THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL- Page 11
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#250
Posted: 6/20/15 at 8:46pm
They're going for a traditional Broadway-style show, so we will mainly see musical theatre performers. But I wouldn't be surprised to see some 'specialized' performers in the mix.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#251
Posted: 6/21/15 at 1:35am
I have to admit that I have only seen Zumanity, but there was a considerable amount of singing and acting, so that is why I bring it up.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#252
Posted: 6/21/15 at 8:45am
The one song everyone in America knows from THE WIZ isn't "Home, but "Everybody Rejoice! only because it was used in at least 2 national commercials. It became the go-to for upbeat for a while. It was on the Tonys, and is in the "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" position in the show's second act. And worth noting: it was one of the added numbers, not written by Brown/Small but by the late great Luther Vandross. People forget that fact. It needs to take the proverbial roof off the TV version.
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#253
Posted: 6/22/15 at 1:34am
Mildly OT: Upon listening to the original opening night audio, its sounds like the film did the stage version such a disservice. Mabel King totally kills it. I really, really, really hope NBC doesn't screw this up. I'm interested in which libretto they're gonna use for this. Do you think they'll use the La Jolla Version? Or an original? Or a combo of both? Also, I'm curious--did anyone see the infamous 1987 Marriott Lincolnshire "colorblind" production with Felicia Phillips? I'm interested to hear about that from anyone who saw it.
It would be interesting if they could get Felicia Rashad to be in this, as apparently she was a munchkin in the original production!
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#254
Posted: 6/22/15 at 11:12am
They've reportedly hired Harvey Fierstein to do a revised script, so my guess is that it won't take into consideration the revisions made for La Jolla. PETER PAN LIVE! had a lot of new material in it, so I suppose that it shouldn't come as a surprise if THE WIZ LIVE! has a lot of new material as well.
What made the 1987 production infamous, missthemountains?
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#255
Posted: 6/22/15 at 11:16am
I have no memory of that production, but I'm guessing the fact that it was apparently colorblind.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/13/04
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#256
Posted: 6/22/15 at 1:40pm
I love this show! Hope this is a good production.
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#257
Posted: 6/30/15 at 12:54am
This may be a dumb question but has it been announced that the NBC show will be with an All black cast?
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#258
Posted: 6/30/15 at 1:53am
"This may be a dumb question but has it been announced that the NBC show will be with an All black cast?"
Not if they are giving a role to Christian Borle.
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#259
Posted: 6/30/15 at 4:20am
The "big" song from The Wiz was Ease on Down the Road. It saved the production. It was featured in the commercial and then was recorded by some group whose version hit the Billboard top 10 or top 20. Every disco in New York, the Pines and Cherry Grove was playing either the Billboard version or the OBC version. I saw the show midweek four weeks after it opened and the theater was less than half full. Like the original Chicago, it was a big production that needed to nearly sell out every performance to make its nut and it really struggled the first few months. It almost closed. But Ease on Down the Road brought in audiences and after it won a slew of Tonys, including Best Musical, it started selling out and became the monster hit people remember.
It opened to mixed reviews, justifiably so. The production numbers were fantastic but the book scenes really dragged and you sat there saying to yourself "Just shut up and sing." I suspect the problem was director Geoffrey Holder, who had replaced Gilbert Moses out-of-town, because the wonderful Timbuktu, an all black revisal of Kismet with Eartha Kitt, also directed by Holder, had exactly the same problem. He was an enormously talented man but he couldn't direct a book scene to save his life.
I'm surprised to find out that Mills was seventeen or eighteen as she was made up, dressed, acted, and looked as if she were an adolescent. Like the rest of the cast, she was nothing short of terrific.
Updated On: 6/30/15 at 04:20 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/14
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#260
Posted: 6/30/15 at 11:36am
I wonder if Marla Louissaint is being considered for Dorothy...
Last night she won the Best Actress Jimmy Award!!
Updated On: 6/30/15 at 11:36 AM
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#261
Posted: 7/1/15 at 3:20am
I wonder if Ms. Ross would do a cameo appearance.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#262
Posted: 7/1/15 at 10:30am
"I wonder if Ms. Ross would do a cameo appearance."
Ms. Ross never should have appeared in the first screen adaptation. I certainly don't care to see her in the second one. These NBC musicals already have a track record for bad acting, why throw Ross into the mix to extend that reputation any further?
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#263
Posted: 7/2/15 at 12:32am
Usher & Queen Latifah are set
Broadway Star Joined: 2/21/04
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#264
Posted: 7/3/15 at 9:49am
Other than Audra, it appears that Latifah is the other go-to black woman for a musical. And it needs to stop!
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#265
Posted: 7/3/15 at 10:36am
What about Uzo Aduba? Girl sang on "The View" the other day and it was GOOOOOD.
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#266
Posted: 7/3/15 at 4:03pm
Usher as the tin man and queen latifah as evilene?
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#267
Posted: 7/3/15 at 9:13pm
"Usher & Queen Latifah are set"
How do you know this? And if it's true which roles?
Updated On: 7/12/15 at 09:13 PM
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#268
Posted: 7/13/15 at 6:59pm
Fill those ruby slippers!
Really BWW? Really? 
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#269
Posted: 7/13/15 at 11:33pm
"Fill those ruby slippers!
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Fill-Those-Ruby-Slippers-NBC-to-Hold-LA-Casting-Call-for-Role-of-Dorothy-in-THE-WIZ-LIVE-20150713
Really BWW? Really? "
Surely they meant silver shoes.
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#270
Posted: 7/26/15 at 11:13pm
According to the IMDb page for this, Grace Jones (Zula in "Conan the Destroyer") is rumored to be playing Evillene...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4718770/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#272
Posted: 7/27/15 at 9:54am
Ms. Jones has sung Evillene before. Ms. Jones in Oakland
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#273
Posted: 7/27/15 at 10:04am
If they get Grace Jones to play "Evilene" that would be beyond amazing!
I really hope they get her!
THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL#274
Posted: 7/28/15 at 3:43pm
Not sure if it's been mentioned, but I think Brynn Williams would be perfect for Dorothy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsshDWQR2as
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