A 3-hour LIVE event production of the groundbreaking 1975 Broadway musical, 'The Wiz', which brought Oz to life in a funky sing-along journey down the yellow brick road with a cast of only African-American actors.
At a time when the country is reeling... there is no better time to experience a soothing, expertly executed celebration of family, friendship and black culture.
NBC's annual musical finally lived up to the hype, the hope and the promise of great live TV. "The Wiz Live!" last night was expertly cast and lavishly produced and introduced the world to a new superstar.
If Thursday night's The Wiz Live! shared the exuberant punctuation of 2013's The Sound of Music Live! and last year's Peter Pan Live!, it surpassed both of those previous efforts in terms of energy, spirit, and watchability.
Everyone agrees, Shanice Williams will ease on down the road to super-stardom after this performance. Her voice was incredible and her performance top-notch.
A noble effort with flashes of amusement and an abundance of talent, the new version of The Wiz on Thursday night couldn't overcome a few key flaws and the fact that this simply isn't a classic piece of material.
The most important elements in the success of The Wiz Live! come from Leon and Robinson and their accumulation of a rather remarkable assortment of talent to populate the stages at Grumman Studios.
It was exuberant, and even a little cocky. It was different from anything else NBC has aired all year, but hopefully its success will inspire more programs like it in the future.
While it may not be enough to renew every musical-lover's faith in live-to-TV performances, The Wiz Live! certainly proves that musicals have a place on television right now - and not just in late-night monologue jokes.
