NBC ‘The Wiz Live’ [TRAILER]: Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Ne-yo to Star!
Who remembers watching Diana Ross and Michael Jackson in The Wiz growing up? The catchy songs, dance moves and star-studded cast was not one to miss. NBC thought that it would be a great idea to give Generation Z a piece of history. On Thursday, Dec. 3 at 8/7c, expect to see a three-hour airing of The Wiz Live starring Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Neyo, and many more.
Who thought it would be nice to bring this show back to life. None other than Tony Award winning Broadway and film director, Kenny Leon, with the help of Harvey Fierstein, whom is adapting the book for television. Many of Leon's credits include the revival of A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington, The Mountaintop starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, Stick Fly produced by Alicia Keys, August Wilson's Fences and the list goes on.
With Leon's history of casting, you know the rest of the The Wiz Live actors have to be amazing.
The cast consist of Queen Latifah as The Wiz, Mary J. Blige as Evillene, David Alan Grier as The Cowardly Lion, Orange is the New Black's Uzo Aduba as Glinda, Amber Riley as Addaperle, Ne-Yo as The Tin Man, Elijah Kelley as the Scarecrow, Common as Bouncer, Stephanie Mills as Auntie Em, and first-timer Shanice Williams as Dorothy.
Will there be any surprises?
Well, according to Broadway World, "The live TV musical will feature a song, written by Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, Harvey Mason, Jr. and Stephen Oremus. It is sung by Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion as they build up their confidence to kill Evillene."
Here's a sneak peak of what to expect from The Wiz Live:
Will you be watching?