Revival of the WIZ

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 5:56pm

Any official word yet???

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 5:57pm

How many times will this be done ?

Will we see Stephanie Mills in corrective red shoes ? I saw the original & will leave it @ that.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 5:59pm

it is opening in the spring...directed by the tony-award winning director Des McAnuff (who most recently did Dracula)

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:10pm

any word of the cast?

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:12pm

sorry, this is all i know (and from what the playbill itself used to say)
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/84542.html

[pab]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:13pm

Try this site for more information:
The Wiz Revival Questions?

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:16pm

i didn't even click your link - but just knowing, i bet you think you are real cool

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:16pm

It's very doubtful that it'll make it in this season. There's been no word on it in many many months (the last press announcement about it on Playbill.com is from last February) -- no casting announcements, no design team has been lined up as far as I know, no pre-Broadway engagement has been secured and no theatre here has been booked. These things take time and with only five months left in the season, the producers of the Wiz are rapidly running out of it if they want to make this season's Tony deadline. 2005-2006 is much more likely at this point.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 6:18pm

i think it will come out this year - but for next season...i can't wait!

The staging for Dracula was amazing and it's the same director (plus The book and score of the wiz are much stronger)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/31/04 at 8:39pm

No it isn't. The plans for the revival were shelved. Do the Dodgers want to do it? yes. Do they have plans for it? no.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 12:53am

I love THE WIZ. I think it's a great score.

Regarding the casting, I'm hearing that Lilias White is being bandied about for the role of the wicked witch. I generally don't care for Lilias White. I didn't like her Effie (I thought she was too tough, too knowing, too mature for that character, and I don't care for her overuse of vocal malisma). I liked her more in THE LIFE, but didn't agree with all the hoopla. But she's really perfect for the Mabel King role in THE WIZ. She's got exactly the right quality for it.

If THE WIZ does come in next year, and WAS makes it to Broadway too, won't it be odd to have three musicals based on the same book playing at the same time? (Probably won't happen. But the possibility amuses me.)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:12am

i know he is A LOT older but Andre de Shields should reprise his role - haha...

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:29am

Theres WICKED and THE WIZ...what would the 3rd show be baised on Oz?

[timote316]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:55am

I still think Anika Nani Rose would be a great Dorothy.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:59am

I want some Brenda Braxton in the show.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 3:04am

WAS is the third show, Fosseboi. It's a long shot. There was talk of it coming in, but its out of town premiere wasn't very well reviewed, so I doubt it will happen.

[andyf]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 3:17am

Marcy Harriell needs to be Dorothy.
...or in SOMETHING.

Can I threadjack this into a discussion of the Bill Russell concert, because she was thoroughly enjoyable there!

[Dare2DefyGravity]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 11:44am

From what I understood I heard Heather Headley was going to play Dorothy...

[OhSoWicked]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 12:42pm

Woohoo! I love The Wiz. Can't wait