The Wiz: A timeless classic!
Ililli Ahmed
Decades ago, The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, adapted from a written version by William F. Brown, opened on October 24th, 1974 in Baltimore, Maryland. Undoubtedly, the goal was to re-imagine L.Frank.Baum’s classic novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” whilst highlighting the vibrancy of the African-American viewpoint and culture that the original lacked. Right off the bat, The Wiz became such a hit that the show toured the Mid-Atlantic region, and then landed a prime spot on Broadway.The cast was stellar (and of course, all-black) and the show was awarded seven Tony awards, including “Best Musical”. Talk about Black Excellence!
Years later, in 1978, a bigger addition to the drive for better representation of Black individuals came when a big-budget film adaptation of the same name was produced and broadcasted on a large scale. To say the least, it was a hit, and the movie proved to be a hit collaboration between Motown Production and Universal Pictures. This time around, it repped an all-star cast. Legends such as Diana Ross (Dorothy), Michael Jackson (Scarecrow), Ted Ross (Cowardly Lion) and Nipsey Russell (Tin Man) played the movie’s lead characters (and even though the cast was star studded, the movie was dubbed “an urban re-imagining”…). Despite its adversity, the movie adaptation of The Wiz was nominated for many Academy Awards, going on to become a cult classic.
Most recently, the brilliant show was once again re-envisioned with a modernized TV special on NBC. On December 3rd, 2015, “The Wiz Live!” was broadcasted to millions of homes, and had a whopping 11.5 million viewers. Following suit of the classic film, the special also featured an all-black and all-star cast, with the exception of newcomer Shanice Williams, whose performance was as amazing as her fellow cast members’. The live show also featured celebrity performers, such as Ne-Yo who played the Tin Man; Mary J. Blige as Evillene–the Wicked Witch of the West; and to top it all off, Queen Latifah graced the role of the all mighty Wizard of Oz.
As you might have guessed, there were positive and negative reactions from audiences, and many people had the same criticisms the previous productions have faced, despite this being the 21st Century. Some complained that the show was “too urban” and “not classy enough’, and subsequently, the word “ghetto” was used to describe the special. Microaggressions were avid in the reviews, and some even said that the show was “racist because it had no white people in it”. Funnily enough, these reviewers seemed to have forgotten that no black actors or actresses were cast in the 1939 movie, and that the novel had all-white characters. In fact, in 2013 it was estimated that only 3% of children’s books featured Black people. Unfortunately, on the rare occasion when black characters are established, they are described stereotypically. In response to critics of The Wiz: since when did proper representation of minorities in the media become racist? Because somewhere, a young Black boy or girl saw that special, and they saw people who looked like them, singing and dancing and laughing onstage. When plays such as The Wiz are produced, children of colour are given the chance to feel a connection with a character, an opportunity they are rarely afforded otherwise.
Overall, the show boasted adapted songs and lyrics, and the modernized dancing and acting were all fit for the new generation (there were a few whips, nae-naes and dabs in dance numbers). Although it was another adaption influenced by past productions, the NBC Special was new and personal. The effort was there and it was flawless. The show was so good it made me get up and dance and sing long, but my favourite part was the fact that my sister watched the show with me, pointed at Dorothy and said “Sis, she’s beautiful! She looks like me and you!”
In the end, the amazing and accurate representation was, personally, by far the best part. Without a doubt, it was a five-star production.
Bio:
Hi, my name is Ililli Ahmed! I’m a tenth grade student who loves open-mindedness, equality and Beyoncé. In the past I’ve written articles for Radio-Canada, and have been published in Canadian anthologies. I aspire to one day become a human rights lawyer, journalist and activist. You can contact me at [email protected].