THE WIZ will be 2009 Encores! Summer Stars- Page 3

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 10:21am

I know. LaChanze is GORGEOUS. I cannot believe how old she is. The same with Anika.

[birdboy782]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 10:58am

here's what Capathia Jenkin's proposed (which comes from an article in last year's New York Times):

"I was thinking “The Wiz.” It was the first show I ever saw. For Dorothy there’s this new girl, Patina Renea Miller, who sang “Aquarius” in “Hair” for the Public Theater last year. She’s young and fresh and just this beautiful chocolate black girl with a great face. Glinda would be Marva Hicks, because I can hear her voice doing “Believe in Yourself” and blowing me away. Aunt Em would be Carol Woods. She’s like everybody’s mama. Evillene would be Felicia P. Fields, and the Scarecrow would be Daniel J. Watts, who was recently in a workshop of “Langston in Harlem.” He’s a brilliant dancer. He can do anything with his body that the Scarecrow needs to do. The Lion would be Tituss Burgess. The Lion’s cuddly and you immediately fall in love with him, and that is what Tituss is. He’s got this vulnerability in the sound of his voice. The Wiz would be Nathan Lee Graham. Nathan is the Wiz walking down the street. He’s eccentric. He’s got all this stuff going on in his face and his eyes. He can do anything vocally. Put him in that Wiz costume and he’s the Wiz. I don’t have a Tinman. And Addaperle? I might have to have auditions for that."

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 11:16am

did anyone read this article? apparently, Gypsy is still on Broadway lol

"Its first production, the critically acclaimed Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, is currently having a successful run on Broadway."

EDIT: not the playbill article, the one posted by BWW Updated On: 2/25/09 at 11:16 AM

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 11:44am

I'd like to see Capathia Jenkins somewhere in this show. That woman can SAANG!

[Marquise]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 2:55pm

I get a kick out of "young'ins" gasping at how good LaChanze and Anika Noni Rose look for their ages. It's as if you expected someone who's 36 or 47 to look old, wrinkly and wasted. 36 and 47 is not old at all.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/25/09 at 4:23pm

^ I think it's more that if you look at them you think 20s, not 30s or 40s...and to a lot of us "youngins" the people we see who are in their 30s or 40s have actually aged, and while they might still be attractive, they wouldn't pass as a teenager. Does that make any sense?

[alisadm]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:54am

^We keep tryin' to tell y'all--now do y'all believe black don't crack??

Updated On: 2/26/09 at 01:54 AM

[dg22894]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 7:11am

Maybe they should cast an unknown maybe the person who played Dorthy on the ABC high school theater documentary. I think her name was Martina.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 7:50am

Now, while "good black don't crack," there MUST be limitations.

I think that this is a great opportunity to show off the stand out African-American performers that we have here in New York.

I will say that I do have some reservations. The Wiz is a very hard show to get 'right' and accurate to the 70s, but still have it work for a modern audience. I think bring in the minds behind 'Heights' is a great start.

First off, I will say, yes, PLEASE keep Titus Burgess away from this!

Potential Dorothys?? Well.. first of all, I must say that I thought Nikki James was a great Dorothy in and of herself, but was weighed down by McAnuff's horrible direction. I don't think the actual age of the actress is vital as long as she can pull it off and look young. Diana Ross proved that Dorothy can not be of a 'certain age.'

If I had to list a few great Dorothys that are in the pool out there.....

Nikki James
Dequina Moore
Moeshia McGill
Felicia Boswell
Felicia Curry
Anastacia McClesky
Nikki Renee Daniels
Domonique Paton
Carla Duren
Amina S. Robinson
Naturi Naughton

There you go.. I listed more than 10.. and I had to stop myself. Anika Noni Rose would be great, but would now be borderline in age..

Chester Gregory once played Tinman.. he'd be great as any of the three friends.

Audra would be best suited to Glinda, should they approach her to participate. I'd rather they go with Phylicia Rashad, who understudied that role in the original cast.

Capathia Jenkins would be a great Evelline.. if they couldn't get Jennifer Holliday, who would be FREIGHTENING.. great, but freightening.. or Jenifer Lewis even..

Stephanie Mills could have a great cameo as Aunt Em or Addaperle

Darlene Love would be a killer Addaperle.. absolutely stunning..

Sheryl Lee Ralph or Leslie Uggams anyone?

SO many people..

I think the Wiz is a show that could allow for great projection design to augment the limited sets....

Though I want to suggest ONE thing right now....

BILLY PORTER AS EVELLINE!



Updated On: 2/26/09 at 07:50 AM

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 9:21am

Too bad that Sasha Allen is doing Hair. She would have made a fierce Dorthy.

[Marquise]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 11:25am

Who's Billy Poter?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:03pm

LaChanze was 45 when this photo was taken:

[jaso937]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 7:26pm

What is wrong with Tituss Burgess? His voice is AMAHZING and he's crazy talented. Basically why do people not like him?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 9:02pm

^ He has a voice, yes. He has no acting ability. And, if reports are true that Mary Testa is stealing "Rockin' the Boat" out from under him, that's...bad.

[dg22894]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 9:06pm

"LaChanze was 45 when this photo was taken"


She looks like a teen who could play Dorthy

[gypsy4]

Posted: 2/27/09 at 1:49am

what if thet brought JHUD in to play Glinda?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:39pm

There are tons of great casting possibilities.

Personally, I'd love to see:

Anika Noni Rose as Dorothy
Jennifer Holliday as Evillene
Gladys Knight as Glinda
Ben Vereen as The Wiz
Daniel Breaker as The Scarecrow
Brandon Victor Dixon as The Tinman
Chester Gregory as The Lion
Michael Benjamin Washington as Addapearle

Updated On: 2/28/09 at 12:39 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:46pm

...I thought the whole goal of "Summer Stars" was giving "stars" the chance to play roles that they never have but would be perfect for. Patti LuPone-->Sean Hayes & Jane Krakowski-->???

I mean who is a relatively big name who would do well in THE WIZ? I'm just a little confused...The biggest name I can think of who also seems like a reasonable choice is Anika Noni Rose. But no one knows who she is unless you say "the third Dreamgirl"

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:49pm

Um, the star name doesn't have to be Dorothy, you know? The star name in 'Annie' is usually Hannigan.. not Annie herself..

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:49pm

double post Updated On: 2/28/09 at 12:49 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:53pm

But even so, I'm having a hard time thinking of a star they'd cast in it.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:59pm

According to the EPA casting notice, The Wiz and Glinda are the roles the production team is hoping to cast with 'stars.'

Updated On: 4/1/09 at 12:59 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 1:04pm

Hmm...interesting.

[Gene Kelly Jr.]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 1:58pm

I think that the star is going to be Jennifer Holliday. I can't think of anyone who would play Evilene as well as she would. But other than that, I must agree with rOcKS. It does seem like a weird choice.

[sarcadam88]

Posted: 3/23/09 at 7:56pm

Anyone think of Vanessa Williams for this? I know the response to her Witch in Into the Woods was very divided, but I think she could make an impressive Glinda--sure, she's no Lena Horne, but she has what they're looking for, star power. Plus, she'll have her summer free for the UGLY BETTY hiatus.