The Wiz - Official Schedule

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 5:34pm

The Wiz - When The Wizard of Oz met the urban beat of the 1970s, history was made to the tune of seven Tony Awards. Now young Dorothy travels to the strange and spectacular land of Oz once again as Playhouse Artistic Director Des McAnuff teams up with original Wiz orchestrator Harold Wheeler to create a
re-imagined multi-cultural musical phenomenon for a new century.

La Jolla Playhouse (Mandell Weiss Theater), San Diego, CA.
Single Ticket Prices: $48.00 - $85.00
Book by William F. Brown, Music and Lyrics by Charlie Smalls,
Directed by Des McAnuff

Official Graphics: See avatar to your left.

Performance Dates: Sept. 26 - Nov. 12, 2006
Performance Times:
Tuesday - Wednesday Evenings: 7:30 PM
Thursday - Saturday Evenings: 8:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday Matinees: 2:00 PM
Sunday Evenings: 7:00 PM
Tickets will go on sale on June 18,2006.
Call 858-550-1010 or order tickets at www.lajollaplayhouse.com. Seniors 62 and up, full time students, and active military families save $3.00 per ticket except for Saturday evening performances. Groups save 10% - 20% depending on performance selection or group size.

Updated On: 5/1/06 at 05:34 PM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:06pm

the artwork is kindof cool, but a little busy. I'm really excited about his revival...who else think Paris Bennett of American Idol would be a great dorothy?

[liotte]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:11pm

Nikki James for Dorothy!!

[dotvmike]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:19pm

Paris Bennett as Dorothy...ALL THE WAY!

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:21pm

The official layout of the artwork is not displayed vertically. I just did that to make it fit in the window of this board. I think it has the 70's feel to it with a touch of Studio 54.

I'm looking forward to their version of "Home." I see Norm Lewis or Hoon Lee as Lion, Sutton Foster or Joan Almedilla as Dorothy, Will Chase as Scarecrow, and James Earl Jones as the voice over for the Wiz.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:32pm

What voiceover for The Wiz? Are you thinking about that terrible movie version? In the stage version, The Wiz is onstage for his scenes and it is a big singing and dancing role (created originally by Andre De Shields).

Also, in the stage version Dorothy is a teenager (or at least should look like one). Sutton Foster -- who will be starring in the Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway for the next year at least -- is many things, but is hardly a teenager.

And Will Chase as the Scarecrow? Unless they've completely changed this role, the Scarecrow is another dance role (originally played by one of the Broadway's greatest dancers, 3-time Tony winner Hinton Battle).

Updated On: 4/30/06 at 07:32 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:34pm

Get Andre back!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:35pm

Funny thing is, he actually could still do it.

[respeck]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:36pm

What luck! I'm going back to San Diego at the end of September! After missing Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Millie, Chita, and Jersey Boys (none for a good reason, of course) I may FINALLY get to see a tryout show in my hometown! Woo hoo!!

[mateo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:37pm

Andre baby!

The Wizard has some of the best songs!


and Sutton Foster?? Is this not a black show anymore? If not - i think I am disspointed.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:38pm

Margo...I hear this production has less dancing than the original stage version. With Sutton, yes..it was just a wish. I knew she's busy with Drowsy. :)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:40pm

"Funny thing is, he actually could still do it."

Hell yes, he could!

[respeck]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:40pm

Mary Bond as Evillene would be a dream come true!

[mateo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:41pm

ewww... if this turns out to be a white-washed, cash in on Wicked- production... ill be so sad.

[mateo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:42pm

oo mary bond! yes!

[respeck]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:44pm

Mateo, they've already announced it will be a multi-racial cast. A lot of people have strong feelings about it. There are a bunch of old threads about it if anyone cares to dig them up.

[mateo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:48pm

awwwww for reals? I didnt know that. well - i have to say I am a little dissapointed.

To be honest I dont think Andre would do it if they asked him. He was and is very proud of the shows black-urban-sensibility. This new production doesnt seem like its going to reflect that.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:51pm

There's been talk (unconfirmed) that they're going for a more "multicultural" approach in this revival. If that's true, we'll see how that works. The entire POINT of this show when it was created was to take "The Wizard of Oz" and give a black, urban street-wise spin on it, taking the classic tale and filtering it through the prism of the music, fashions, hair styles, slang and attitude of 70s black culture. To take the "blackness" out of the show (including in the casting) is destroy its very essence and purpose and what made it so unique and special.

If you want to do this story with a bunch of white people, then why not just do "The Wizard of Oz?"

[mateo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 7:54pm

exactly.


I think they are trying to cash on Wicked's popularity.


Just look at its poster... the emerald green synonymous with the MGM classic... mixed with Mirror Balls?

It wasnt that 'The Wiz' was about the 70's... It was about the black movement. It immediatly cheapens the show, when you give it an iconic "Disco" look with this rave-flier concept.

This seems more like a community theatre concept than one heading to broadway.

Updated On: 4/30/06 at 07:54 PM

[andyf]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 8:09pm

If you want to do this story with a bunch of white people, then why not just do "The Wizard of Oz?"


Because if you use a bunch of white people, The Wiz is still so much better than The Wizard of Oz, which I had to sit through this weekend...dreadful. Although it did make me VERY excited to see this show out in San Diego.

Are we thinking this is going to sell out at La Jolla? (Just trying to figure out if I should buy my tickets now, which would require planning my trip now, or if I can wait until I'm out there.)

And does anyone think they're actually going to succeed in transferring?

Updated On: 4/30/06 at 08:09 PM

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 8:13pm

Andre still has energy and vitality that performers of any age would pay to have...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 8:20pm

There's no telling whether it'll transfer or not at this point. It'll all depend on whether or not this radically re-thought version of the show gets raves from the critics. If its reception is mixed, it may not move from La Jolla.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 8:46pm

Well, I guess it would also be like asking "Who wants to see an all-white version of "Ain't Misbehavin'", or "Jelly's Last Jam?" I hope they don't break what already works. One of my favorite shows, ever - update and clean it a bit, but don't ruin it!

Oh, and as for all these people throwing out names like Sutton Foster....sorry, folks - you guys are living in a dream land. She's appropriate for some material - but not for "The Wiz." I had a nice giggle with that one. lol - How about IDINA for DOROTHY?!

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 9:20pm

i really hope it makes it to bway! i so want to see it but right now going to CA is out of my range and all that junk. someone post a review and stuff if they see it! it's such a fun show to do. i did dorothy once and we all had a blast!

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 9:27pm

I just hope when they say multi-cultural, they mean blacks, asians, hispanics . . . and maybe like one or two white people in the chorus. It totally cheapens the show when you start having white people to sing like they have soul. It just doesn't work.