UPDATE 10/15/15: NBC has now released the upcoming show’s poster art, which is embedded above.
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UPDATE 10/14/15: NBC has also now released a behind-the-scenes tease, showing the cast in costume, and in motion. Watch it below:
NBC is bringing you an all-star cast for The Wiz Live! Watch Ne-Yo, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and more LIVE December 3.
Posted by The Wiz on Tuesday, 13 October 2015
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It was in May when NBC announced an open casting call for the lead role of Dorothy in the network’s upcoming holiday special “The Wiz Live!,” set to air on Thursday, Dec. 3.
Revealed last month, newcomer Shanice Williams was cast as Dorothy, beating out lots of competition – potentially the break of a lifetime for the actress/singer.
Williams joins David Alan Grier, who will play the Cowardly Lion; Queen Latifah stars as the Wiz; Mary J. Blige will play Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West; Stephanie Mills (who played Dorothy in the original Broadway production of “The Wiz”) will portray Auntie Em; Common will play the Bouncer, the gatekeeper of the entrance to Emerald City; Ne-Yo will play the Tin Man; and Elijah Kelley will play the Scarecrow in NBC’s December production.
“The Wiz Live!” is adapted from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, with a book by William F. Brown, and music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls. The production opened on Broadway in 1975 at the Majestic Theatre and won seven Tonys, including Best Musical.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (“The Sound of Music Live!,” “Peter Pan Live!,” Oscar-winning “Chicago”) will executive produce. Kenny Leon (Tony winner, “A Raisin in the Sun”) is stage director and Matthew Diamond is TV director, with Harvey Fierstein (three-time Tony winner, “Torch Song Trilogy,” “Hairspray” and “La Cage aux Folles”) providing new written material.
Esteemed choreographer Fatima Robinson (“Dreamgirls,” “Ali”) is also on board, along with music producer Harvey Mason Jr. (“Dreamgirls, “Pitch Perfect 2”) and Stephen Oremus (“The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots”) as music director, orchestrator and co-producer of the music.
“The Wiz Live!” is produced by Universal Television in association with Cirque Du Soleil Theatrical.
The production has released a first set of images from the upcoming broadcast, featuring the key cast in costume, individually (below) and together (above).
