THE WIZ National Tour 1997

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 5:41am

Does anyone remember this touring show? I saw it back when I was in 4th grade and LOOOOVEEED it and the cast was good and so was the crowd.

Here was the cast if you remember it.
Cast List:
The Wiz: Peabo Bryson
Evilleen: GRACE JONES........(she was super tall and she wore a skimpy outfit but she was on point that night so I give her props.)

Glinda: CECE PENISTON...( SUPER FINE GLINDA)
Dorothy: Tasha Scott....(The black girl from TROOP BEVERLY HILLS and CAMP CUCAMONGA and PARENTHOOD)

Tinman: Tony Terry (off-Broadway in MAMA, I WANT TO SING.)

Lion: Gerald Atkins (was in that movie TANK as Pvt. Jones)
Scarecrow: Kameko Hebron
Addaperle: Rikki Valentino LaFontaine
Uncle Henry: Martin Paulk
Aunt Em: ROMELDA BENJAMIN (she was in BARE the Pop Opera)
Lord High Underling: Will Roberson
Ensemble:
TANYA ALEXANDER, Donna Clark, E. CLAYTON CORNELIOUS,Derek Daniels, Ron Hooks, El Tahra Ibrahim, Richard Lewis, Lisa McCall,
Casandra Palacio, Helen Williams, Jason Williams.

I know someone out there remembers this tour.......it had a GREAT CAST. Im ready for this revival.

[LouieLovesTheater]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 9:35am

I remember this tour very well. Knew I was excited to see it and that it wasn't a let-down. Lots of stunt casting in this show (Peabo and CeCe...it was just odd) but the result was fun.

The thing I remember most about the show was that the intermission went SUPER long the night I saw it. Behind me were two people who worked for the theater in Minneapolis where it was playing. After about 25 minutes one of the ushers who knew the people came down and told them that the reson it was going so late was that Grace Jones (who didn't usually get to the theater until intermission because her first entrance was at the top of Act 2) hadn't shown up until way late and was now mad at the stage manager for calling her on it. Well, after another 10 minutes the show started and she went on with the show...VERY scary Evilene but VERY good. It was worth the wait.

Tasha Thomas also was pretty swell as Dorothy.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 9:53am

Grace Jones... I just remember her doing that weird rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy" on Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (which is now out on DVD, I suggest you go and buy it...lol).

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 10:45am

Grace Jones in a musical? Next she'll be playing Miss Sherman in FAME. "These are my children...."
......as she picks them up and throws them across the stage...

Our original Tin Man in the Australian THE WIZ was Victor Willis, the late lead singer from the Village People! (Before the Village People were the Village People)

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 1:39pm

Yeah I actually loved this show.
My dad took pictures of the show even when there was supposed to be NO picture taking and if I get some time I'll post them.
Grace Jones wasn't bad at all.......she was scary though and tall to.

Tasha Scott sang the mess out of HOME at the end.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 1:42pm

Hahahahaha wildcat. I would have loved to see this.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/20/05 at 1:44pm

yes, where are the pictures from this tour? I'd like to see some...

[guyfromoz]

Posted: 9/1/06 at 4:15pm

That is so funny....I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT TOO!!!! I had heard it was because of Grace Jones, but no one around me was cetain what it exactly was!

I had also seen the show preveiw night, when Grace and Pebo weren't there. The lady who played Aunt Em played Evilene (in a hideous green dress) and the guy who was Uncle Henry was The Wiz.

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 9/1/06 at 4:40pm

I'm trying to picture Grace Jones singing "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News".

[LouieLovesTheater]

Posted: 9/1/06 at 4:52pm

Wow...talk about a blast from the BWW posting pass...

Picture this:

Grace Jones wearing basically the same outfit from A View to a Kill (small leather onesie swimsuit thingy), a huge headress, sky high boots, and a whip. She came in riding on the backs of two guys...one knee in each of the smalls of their back. If I remember right, the song was WAAAAAAAAAAAAY slow and was just her speak singing it.

It was very S&M.

I remember it being a good tour...even though it was kinda cheap and tacky.

[kyle.]

Posted: 9/1/06 at 5:23pm

I remember the RIPPED shirtless men in little shorts who carried Grace out for her entrance, and the people in the audience who screamed out WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?!???!? the night I was there. After they scream it out, Grace turned to them and gave them a little growl. It was funny to say the least.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the set for this tour basically consisted of a raised turntable, and fog machines.

I was in 7th grade and in 7th Heaven. I remember my mother and grandmother on the other hand were quite unimpressed.

I still wear my tshirt from the tour sometimes!
Updated On: 9/1/06 at 05:23 PM

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 5:09am

WOW

Yeah the set was basically a unit set with a turntable. The only time you didn't see it was in the Kansas scene, Tornado Scene, and Munkinland scene.