NBC The Wiz LIVE! REVIEW
Before I get started with my Review TO ALL THE WHITE FOLKS I KNOW YOU LOVED THIS PLAY BUT PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHEN HOLLOWEEN COMES IN OCTOBER 2016 DO NOT DRESS UP IN BLACK FACE AS DOROTHY OR ANY OF THE OTHER CHARACTERS FROM THE WIZ REMEMBER BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT A HOLLOWEEN COSTUME!
The Wiz is the most loved and popular Broadway musical play in the history of Black cinema and SOME white folks are so upset no outraged that we BLACK people would DEARE celebrate our OWN HOW DEARE WE REWRITE AND CHANGE Judy Garland Wizard of Oz I’ll have Ti address this stupidness lol
But anyway my review of this remake as I started watching I was blown away at the colorful costumes, the make up the set, Cirque du Soleil , natural hair; the wigs! I liked it but I wanted the characters to SANG AND REALLY DANCE AND JUMP LIKE IT WAS THEIR LAST DAY ON EARTH! We first see three Men getting ready for a storm that will be coming soon out comes Dorothy Suitcase in hand with her beloved dog Toto but I wanna know where was Toto throughout the rest of the show? All his homies was like….
Shanice Williams (Glee) as Dorothy her performance seem plan with no seasoning no flava her singing didn’t give me chills, I didn’t feel that lump in my throat I didn’t feel the need or the excitement to say YAAAASSS Hallelujah!
As forAuntie Em Stephanie Mills now she sang! What did get me somewhat in awe was the wind; leaves becoming a character all its own the dancers in these beautiful costumes that came alive. Doethy comes to a strange land when we meet The Munchkins’ with all their natural hair wearin’ glory telling her she has killed the wicked witch of the west.
Then we come to Amber Riley who played Addaperle the good witch of the North, who did some SANGIN’ there was some cleaver references to today’s technology as Addaperle pulled out her magical slate an iPad to “magically” guess Dorthys name after giving her a kiss and slippers off Dorothy goes without Toto following the yellow brick road to help her get home .
We come to the scarecrow played by Elijah Kelley now there was SANGIN’ from him. to my Hip Hop heads did you notice the tribute to jean Michel basquiat ? The only thing I was missing was the really good dancing from Elijah I wanted him to jump and fly around the stage while SANGIN with them SANGIN’ CROWS!
As they walk they invite tin man an Loin to come with them to Emerald city to ask The Wiz to help the find what they unknowing have. My favorite character has always been the cowardly Loin David Alan Grier I will have to say my favorite scene was the Lion rounding up the poppie flowers the scene was sex, seductive but still showing Lions courage that he didn’t know he had. Our four friends finely find Emerald city to see the Wiz but before that they must go through the Bouncer played by Common I wish he’d broke out in a rhyme with a little name drpppin’ Dorothy and her friends are let in to Club Emerald city (I call it) they still can’t get into see the Wiz as the lobby is full of dancers tellin’ them they are not allowed entry but all of the sudden they see Dorothy’s shoes and let them all in!Queen Latifah as the wiz did her thang even though she looked like a peppermint candy she told our friends to kill Evillene the wicked witch of the west before she grants their wishes. Mary J. Blige playing Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West let me tell you her makeup, costume; hair ( her edges was on fleek hunty) was breath taking. Dorothy her friends took out the wicked witch one problem the Wiz is not who he says he is he is actually a she! Telling them all that they had the things they wanted all along okay then we see that the Wiz is ready to leave and take Dorothy with her but Dorothy gets a change of heart and wants to go back to where her home is with Auntie Em However we learn that Glinda played by Uzo Aduba we come to the end where Dorothy sings home Those of us who say it didn’t ya’ll feel cheated? Dorothy baby why ONLY ONE CLICK OF THE HEELS?
Toto going to his Lawyers in the morning saying BITCH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY!
To Learn more about Jean Michel Basquiat here’s a link http://www.theartstory.org/artist-basquiat-jean-michel.htm
History of the stage play the Wiz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiz