Tamyra Gray in ENCORES "The Wiz"
Tamyra Gray in ENCORES "The Wiz"
jarred03
Leading Actor Joined: 10/17/04
#1Tamyra Gray in ENCORES "The Wiz"
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:05amI've heard a rumor that Tamyra Gray will be Dorothy in Encores summer production of THE WIZ. Does anybody know if there is any truth to this rumor or who the other cast will be? I love Tamyra so I hope this is true. Let me know if you know anything.
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#2re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:07am
Tamyra Gray? Boy, what happened to her?
Anika Noni Rose needs to play this part.
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
jarred03
Leading Actor Joined: 10/17/04
#2re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:25am
What do you mean what happened to her? She was just in RENT as Mimi for over a year her run just ended in June.
Anika would be great, I love them both but Anika is busy with her tv show. So Tamyra would be the best choice.
#3re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:30am
I like this idea. Though I still say they should have Jazmine Sullivan.
I mean, she's already played the part.
"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert
#4re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:31amYeah, Jazmine Sullivan... MAN she can sing (and to think that was when she was a lot younger too!) But we all know they would never choose her
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#5re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:33amI'm sorry, I just don't like American Idol rejects in what should be a production full of "stars". They call it their "Summer Stars" program, not their "Summer Reality Show Second Runner-Ups". I think Tamyra's a fine performer, but I'd rather see someone like Anika Noni Rose or Kenita R. Miller.
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
perfectliar
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/04
#6re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:35amJennifer Hudson was an American Idol reject.
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#7re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:37amTrue, but Jennifer Hudson has an Oscar and a Grammy (I believe). I know I'm going to get attacked for this, but she actually has star wattage.
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#8re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:51am
I don't mind Tamyra Gray as a choice that much. She's very clearly a fan of Broadway, or at least has the respect for it, and the talent behind her.
I would still rather it be Anika Noni Rose.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
jarred03
Leading Actor Joined: 10/17/04
#9re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 11:52amI think what he means is that Jennifer didn't have that stuff when she was cast along aside much bigger names in Dreamgirls but she needed that break to get those Oscars and Grammy's. Also, who is Kenita Miller? Is she a broadway "star"? because Tamyra has been leads in 2 broadway shows, a lead on the tv show "Boston Public" a lead in the movie The Gospel and was in Rachel Getting Married which was an oscar nominated film. So no offense to Kenita Miller, but I think Tamyra has a little more of a recognizable name.
MrMidwest
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/05
#10re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 12:22pmI'm not sure that Anika's voice is right for it.
"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter
LouieLovesTheater
Leading Actor Joined: 3/30/04
#11re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 12:22pm
^^
Tamyra was in Rachel Getting Married for all of 15 seconds...so it's not like she added anything to the movie (which I hated btw).
I think Taymra would be a nice choice for Dorothy...she was great in RENT and seems to be dedicated to balancing stage/film/recording work.
KingKong
Broadway Star Joined: 2/28/09
#12re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 12:29pmTamyra Gray was not the lead on a television show, she was a guest star.
perfectliar
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/04
#13re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 12:49pm
Piragua - Yeah, I was just saying that if we never gave the "American Idol rejects" another shot, you would never know what they truly have to offer. Jennifer Hudson was booted, now she has an Oscar and a Grammy.
Tamyra Gray was the best Mimi I ever saw in Rent. You just never know when one of the cast-offs will surprise you.
#14re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 1:02pmI haven't heard anything about Gray, but in regards to other casting rumors, word was going around last week that LaChanze has been cast as Glinda.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 4/5/09 at 01:02 PM
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
RyToast1
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/07
#15re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 1:07pm
As LiLo would say...
"I'm tired of rumors starting, I'm sick of being followed. I'm tired of people lying, Saying what they want about me."
#16re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 1:36pmIf the rumors about both Tamyra and LaChanze are true, this is already going to be a wonderful production.
#17re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 1:37pmI want to see who they cast for Evilene. Felicia Fields?
<<-- Help save Terminator: SCC
"The gay one?" -- Marissa Jaret Winokur on the Jonas Brothers.
Updated On: 4/5/09 at 01:37 PM
#18re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:14pmI saw Tamyra in Bombay Dreams twice, and she was absolutely terrific, you have to see her singing live. Her voice is wonderful. Also she was very nice at the stage door.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#19re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:18pmDo we know if it will be an all black cast? The 2006 Dutch production had white women for Glinda and Evilene.
<<-- Help save Terminator: SCC
"The gay one?" -- Marissa Jaret Winokur on the Jonas Brothers.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#20re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:23pm
TimesSquare3-
This one is supposed to be all-black.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#21re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 2:50pm
I liked Gray in RENT, her vocals were on point, and her acting wasn't awful. She was the best part of the production when i saw it (the two male leads were AWFUL).
What abut Niki M. James? I think I saw her at "the Toxic Avenger" the other night. What's she up to?
#22re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:06pm
Nikki M. James played the role at La Jolla right? How was she?
I'm quite disappointed by the rumor about Gray, I was hoping Anika Noni Rose would take the part. She's not busy with a TV show since the show already filmed and aired on BBC.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
brdwaybabe4life
Swing Joined: 4/5/09
#23re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 4:12pm
As much as she's not a Broadway star or anything I think that Jazmine Sullivan should play the role of Dorothy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LwocqYj3f0
But as everyone else said.. I'd like to see someone other then Grey.
DaintyJack
Understudy Joined: 10/1/07
#24re: Tamyra Gray in ENCORES 'The Wiz'
Posted: 4/5/09 at 6:44pmBe patient- something this anticipated will surely leak before long.
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