rOcKS @ 'The Wiz'- Page 2

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:30pm

2 friends of mine saw The Wiz the other night and loved it. They both saw the original and liked what they have done with this production.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:37pm

I'd hardly call Encores' Summer Stars productions "concerts," DAME.

[DAME]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:39pm

What would you call them? Crap?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:48pm

Speaking of talented African American Broadway actors... where is Lillias White? And Capathia Jenkins?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:02pm

Well so far, pretty much. But they're full-fledged productions with costumes, sets, lighting design, direction, choreography, special effects, props, etc etc. I'd call Encore's other productions (NO, NO, NANNETTE, FINIANS RAINBOW, et al.) "concerts."

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:52pm

Hmm, it's funny. I agree with all the complaints stated here, though yet while I was watching the show I did enjoy it. (Aside from Ashanti, who I felt was bland though had a great voice.) I found the dancing to be exciting and innovative, I liked the use of the ensemble dancers to "play" the Yellow Brick Road and the tornado. I've never seen "The Wiz" before, though I was familiar with several of the songs. (I heard Nikki Renee Daniels sing an absolutely stunning version of "Home" at a cabaret bar once, no one can top that in my mind.)

The audience completely ate it up though. I was at the Wednesday matinee and I don't think I have ever heard a more responsive audience, except for special occasion shows like the end of a run/a performer's last/or opening nights. I have only heard of Ashanti, LaChanze & Orlando Jones before, but I guess the audience was very familiar with everyone else as there was wild cheers and applause for almost every character's entrance. There were many school groups and people that sounded like they were there just for Ashanti. I don't know if Wednesday matinees are usually more or less crowded than other days, but from the noise level it seemed pretty full.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:12pm

It seemed as if it was more full because of the school groups. I actually thought they were well behaved. It was the adults shhushing that was problematic. Anywho, I really liked this production. I thought Ashanti and Orlando were dismal, but the rest of the production was great. The costumes and sets are a huge improvement over Damn Yankees. And I'll go on record again saying that this is my favorite work from Andy Blankenbuehler.

[froggy2]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 4:33pm

What's the running time?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 4:37pm

I was on the street at 10:23.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 5:49pm

I am seeing The Wiz, next week, so I will offer more thoughts then, but I mist say that I am most looking forward to the Scenic design of David Korins and the scarecrow of Christian Dante White.

In regards to the "backup singers" on stage that were mentioned here as a problem for someone, "The Wiz" is written to have several 'Pit Singers', literal off-stage singers. So therefore, much like the orchestra at Encores, they are found visible and onstage here.

As an avid "Oz" fan, I greatly appreciate the Wiz, but yes, it is a fundamentally flawed show and not meant to be a thinker by any stretch. When done well, it can be very enjoyable.. but only for the production values and the singers really. Problem 1 here arises because Encores doesn't give much in the way of production values. Problem 2 here is that they have banked on a few anchor performers who seem to have neither the charm nor the chops.

At this point, sadly, The Wiz is a museum piece and would be best serves with a filmed version of the original incarnation and viewed mostly that way. It was created in a time where the worlds or black and white, especially on Broadway, was still very much apart and several shows such as this, the all-black Hello, Dolly and the all-black Guys and dolls, tried to bridge that and give African American audiences and performers a foothold. The Wiz is a reflection of that snapshot in time.. and any production, to capture that essence, must do that same thing for the time it is staged. Now, the doesn't mean segregated to all-black.. it means all-inclusive.. black, white, Latin, Asian, gay, straight, etc... a drag queen Evelline. The core problem still lies in the fact that the dialogue is made up almost entirely of VERY 1975 African American culture specific reference, catchphrase and stereotype.. It isn't like most period plays where you have very accessible dialogue peppered with point specific reference but still essentially understandable 50 years down the road.

What "The Wiz" needs is not revival, but a completely fresh writing and to be cast much in the vein of the Disney production of Rodgers and Hemmerstein's Cinderella.. an entirely new modern adaption of the Oz tale with the essence that inspired the original. THAT is how "The Wiz" can survive and thrive.