The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
#1The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 12:24pm
It is so great to see footage from the original cast! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIM2uYDiHEY
musicaltheatreman2
Leading Actor Joined: 3/3/08
#2The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 12:37pm
OMG THANK YOU for posting that!!!! I have been looking for the commercial on YouTube for awhile, but it was taken down. I am glad to see it was reposted!
#3The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 12:39pm
To me, the most interesting thing about that video is that Serino/Coyne posted it yesterday.
#4The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 12:51pm
Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but was that Deborah Burrell as "Glinda" in that commercial? She played "Michelle Morris" in the original cast of "Dreamgirls".
Broadway kid 2
Stand-by Joined: 6/7/14
#5The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 1:20pm
Theater_Nerd said: "Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but was that Deborah Burrell as "Glinda" in that commercial? She played "Michelle Morris" in the original cast of "Dreamgirls".
"
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#6The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 1:24pm
A lot of people didn't realize they gave away a live Toto at the end of each performance.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#7The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 6:58pm
Toto jumping off of the stage into an audience member's lap is a little over the top.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#8The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 7:04pm
Brings back memories of what Broadway used to be.
#9The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 7:05pm
Yes, that's Deborah Burrell as Glinda. This commercial is from later in the run when the show moved from the Majestic to the Broadway Theatre. Stephanie Mills was Dorothy for 4 years of the 5-year run, I believe. Many others in that commercial (if not all, besides Stephanie) are replacements.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#10The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 7:10pm
Was that Nancy, the original Toto?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#11The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 7:17pm
It bothers me when people say "live on stage." Like yes it was a musical first hello!
Hamilton22
Broadway Star Joined: 7/18/15
#12The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 9:43pm
How did they get the dog to jump like that?
#13The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/5/15 at 11:30pm
Thank you, justin, for posting this video! I never saw it-only ever saw Ease on Down the Road one. Very cool!
Your video led me to a youtube video footage of Stephanie Mills singing Home at a performance. Sorry folks, I enjoyed The Wiz Live the other night on TV but nothing compares to Ms. Mills singing this song! Audiences went wild for her_which you can see in this clip-they break out into applause twice before the song has ended. You don't see that often on Broadway.
Also cool to see the curtain calls.
What I can't figure out is how this footage exists.
#14The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/6/15 at 6:46am
Stephanie definitely had that "And I'm Telling You" kind of moment in show with "Home."
It's pretty mind-blowing that she wasn't even nominated for a Tony.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#15The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/6/15 at 8:34am
How did they get the dog to jump like that?
Bill Berloni!
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#16The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:46am
William Berloni began his animal training career with the original 1976 pre-Broadway incarnation (then eventual 1977 Broadway production) of ANNIE. THE WIZ arrived on Broadway in 1975. Big possibility he could have been brought in to teach the show's Toto to do that stunt for the later-in-the-run TV spot as THE WIZ closed on Broadway in 1979.
WILLIAM BERLONI: When I was 19 years old I was asked to find and train a dog for this new musical that was premiering up in CT and it was the original production of Annie. I found Sandy at the CT Humane Society for $7 and a year later the show opened on Broadway and at the age of 20 I became a famous animal trainer. So, I just believed in the karma of rescuing animals so 25 Broadway shows later and 40 years later still rescuing dogs and enjoying a great life with them.
AlfieByrne
Stand-by Joined: 8/12/09
#17The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/7/15 at 12:25pm
best12bars said: "
It's pretty mind-blowing that she wasn't even nominated for a Tony.
"
It appears that Clive Barnes wrote a tepid review regarding Mills' performance. I wonder what the general public's opinion was.
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/theater/82169467.pdf
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#18The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/7/15 at 1:01pm
Did Bill Berloni really come in to train the dog for the commercial shoot? Or was there simply someone off camera tossing the dog into the audience members lap?
Brian07663NJ
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/06
#19The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/7/15 at 1:07pm
Loved the winking eyes on the costume. That must be why men stare at boobs...they are trying to BE respectful by making eye contact!
#20The Original Broadway Commercial for The Wiz
Posted: 12/7/15 at 2:43pm
And then the commercial for the revival less than ten years later that apparently nobody wanted (with a pretty terrifying Tin Man--) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyjiwDq9Wfg
And apparently the cast couldn't wait for the show to be over either judging by how quick the tempo is for Brand New Day in this performance... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJDkQEcu3MQ
Updated On: 12/7/15 at 02:43 PMVideos