The Wiz Live! (2015)

This was such an amazing production, with superb acting all around. My favorites were Scarecrow and Tinman. But it's hard to pick faves since even the smaller parts like the Crows did a fantastic job. The actors did a fantastic job. And I loved the set and the costumes (except Dorothy's!)For those complaining that The Wiz Live is nothing like The Wizard of Oz, please note it is not a remake of The Wizard of Oz, but of The Wiz - go look it up. And really, if you think a remake should stick exactly to the original, with no changes or updates, then you should probably stay away from remakes in general.

I am amazed at the reviewer who make the claim and that David Alan Grier as the lion was OK but not sure if he were Broadway material. That is laughable firstly because he was probably the best actor in the whole production of the Wiz live! And gave the necessary histrionics that were needed for this theatrical production. Secondly, he has been in several Broadway plays and musicals as the star and actually was nominated for a Tony for Best Male performance in his very first outing in a Broadway musical playing Jackie Robinson the famed baseball player. I feel that this production of The Wiz was flawed but had much to recommend it. Shanice is an up and coming star and has a wonderful voice. If she were only slightly occasionally off key, it was probably due to nerves. Anyone in their first production and a live televised one at that would probably have a case of the nerves. My main fault with this production is what it has been for the other NBC live productions: the producers should be less concerned with ratings by placing pop stars in the major roles and place more emphasis on the acting by getting solid, proved actors to play the lead roles. Mary J Blige is not an actress. Queen Latifah, although having starred in several films, was totally miscast as the Wiz. I thought the actor who played the scarecrow was quite weak. However Neyo as the tin-man proved to be one of the better actors and singers as well. Overall not bad! Certainly a better production, though not smooth in its execution, then the past two. Maybe they are getting better as they go and the next will far exceed even this one. We can only hope!

A live stage version of the Tony award winning musical. Basically it's just "The Wizard of OZ' with an all black cast. It's done on a stage but no audience.I've seen the original stage musical and the movie and love both but this is TERRIBLE! First of all they try to update it but adding in contemporary slang and social media. The "new" dialogue wasn't funny or cute--just annoying. When one of the witches pulled out a tablet to use I almost turned it off. Second all is the casting. Nobody is really bad. They can all sing and dance but their acting is WAY over the top. They start at 11 and keep on going. This works fine on stage but not on TV. It's too much. Queen Latifah especially gets loud. Mary J. Blige is lousy as Evilene. She has the show-stopping "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News". She's OK singing but her acting is terrible. Her attempts at being evil are downright laughable. Constant commercial interruptions didn't help. This works as a PLAY with one interruption. Throwing in a commercial every 10 minutes disrupts any flow the show might have had. I turned it off during the last hour. I was bored and disgusted. Stick with the movie.

He's the wizard!!! Back in the year 1978 the world was introduced to a new kind of land of OZ, this time with a jazzy soul twist, based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name! Now today 37 years later we get to relive the magic and emotion all over again! Tonight NBC let us relive the magical trip down the yellow brick road, for a whole new generation. This is an event for the whole family to enjoy all together. This star powered cast makes this trip worth while. This production opened to a beautiful set of the little farm house in Kansas we've all grown to know and love. The cameras set on Aunt Em; played by the extremely talented Stephanie Mills. Mills is a Broadway veteran who at age fifteen won the starring role as Dorothy in the hit Broadway show 'The Wiz'. I found my self tearing up as she sang her first note. This was so beautifully sung,, such a powerful voice.