The reason Stephanie Mills should have been in The Wiz movie. — Page 2

The Wiz is a retelling of the popular book and film, The Wizard of Oz. According to She Knows, the new story began as a stage musical in Baltimore, Maryland. For the off-Broadway show, actor Renee Harris played Dorothy. However, Harris decided to leave The Wiz before it made it to the Broadway stage.

If Stephanie Mills had gotten the role, I don't know if the film would be the cult classic that it is now. I've been laughing for decades at the people still crying and complaining about the film that keeps attracting new fans.

The first time I saw THE WIZ was a national tour in the late 1970s. A young lady named Lilias White starred as Dorothy.

Here’s the music video for that 1989 re-recording of “Home.”

Fosse76 said: "DottieD'Luscia said: "Didn't Stephanie play Sarah in one of the productions of Ragtime (Chicago, I think)?"

Indeed, it was the Chicago sitdown of Ragtime. Though, I don't remember if she was the direct replacement of LaChanze, or if it was a little later."

Mills replaced Lovena Fox, who replaced LaChanze. Mills closed RAGTIME in Chicago.

CarlosAlberto said: "Stephanie Mills *was* in serious consideration to reprise her Broadway role. This was when it was a lower budgeted production that was being produced by Motown Productions.

Miss Ross got wind of it and she contacted Berry Gordy, who told her she was too old for the part. Since Miss Ross doesn't take no for an answer she got Rob Cohen from Universal involved. Cohen loved the idea and got in contact with Berry Gordy and convinced him to cast Diana and in turn Universal would co-produce the film with Motown.

This afforded them a much bigger budget than intended, financial security and a big star in the lead to assure box office success.

We all know how *that* turned out."

My understanding is that she didn't just contact Rob Cohen, she said "If you get me, you get Michael Jackson" before, apparently even asking Jackson if he was interested in the project. And that one-two punch is what really sealed it.

Despite the oddness of it all, I really like the idea of an adult Dorothy who doesn't need to get home but to get out in the world. They never fully worked the concept out--the final image is her walking into the home that...theoretically she's ready to move on from. And it's far from a perfect film. But I still quite enjoy Ross in the role, and find the reconceptualization of the material interesting.

Saw the movie in a theater once when it came out. I have seen bits and pieces of it since. It was not the big hit in the black community that they expected it to be. The soundtrack was more popular than the film. Everyone in my orbit owned it and was obsessed with Lena Horne's "If You Believe". (It got a standing ovation in the theater the afternoon I saw it) The one good decision they made was to have Quincy Jones do the arrangements and write original music along with Ashford & Simpson. The Emerald City Sequence was a favorite in the black gay community at the time and the arrangements were incredible with that signature "Q" sound. (It was Q's first time working with MJ and a year later we got the 1st of three legendary albums they did together.) "Green" was played at some after hours clubs that I went to.

joevitus said: "uncageg said: "Saw the movie in a theater once when it came out. I have seen bits and pieces of it since. It was not the big hit in the black community that they expected it to be. The soundtrack was more popular than the film. Everyone in my orbit owned it and was obsessed with Lena Horne's "If You Believe". (It got a standing ovation in the theater the afternoon I saw it) The one good decision they made was to have Quincy Jones do the arrangements and write original music along with Ashford & Simpson. The Emerald City Sequence was a favorite in the black gay community at the time and the arrangements were incredible with that signature "Q" sound. (It was Q's first time working with MJ and a year later we got the 1st of three legendary albums they did together.) "Green" was played at some after hours clubs that I went to."

Interesting that you say that since someone else on this board has said the movie was for Black people their The Sound of Music. Being white, I don't have a clue. I like the movie, while recognizing its many weaknesses."



I didn't see that comment. Was it in this thread? (If so I missed it)

It became like a cult classic but we didn't get together on a Holiday to watch it every year. At least not my family or the people in the community that I know. However, my black, gay, Ross fan friends loved it!