THE WIZ: 2015 NBC LIVE MUSICAL — Page 18

The Wiz is more contemporary and will appeal to the young adult crowd FAR better than Sound of Music or Peter Pan. Mix that in with Mary J. Blige, a 9 time Grammy award winner, Uzo Aduba, a star from a massive Netflix show, and Queen Latifah, who has her own talk show for g*d's sake. Let's not forget Cirque du Soleil has a large following and they'll be promoting the heck out of this since it's their first venture with their theatrical division.

But no, please continue to tell us why this isn't going to be successful. I'm dying to hear more. I'm on the edge of my seat.

I too have a lot of friends who have worked with Shanice doing rising stars, and she seems to really have "it". Agreed it's a bummer we won't be getting Raven (unless they magically decide to gender-bend the Scarecrow too, but that won't happen), Audra, Patina or even Brandy for that matter (although it is possible we could get any of these women in the revival depending on how this goes and if it still happens). While I am thrilled for Uzo, she doesn't really strike me as much of a Glinda, but she is so frickin fierce I'm sure she'll knock it out of the park.

I wonder if Toto will be played by a dancer here. I also really hope Corbin Bleu doesn't get cast as The Scarecrow or the Tin Man. That would be so disappointing. His voice in the Godspell clips are less than impressive. But it is NBC, and they've been sprinkling a lot of fairly well-known names in here. It would be great if we could get Jessie L. Martin, Norm Lewis, James Monroe Iglehart or even Taye Diggs--but I'm sure most of them would be considered too be too old

Re: Dancer as Toto.

They used a real dog as Nana in Peter pan, so I can't image they'd vary here, especially if Fierstein's new book stays true to the original and Toto is merely a camp at the top and bottom of the show.

Re: Uzo as Glinda.

I actually find her to be far and away the most INTERESTING of the "star names" attached so far. To be honest, I assumed Mills was going to be hired to play Glinda, so I was surprised when they announced her as Aunt Em. There was also part of me that was absolutely surprised they didn't approach Phylicia Rashad to play Glinda, as she was the original understudy.

Re: Martin, Lewis, Iglehart, Diggs.

I wonder.. I could easily see Martin as Uncle Henry or the Emerald City Guard. Lewis could easily portray the Head Winkie, though on stage I would pay bucks to see him as The Wiz or the Lion. Diggs is perfectly suited to play the Lion, and he would be equally is good but totally different than Greer, though he could easily play the Head Winkie or Emerald City Guard, even The Wiz himself. I saw Iglehart as the Lion in the City Center staging and that was QUITE more than enough for me. I am absolutely fine if he doesn't go near the show and role again... besides, he is a Disney man now, so he would be far more likely to appear in a role in this if it were on ABC. NBC already has a wide pool of black men to pull from.

The big questions for ME now are who will play the Scarecrow, how will they realize the Munchkins, will the Yellow Brick Road be portrayed by dancers again, and will we get a full Tornado ballet?

Given Cirque de Soleil's involvement in the production, I'm pretty sure performers from their troupe will end up filling 'bit' roles like the Monkeys, the Munchkins, the Winkies, etc., both for the NBC broadcast as well as the Broadway revival. I also wouldn't be surprised if the broadcast cast gets 'first offers' for when the show transfers to Broadway, even if there are only a few of them who ultimately end up making the transfer in the end.

^^^ That would be awesome!

Maybe I am in the minority but I am also not sold on this one. Why would anyone in his right mind release an official DVD of a good show that will be transferring to Broadway? That is crazy. I for one would never go and pay a full price thicket for a show that would be available to watch online or on TV

There is also the cast of putting an 18 year old that hasn't done anything except High school shows and community theatre on Live National Television and expect she will deliver a one hundred per cent performance. This poor girls going to be shattered from the inside. I personally find her resume does not qualify for such a project.

Than there is also the fact of Beyoncé. too many promises that were not delivered on this one. And to cast a woman in a mans role

Last but not least, I have a feeling that The Wiz will be the final of Live musicals on Television.

a comment that was left earlier by Carlos, made me want to log back in on broadway world and leave a line or two. Carlos is criticizing musicaljen because she loves Underwood and The Wizard of Oz instead of The Wiz, and instead he goes posting a picture from the iconic Wizard of OZ than Glinda in The Wiz. LMAOF Thanks for the good laugh Carlos.

Fact remains that not everybody was happy by NBCs choice. I for one cannot understand how they are going for lesser known titles like Peter Pan and The Wiz. Peter Pan hasn't been around since the 60s and since the mid 80s The Wiz has been as dead as a door nail except for a concert that was on at Encores with Ashanti a few years ago. For those who stated that they are hoping the WIZ will bring a new generation to watch, I don't believe that will happen with the cast they were able to get. Big people like Beyoncé does make a difference and we have seen this with Underwood ratings. One should think that after the dramatic decrease of viewers they got for Peter Pan they should have went for something bigger. I will guess we have to wait and see. Viewers don't come cheap

Nefertiti and Danster are just upset because they weren't cast instead.

Your ignorance ASTOUNDS me. Your avatar is of The Sound of Music LIVE starring the very WOODEN Carrie UnderWOOD. Therein your tastes lies. So your opinions don't hold much weight around these parts. NOW GO. AWAY!"

I would like to object to the idea that seems to be spreading that if a comment is deemed stupid then the poster must go away.

Am I the only one who sees that comment as rude and unnecessary and even approaching bullying?

Stop telling people to go away.

I would be shocked if this is the last live show. Greenblatt loves the theatre and Zadan/Meron love working with and for him.

""Nefertiti and Danster are just upset because they weren't cast instead."
I wonder if they will cast me being white and a nurse by trade. Good question?"

There is no way I am going away Silly goose and am ready to attack you very harshly on December 04th, Carlos. Personally, I found you pathetic from the first day you began posting comments and there is no way my idea will change. Just because you think the WIZ is timeless doesn't mean that it is, and it does not mean that 22 million viewers will log on NBC to see the show. That is my point