Is "The Wiz" revival a "was"?

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:55am

Some people tell me it's ganna come.
Some say it was canceled.
Others say it was never in development to begin with.
Anybody have info.

It was scheduled for April,
thats a month away....

What's goin on?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:02am

I don't think the production ever got past the development stages. There were never any auditions, and I'm not sure if a complete creative team was ever announced. There certainly hasn't been any "new" news on it for a very long time.

This was being produced by the Dodgers who's recent financial woes were only recently made public, and the specific branch of the company that was to have worked on this project is now officially defunct. This revival is probably dying with them.

I'm sure a revival will get done eventually, but I hope with a director with a more solid creative track record then Des McAnuff.

They may also want to wait until WICKED isn't such a fresh hit. Two OZ musicals back to back, might be one yellow brick road too many.





Updated On: 3/28/05 at 02:02 AM

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:07am

You have a point there. Too many "Oz" related musicals can be conflicting. Guess I'll just have to wait.........................

Just for the sake of it:
"Come on and Ease on down the road,
don't you carry nothing that might be a load,
come on and ease on down, ease on down the road"

[magruder]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:26am

Dodgers are not "officially defunct." While they have had a season of woe, the organization is downsized, but alive, and they are producing Jersey Boys on Broadway this fall.

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 02:26 AM

[Marquise]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 3:38am

thanks macgruder for that post.
i was just about to start a whole new thread asking what was going to happen to the dodger stages if the company was in fact defunct.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 4:35am

Des MacNuff was confirmed to direct the show, and there were casting rumors galore. The biggest one being Anika Noni Rose as Dorothy. (brilliance) And the show was announced to be opening (or at least starting previews) in either March of April of this year. But since there has been no official announcement of a cancellation or a production, I'd say the show is in limbo. They probably still want to do it, but lots of factors are keeping them from it. I think now is the perfect time for a Wiz revival.

[hak]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 9:38am

i don't thing two "OZ" musical is too many. it would provide a great contrast, kinda like when LA BOHEME was playing- you go see LA B then go see the updated version RENT

[GhettoBway]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:20am

i could do without this show if they were/are going to do mixed casting.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:51am

I doubt there would be mixed casting. There would be no point in that.

I think idea has just been shelved for awhile. Updated On: 3/28/05 at 10:51 AM

[catstagestud]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 12:56pm

Anika Noni Rose would be great. the first name I heard as Dorothy was Raven...figures. :-P

[bjivie2]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:06pm

Raven? As in Raven Simone. Gross.

The only reason anyone would ever do The Wiz with a mixed cast is if they couldn't cast it with a complete African-American cast. Then they try to make it an "artistic choice." Nope. They just couldn't find enough black people.

I'm still on my petition for Carol Channing as Adaperle.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:08pm

Well.. weren't there rumors of Ann Harada as Eveline? Or whatever?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:23pm

I hope not

I will petition for this show to happen soon and for Mary Bond Davis to be Evillene

[perfusion]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:27pm

Carol Channing as Adaperle That would be a hoot.

[perfusion]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:32pm

I would dig it if Andre de Sheilds revived his role as THE WIZ himself. I think he can still do it.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:59pm

YEs, I've also said that (Andre review in my BLOG)

He is still in top form for 58 yrs old!

[Justice]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 3:17pm

Anika was offered the ABC TV version of the Wiz. I don't think it was set that she was going to do the stage version, too. But, the ABC version was scrapped, and I guess it goes the same for the revival.
And, I have to say, I think McNuff is one of the BEST director's out there. He was the only good thing about Dracula.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 3:24pm

His staging of Dracula was amazing - especially if you read the script - anyone who says it was confusing - that has nothing to do with Des.

He's awesome!

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 4:19pm

Mary Bond Davis for Evilene all the way!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 5:03pm

I really hope this happens soon...

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 5:47pm

Des McAnuff was definitely planning on using a multi-ethnic cast for THE WIZ, which I personally think is a mistake, but would certainly fit with the uber-PC vibe currently on Broadway.

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 11:47pm

actually, the Dodgers staging of The Wiz had already cast Marcy Harriell as Dorothy. She sang 'Home' at the Broadway Festa year ago I believe. a friend of mine runs a theatre in Jacksonville so i went with him. very beautiful rendition.

link to the pic. its number 7

Broadway Fest 2004

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 11:47 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 3/29/05 at 1:13am

Thanks Tonya...

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/29/05 at 1:39am

Oh no - Marcy was never actually signed to play Dorothy -- The Dodgers wanted THE WIZ represented for PR reasons but no one had been cast yet (no one had even been auditioned - this was early in development). She was hired to sing "Home" -- but she was never actually cast in the role.

I was at a seperate group sales function at around the same time and Heather Headley sang "Home" for the Dodgers -- same concept -- to drum up early interest in the revival.

Updated On: 3/29/05 at 01:39 AM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 3/29/05 at 2:39am

No no no. I love Mary Bond Davis, but if The Wiz is to be revived, the only woman that can play Evilene is Jennifer Holliday. Casting gold right there, my friends.

And I'm still voting for Carol Channing. She's 1/8 black!!