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Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

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#2

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

LaChanze sounds fantastic as usual.

And it looks like Ashanti is taking this really seriously. She seems to be hoofing it up there just as well as anyone else...I hope she surprises us all.
#3

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

LaChanze absolutely knocks "If You Believe" out of the park. It's so nice to hear her belting again!

And Ashanti seems to be working very hard. I'm curious to see how her performance turns out.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#7

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

LaChanze sounds good, and I really liked the southern accent (Which will hopefully make an appearance). I hope she can be bothered to show up.

Ashanti looks...ok. I think she's giving Dorothy a little too much of an adult spin, that may just be the choreo though.

Also, that is a TON of Yellow Brick Road dancers.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#9

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

I'm lovin' "Ease on Down the Road." Even though they're going to be using the original Broadway orchestrations, it appears they've combined the background vocals from both the movie ("get 'em up, ease on down") and the play ("doot doot dooooot").

@ husk charmer:
It looks to me like the Yellow Brick Road has expanded from four dancers to six or seven. The six with the microphones appear to be the "pit singers." In the original production, there were four. I'm guessing they'll be performing onstage since the orchestra will be onstage, too.

Updated On: 5/29/09 at 09:36 AM

#10

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

Bar none-
I forgot about the pit singers. That makes a bit more sense then.

I noticed the "Get em up, ease on down" but just assumed it was something left off the cast recording.

I think I'd like the choreo better, if the camera was farther away...as is it's a bit too close for me to get much of a feel. I'm glad they aren't going over the top on the silver shoes by making them into something more than your basic character shoe, hopefully it means Ashanti won't be dressed like a skank.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#12

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

Husk_charmer, I was thinking the same thing about the tight camera work on the choreography. I guess it will just give me something more to look forward to.

As far as the "get 'em up, ease on down" goes, I heard a live recording of the original cast and that was never used in the song the three times they performed it in the show.
#16

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

Why didn't they just hire Anika Noni Rose like everyone wanted?

Because Anika Noni Rose would sell about a dozen tickets. This is called the Summer of Stars. Ashanti is a multi-platinum recording artist with a much larger following than Aniki Noni Rose.

Who is this "everyone" anyway?
#20

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

Christian White sounded great as the Scarecrow.
I wanna see the Lion too.
Laughter is much more important than applause. Applause is almost a duty. Laughter is a reward. Carol Channing
#22

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

ashanti needs to stop looking at her feet while she's dancing.

i don't think lachanze sounds that amazing, but then again i'm not a lachanze fan.
...everyone was doing the mambo and drinking golden cadillacs...
#24

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

I cannot believe LaChanze is turning 48 this year.

She doesn't look a day over 30!
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#25

re: Rehearsal video with LaChanze and Ashanti (The Wiz)

Ashanti definitely looks better here than the first video of her singing "Home" I hope she improves and can handle the role. I noticed her looking down at her feet the whole time which annoyed the hell out of me.

LaChanze looks great and I can't wait to see her.


I wish Sasha Allen was cast instead of Ashanti.

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