Posted: 5/10/15 at 5:07pm
If they are gonna cast older for Dorothy I would suggest Ciara Renee. BUT I would personally cast China Anne McClain for the role, because she's the right age, she has a tween following so she could bring in that crowd and I heard she has an amazing range!!!!!
But I personally would cast Gladys Knight and James Earl Jones as special guest stars in the roles of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 11:54am
Stephanie Mills was just announced at the NBC Upfront as Auntie Em.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:00pm
I hate her voice so much.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:03pm
Have you heard her sing on the Children of Eden cast recording?
She just ruins The Spark of Creation.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:09pm
No, I really just know her from "The Wiz" cast album. I don't know that I can have a critical response to her voice, since that album was such a part of my childhood.
Mostly I just like the notion of her as Aunt Em--though, of course, I hope she sings it well. It's a beautiful song.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:12pm
Me too! She sounds great on the OBCR, which I love.
That's why I was so surprised at her voice on COE.
But it is cool that they cast the original Dorothy.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:21pm
HOLY CRAP YES. AND YES FOR A NEWCOMER!!!! Which was what they should have done for Peter Pan & SOM
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:52pm
I love that she is doing this, and that they've cast the original Dorothy in the production. Very exciting!
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:03pm
this is so great. I love me some Stephanie! I even like her on the CoE recording...sorry Taz!
Posted: 5/11/15 at 2:00pm
HOLY CRAP YES. AND YES FOR A NEWCOMER!!!! Which was what they should have done for Peter Pan & SOM
Yes, because everyone would tune in to watch "Some Random Chick in The Sound of Music." So no, that's not what they should have done.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 3:11pm
I've thought a newcomer as Dorothy was the way to go from the beginning. You can stockpile your big names into the supporting roles to bring in the audience. Very happy to see that they've made Mills a part of this production.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 3:17pm
Now they just need to announce that Dee Dee Bridgewater will be reprising her role as Glinda and all will be well.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 4:16pm
It would be very exciting to cast a newcomer as Dorothy. Stephanie was a newcomer when she landed the role.
They can surround her with stars. It would be very exciting to "discover" a major talent on a live TV broadcast of this musical.
Although keeping it under wraps and out of the promos would be difficult. Maybe they could tease it with the stars and keep Dorothy out of most of it.
... then unleash the "newest star."
#silly
... but it would be huge.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 4:56pm
If they're introducing a newcomer, which I agree is the way to go, there's really no need to keep it under wraps. There's no surprise in it as her name won't mean anything to the masses. The promo might be "And introducing...as Dorothy" and let's get a look at this unknown, star-in-the-making.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 7:06pm
Okay, we got Stephanie Mills. Now I want Ken Page as the Lion, Andre de Shields as the Wiz, and Dee Dee Bridgewater as Glinda. (Can't a man dream?)
Posted: 5/11/15 at 8:45pm
Saw her 3 times in the original production. Once at the Majestic and twice at the Broadway. She blew the roof off all 3 times. By the 3rd time she took the songs and made them her own and it was thrilling. Love her voice and own a lot of her music. Love her version of "The Spark of Creation". I am looking forward to her singing the hell out of "The Feeling We Once Had".
It also amazes me that they used a photo from the movie instead of from the OBC with Mills in the picture. The article is about her.
Updated On: 5/11/15 at 08:45 PM
Posted: 5/14/15 at 6:33pm
I am obsessed with this girl playing Glinda in this school production of The Wiz! She would make a good Dorothy!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzmceXKLf4
Posted: 5/19/15 at 2:22pm
Open castings call for Dorothy - "female, African-American performer over the age of 18, who "must have an extraordinary voice that can still tell a story, and maturity with a youthful energy."" At first, I thought the over 18 was odd - but Stephanie Mills was just a few months shy of 18 when The Wiz opened on Broadway and Ren Woods may have started the First National Tour when she was either just shy or just turned 18. I know someone who would be good, but she is not going to be 18 in time.
Posted: 5/19/15 at 2:50pm
That's to avoid child labor laws, which are valid up to 18 years of age. They should be able to easily find an 18+ year-old who can play young.
Posted: 5/19/15 at 2:56pm
I presume they mean 18 or older. "Over 18" means you have to be 19 to audition. Badly worded.
Posted: 5/19/15 at 3:24pm
Standard verbiage would be "18+ to play xyz." Not sure why it's worded that way. Weird.
Posted: 5/24/15 at 6:42pm
I did not know that The Wiz posted a closing notice on opening night. What an amazing effort by the marketing team. The Wiz almost Wasn't
