THE WIZ LIVE producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron chatted with BroadwayWorld about the production's recent success at the NAACP Image Awards and more. Check out the full interview here!
THE WIZ LIVE's Kenny Leon (Director) and Matthew Diamond (Live Television Direction) were nominated in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series.
Today, the Costume Designers Guild announced the nominations for its 18th annual CDG Awards. Winners of the seven competitive categories will be announced on February 23rd
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's the TOP TEN HOT TOPIX for the last half of 2015! What are the shows and stories we've been most excited about? Here they are! I hope you have a happy new year. And I'll see you at The Call on January 10, 2016 for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration!
Harvey Mason Jr. has worked with some of the biggest and brightest stars in the music industry. His work transcends generations and this year he became a household name as the music producer for NBC's THE WIZ LIVE!
Now that NBC's live production of THE WIZ has aired, the show keeps on leading fans down the yellow brick road to Oz. Broadway Records and Masterworks release THE WIZ LIVE! Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event physically today, December 18, 2015. Order the album now!
THE WIZ LIVE! producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will re-team with the live musical's choreographer Fatima Robinson on a semi-autobiographical dance drama about her life and career.
Sony Music Masterworks and Broadway Records release the original soundtrack of the NBC Television event 'The Wiz LIVE!' via all digital service providers (download and streaming) today, December 11, followed by the CD on December 18.
Saturday's episode of NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE featured a spoof on last week's live broadcat of THE WIZ LIVE! In the sketch, West Oz's Scarecrow (host Ryan Gosling) mistakenly ends up in East Oz with Dorothy (Sasheer Zamata), Cowardly Lion (Kenan Thompson), Tin Man (Jay Pharoah), Scarecrow (Michael Che) and The Wiz (Leslie Jones).
NBC aired its colorful holiday production of THE WIZ LIVE! last night, featuring newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy alongside Grammy and Golden Globe-winner Queen Latifah as the Wizard, nine-time Grammy-winner Mary J. Blige as Evillene, original Dorothy, Stephanie Mills, as Auntie Em and David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion. Whether you missed the special presentation when it aired or just want to re-live the amazing journey through Oz, watch the entire show below!
Perhaps no one felt more relief after the conclusion of NBC's THE WIZ LIVE! than Shanice Williams. The 19 year old, unknown actress (until last night) made a big impression as the show's heroine, leaving theatre fans to question: Will she play Dorothy on Broadway?
As BWW reported earlier today, NBC's live broadcast of THE WIZ LIVE! brought in a whopping 11.5 million viewers - a reason to celebrate for the network. Another reason? The introduction of the unforgettable Shanice Williams. Cast member James Brown III caught Williams' re-entry backstage following her powerful performance of the show's finale, 'Home,' last night. Check out a quick video of the cast and crew's standing ovation for 'Dorothy' actress below!
As BWW reported earlier today, NBC's live broadcast of THE WIZ LIVE! brought in a whopping 11.5 million viewers - a reason to celebrate for the network. Executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron chatted with the Hollywood Reporter today about the huge success of the show and what is in store for the future.
NBC's musical television production of The Wiz Live! stars world-class performers and recording artists including Queen Latifah (Chicago), Mary J. Blige (Empire), Ne-Yo (Red Tails), and David Alan Grier (In Living Color). Staying true to the groundbreaking Broadway show that put a vivid urban spin on the land of Oz, this fresh new trip down the yellow brick road also stars Common (Being Charlie), Elijah Kelley (Hairspray), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Amber Riley (Glee), Stephanie Mills (The Love Boat), and newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy. Also included on the DVD will be the NBC special, The Making of The Wiz Live, featuring the behind-the-scenes story of producing this live television event!
THE WIZ LIVE! rocked NBC last night will over 11 million viewers and celebrities were among the biggest fans of the night. Last year, the Twittersphere exploded with tens of thousands of viewer responses to NBC's Peter Pan Live! and this year the tweets didn't slow down!
Below, watch the talented cast performing 'Home', 'No Bad News,' 'He's The Wiz,' 'So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard,' 'Branded New Day' and 'Ease On Down the Road.'
Thanks to Tony-winner Kenny Leon and a delightfully entertaining cast of characters, 'Home' is most certainly where the heart is this holiday season. Coming into this year's NBC live musical, theatre lovers nationwide were appropriately apprehensive, given the spotty results from THE SOUND OF MUSIC and PETER PAN. However, in THE WIZ LIVE!, we were finally given a production worthy of the show's beloved Broadway legacy. Executive Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan still haven't solved the riddle of recreating a stage show's scope and grandeur on screen without an audience, but with a once-in-a-lifetime star, and one of the most acclaimed casts in recent memory, for the first time since this annual experiment began in 2013, there's truly a reason to rejoice!
NBC's upcoming holiday production of THE WIZ LIVE! will air TONIGHT at 8pm EST! The production will star newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy alongside Grammy and Golden Globe-winner Queen Latifah as the Wizard, nine-time Grammy-winner Mary J. Blige as Evillene, original Dorothy, Stephanie Mills, as Auntie Em and David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion. For More Information, Click Here.
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'The Wiz Live!' has arrived, as have the casts of three tours to the Loop. 'Bridges' is in Iowa, though. The Marriott takes on 'Spring Awakening,' and the Piccolo Theatre, Congo Square and Theo Ubique do December in their own ways. The Second City opens another revue, and in Milwaukee, 'My Fair Lady!'
In anticipation of this star-studded event, throughout the week, we are looking at the impressive musical careers (and when possible, musical theatre careers) of THE WIZ LIVE! stars. Today, we are easing on down the road with the group at the center of the story, the four characters affectionately referred to as 'The Friends;' Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. This group has a two-time Tony nominee and comedy legend, a rising Hollywood star, a three-time Grammy winning R&B icon, and a virtual unknown in the role of a lifetime.
