Sure, a camera was exposed in the first 10 minutes and Toto was seemingly unaccounted for post-tornado, but for a live telecast, Thursday’s production was almost flawless.
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The costumes, sets, choreography and makeup were incredible. You could certainly find things to nitpick about if you were looking. Indeed, many are calling this all-black cast “an outrage”, calling for action reminiscent of a coup. The 1978 film adaptation of The Wiz starred Diana Ross, Richard Pryor and a then-20-year-old Michael Jackson.
“The Wiz Live!” specifically boasts an exclamation point to emphasize that it’s an actual stage performance, not pre-taped, although certain orchestra tracks may be.
The key people are those who wouldn’t have been interested in a new TV version of The Wiz in standard form, but will be interested in The Wiz Live!, largely because it’s live. Common remembers he first heard about the project while talking to executive producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan backstage at The Academy Awards. Having seen Williams bring such a youthful spirit to the role, it’s hard to imagine anyone else as Dorothy. The latter two have collaborated with Ne-Yo and others on a new song – called “We Got It!” – to add to the original score by Charlie Smalls. “We can create this for a new generation with music and the movement of 2015”.
This was a stellar show worthy, obviously, of great accolades and it helped, at the time, to shift contemporary ideologies to the ability of an all-black cast to carry an entire, full-sized show on the Great White Way.
“The girls got in line at 10 o’clock Friday night and they spent the night because we didn’t start auditions until the next day at 10 a.m.”, Leon recalls.
“It is being choreographed by Fatima Robinson (Dreamgirls), and there’s a partnership with Cirque du Soleil that will be quite evident in several epic scenes”.
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Elijah Kelley’s Scarecrow was tender and melancholy and amusing, sometimes all at the same moment. He plays one of the residents of the Emerald City and a munchkin.
When NBC airs its live production of “The Wiz” tonight, you’ll of course see the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and Dorothy.
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Of the three musicals NBC has mounted, “The Wiz” was best. Standout musical numbers included “He’s The Wiz”, which Riley belted out as if it were a studio recording. Grammy-winning star Mary J. Blige’s performance in the role is a lot more modern and physically flattering.
