The Wiz Live! 2015 - Articles Page 24

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!

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.

This Thursday, December 3rd, BROADWAY SESSIONS welcomes cast members from TRIP OF LOVE, as well as a special THE WIZ LIVE! viewing party before the show.

THE WIZ was part of a growing trend of the 1970s when urban black stories and music were making their way to Broadway.

Relive the Golden Age of Broadway and the magical moments from TV's past with Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Frank Sinatra, Julie Andrews,Carol Burnett and many more as we look at the history of live TV musicals.

Below, check out an all-new promo for the show, featuring Williams singing the iconic song 'Home'.

Today's the day! And a huge one it is for the company of NBC's THE WIZ LIVE! The Long Island soundstage that the cast and crew have been calling home for the past month will be bustling today as finishing touches are placed on the star-studded production. Theatre fans know that this won't be the first time that NBC has pulled off such a massive undertaking. 9.21 million people tuned in for last year's PETER PAN LIVE!, while THE SOUND OF MUSIC, presented in 2013, yielded a whopping 18.62 million live viewers- an unprecedented ratings boom for the network. Few can understand the pressure that comes with this kind of attention, but the casts of THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! and PETER PAN LIVE! have been through all of it before. BroadwayWorld has been in touch with both companies to find out if they have any advice for their successors. Find out what they had to say below! 

In anticipation of this star-studded event, throughout the week, we are going to be looking at the impressive musical careers (and when possible, musical theatre careers) of THE WIZ LIVE! stars. Today, we are hopping on our brooms and checking out some of the best moments in the singing careers of Oz's newest witches, whether they are wicked or good. First, we will look at some clips from 'Crazy' talented Broadway baby Uzo Aduba, who will play Glinda. Then, we will look at the career of GLEE-ful dancing champ Amber Riley, who plays Addaperle, and finally we will close out our list with Evillene, played by the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige.

In anticipation of NBC's upcoming holiday production of THE WIZ LIVE!, some of the cast stopped by the set of another NBC show- THE VOICE. Watch below as Dorothy (Shanice Williams) shows her friends what she's got!

Today, McLane speaks exclusively to BWW about the magic behind the journey of these beloved characters, as they ease on down the road and onto our TV screens!

The road to musicals like KINKY BOOTS was paved by Fierstein with his groundbreaking play.

This morning's TODAY chatted with the THE WIZ LIVE! stars Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Ne-Yo and Shanice Williams as they prepare for the big night.

Shanice Williams, Ne-Yo, David Alan Grier and Elijah Kelley stopped by WENDY WILLIAMS to dish about their special event airing live this Thursday on NBC.

BroadwayWorld was on set earlier this month as the company was readying for the big night and the whole creative team was on hand to tell us about the process so far. Find out how they all fell in love with THE WIZ, why the show speaks to them and more below!

“The Making of The Wiz Live!” (0.6/2 in 18-49, 2.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET): Matched the comparable year-ago special in adult 18-49 rating (0.6 vs. 0.6 for “The Making of Peter Pan Live!” on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014).

On top of our comedic content, we also aim to provide an inside look at the newest up-and-coming shows, and short (but sweet) six second interviews with all of our favorite stars.

NBC has shard an all-new extended trailer for the highly anticipated live broadcast of THE WIZ LIVE!, airing Thursday, December 3rd. Check it out below!

Hot Video! Miss the Wednesday night airing of NBC's The Making of THE WIZ LIVE!? We've got you covered with the full video that goes behind the scenes, showing off all of the excitement and hard work going into the December 3rd broadcast that we're all counting down to. 

America's favorite holiday tradition will once again kick off the season of joy as the 89th Annual MACY'STHANKSGIVING DAY PARADE returns to march down the streets of New York on Thursday, November 26. Many Broadway casts are taking part in the festivities (including The Wiz Live, Something Rotten and more) and you can check out photos from their rehearsals below!

NBC has announced that tonight, November 25th FINDING NEVERLAND star Matthew Morrison, and THE WIZ LIVE's Uzo Aduba will visit LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS.

NBC will present THE MAKING OF THE WIZ LIVE tonight, November 25 on NBC (8-9 p.m. ET).

NBC's highly anticipated production of 'The Wiz LIVE!' will broadcast December 3, but you don't have to wait that long to feed your excitement.  NBC is celebrating family togetherness surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday by launching a Home-inspired meme. To take part, just follow the instructions below!