Grumman Studios will host the upcoming television special The Wiz Live!, slated to air live on the American broadcast network NBC on December 3, 2015. The Wiz Live! will be produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The upcoming NBC musical is based on the 1975 Broadway musical of the same name with a largely black cast.
The story is based on the Wizard of Oz, that apprises the story of a girl named Dorothy, who went into a mysterious world, and met an eclectic group of friends on her journey back home.
The crew that got involved in the NBC production is on hand at Grumman Studios, from Kenny Leon (director), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (executive producers), and to the newcomer - actress Shanice Williams, who will portray the role of Dorothy. And the production is all excitedly describing how this new adaptation of The Wiz Live! will be electrifyingly original.
The American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer - Ne-Yo, who plays the Tin Man, stated, "It's everything that you know and love about The Wiz, only kicked up to now ... from the choreography, to the technology, to even the lingo. But not in a way that takes away from what was. We didn't make it so modern that you don't recognize it."
That modernization includes giving Addaperle (played by the American actress, singer-songwriter, and philanthropist - Amber Riley) an iPad, giving new life and vitality to the '70s era soundtrack and incorporating the Canadian entertainment company - Cirque du Soleil, as well as some new dance moves.
Fatima Robinson, the choreographer, stated, "We are touching upon every street dance," "We're hitting the quan, we're hitting the Nae Nae."
The Wiz Live! will also feature a new song, "We Got It," which was co-written by Ne-Yo, Stephen Oremus, Elijah Kelley and Harvey Mason Jr. And "We Got It" will be sung by Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion.
