William Berloni

That's it.
#72

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 4:03pm

Anika Noni Rose was like jumping up and down waving her arms in the air saying pick me pick me. She WANTS to do it, she's WONDERFUL, and they chose.................................................. yeah
#74

re: Ashanti to Star in NY City Center Encores! THE WIZ

Posted: 5/20/09 at 8:11pm

First off, what's with Kail and Lacamore's gery curls? Do think they need to show off their black side because the cast is black? LAME!!!

First off, it's Jheri curls.

Second off, you're an idiot.

Third off, Kail and Lacamore are both such cuties!
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

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