‘The Wiz Live’ Review On NBC

Phenomenal star casting and a young newcomer with killer vocal chops and eyes ripe for close-ups made Thursday night’s telecast of The Wiz Live! NBC’s smoothest outing yet in what should become a holiday tradition.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (“The Sound of Music Live!,” “Peter Pan Live!,” Oscar-winning “Chicago”) was the  executive producer. Kenny Leon (Tony winner, “A Raisin in the Sun”) was stage director and Matthew Diamond TV director, with Harvey Fierstein (three-time Tony winner, “Torch Song Trilogy,” “Hairspray” and “La Cage aux Folles”) providing new written material. 

Esteemed choreographer Fatima Robinson (“Dreamgirls,” “Ali”) was also on board, along with music producer Harvey Mason Jr. (“Dreamgirls, “Pitch Perfect 2”) and Stephen Oremus (“The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots”) as music director, orchestrator and co-producer of the music.

“The Wiz Live!” is produced by Universal Television in association with Cirque Du Soleil Theatrical.

With a few nods to the 1975 Broadway original and some updating that didn’t seem necessary for the previous ventures — last year’s Peter Pan and The Sound Of Music, which launched the idea in 2013 — The Wiz Live! unfolded without any apparent hitches under the direction of Kenny Leon and choreographer Fatima Robinson.. Read More Here