The Wiz Live-Another NBC take on live theater

The third time is the charm for NBC and their yearly live musical broadcast. I wasn’t sure about watching The Wiz Live, mainly because the high school versions I’ve seen haven’t been all that good but this production proved me wrong on all counts.

The cast which included Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, David Alan Grier, Amber Riley, Queen Latifah, Uzo Aduba, Shanice Williams, Common, Mary J. Blige, Stephanie Mills (and Cirque du Soleil) were perfect as each was on point with singing and acting.

Then there were the costumes and makeup. The details when we saw close ups of the cowardly loin (those whiskers and claws) and scarecrow (with twigs and leaves as hair) made the characters pop and come to life. Every costume was different from Witch to Witch, the colorful munchkins, the crows and poppies to the glow and green of the nightclub dancers of The Emerald City.  

All in all a fabulous trip down the yellow brick road!