Talk:The Wiz

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Comments[edit]

Should The Wiz and Nobody Beats the Wiz be disambiguated? Friejose 14:20, 17 August 2005 (UTC).[reply]

I suppose. Someone could make a page for [[Nobody Beats the reytrhuhave a ton more WikiExperience than me, so I'll defer to you. Friejose 18:32, 17 August 2005 (UTC)[reply]

The labeling of "The Wiz" as a blaxploitation film[edit]

I have to disagree with including "The Wiz" in the blaxplotation category. This film is simply a remake of "The Wizard of Oz" and doesn't belong in the category where exaggerated violence and sexuality are two main characteristics.

--Wonderashe 03:16, 4 July 2006 (UTC) Ashley[reply]

Not all films considered part of the "blaxplotation" era contain violence and sexuality. --FuriousFreddy 16:50, 13 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Ease on Down the Road" was not the biggest hit song, "Brand new day" was...


Blacksploitation aside, isn't this play/film inherently racist by only using black people in the cast? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.68.216.226 (talk) 11:38, 26 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

No, it would only be racist if it were an all WHITE cast. Wait, are there any black people in the original? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fusionshrimp (talk • contribs) 02:16, 25 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Is It Based Directly on the Book or on the Movie?[edit]

This article and at least one other says this musical was based on the book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz".The script exactly parallels the famous 1939 movie, which if I am not mistaken was actually based on both that book and a sequel.I don't want to change the article without doing some original research|unoriginal research.I read the whole series of books, including some very obscure sequels, when I was a kid, but that was 40 or more years ago. User:TimothyHorrigan|Timothy Horrigan (User talk:TimothyHorrigan|talk) 01:52, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

No, it is in many ways closer to the book, including the Kalidahs and the Field Mice. While it may have been influenced by the MGM film, it is absolutely not directly based on it. The MGM movie used no material from any of the sequels apart from the surname Gale (which also appeared in the stage version (1902 Chicago, 1903-1909 Broadway)) and the presence of a horse-like sawhorse in the background of the Tin Woodman scene. --Scottandrewhutchins (talk) 22:40, 1 November 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Plot summary[edit]

I just watched the film adaptation, and some of the events don't seem to match up with the article, it mentions a great forest where Dorothy and Scarecrow meet Tin Man, where in the film it seems to be the Coney Island boardwalk and what seems to be the Cyclone in the background (the trio even exit under a Nathan's Famous billboard) also when the group meets the Lion, in the film he is one of the Lions on the steps of the New York Public Library... is this true of the stage versions?--Drewping2002 (talk) 19:10, 22 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The film bears little resemblance to the stage version, at least if compared to the script Samuel French publishes.--Scottandrewhutchins (talk) 23:23, 1 November 2020 (UTC)[reply]


No, the Lion did not burst from within a statue in front of the Library in the original stage production of THE WIZ. That stage production was not set in Manhattan. The Lion did make his entrance with the same song, "Mean Ol' Lion." And, the actor who performs the part in the movie is the same man who originated the role in the Broadway production. Similarly, in the original stage production, the Tin Man is not associated with Coney Island (or any other amusement park). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.164.210.102 (talk) 09:00, 15 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Errors Regarding Casting[edit]

The article list the principle performers for a pre-Broadway run in Baltimore. The reference to Butterfly McQueen seems correct. It has been reported that she had featured part that was mostly cut prior to Broadway. Furthermore, Ms. McQueen is listed as a member of the company (albeit serving in a different function) at hte time the show opened on Broadway. This article indicates that Ben Harney had played the Tin Man but had a much smaller assignment for the Broadway opening. IBDB.COM does not list Mr. Harney as a member of the company when the production opened. The article also claims that Renee Harris (as Dorothy), Ken Prymus (at the Tin Man), and Charles Valentino (as the Scarecrow) appeared in Baltimore but replaced prior to Broadway. I'm not sure the statement isn't true but there would have to be an amazing coincidence. Each of the performers listed (except for McQueen) performed the listed role a couple of years later in the first national tour. They quit or are fired prior to Broadway then are again hired a couple of years later--and all of the performers happened to be available at the same time?

The article states that Stephanie Mills initially played Dorothy in that tour which can't be true: Mills played the entire run of the Broadway production and that production was still running. The article implies that Harris assumed the lead from Mills but was replaced by Ren Wood only for the L.A. engagement. The tour launched in Los Angeles. It is more likely that Wood was the first to play Dorothy in this production. I don't know if the show played a second engagement in L.A.; that would be the only way the article could be correct on this point. My understanding is that the tour played San Francisco twice: the first time (1976) with Ren Wood, the second time (1977) with Renee Harris. There was also gossip regarding Wood that would explain her departure. As I recall, Harris had been understudying Mills on Broadway before heading up the first national tour. I am certain that in 1977, THE WIZ was performed in San Francisco with Harris, Prymus, Harney, and Valentino. This production also featured "Kamal" as the Wiz, a name similar to that in the article.

The article states that Harris was replaced by Deborah Malone which doesn't seem to be precisely correct. It's documented that Harris was replaced by Gayle Lorene Turner. Deborah Malone played Dorothy in a scaled-down touring production (the 2nd national tour which launched in Wilmington, Delaware in 1978).

Much of what I've described is documented at: http://www.thewizthemusical.com/productions/tour1/tour1.php. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.164.210.102 (talk) 08:54, 15 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I botched the job sourcing it when I was new to Wikipedia and would have to check my sources, which will be easier when I am unpacked from my move. Alan Eyles's The World of Oz may be the source, or it could be David L. Greene and Dick Martin's The Oz Scrapbook or something else entirely. Ben Harney is credited as part of the chorus on the original cast album. I just checked it. As the article stands now, it contains the fragment, "in a much smaller role." I suppose it's possible that he sang on the cast album and did not appear on stage. More contemporary cast albums usually mention if the recording has been augmented with additional singers and musicians, by that may not have been common practice in 1975.--Scottandrewhutchins (talk) 22:53, 1 November 2020 (UTC)[reply]

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Instrumentation and Chorus is incorrect[edit]

The version of the show available for amateur licensing has a much larger orchestration than currently listed, and I have scores matching this larger orchestration which are dated 11/25/74. I can't rule out the possibility that some later production had the reduced orchestra as currently listed, but it seems clear that at the very least this was not the primary orchestration. TheeMusicMan (talk) 07:01, 28 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

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