David Allen Grier joins Latifah, Blige & Mills in NBC reboot of 'The Wiz

David Allen Grier joins Latifah, Blige & Mills in NBC reboot of "The Wiz"

Tuesday, 04 August 2015 09:00
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UPDATE: NBC has found it's Dorothy in 18-year-old New Jersey native Shanice Williams who has a background in musical theater.

NBC recently revealed plans to reboot the musical "The Wiz", the 1978 Diana Ross led adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" co-produced by Berry Gordy's Motown film division. In addition to Ross, the original cast also included a young Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, and Nipsey Russell. "The Wiz" once weighed in as the most expensive film-musical ever made ($24 million).

David Allen Grier joins Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige & Stephanie Mills in NBC's reboot of The Wiz

"The Wiz Live!" is still looking for their Dorothy but will feature original cast member Stephanie Mills as Auntie Em in a live television production of the groundbreaking Broadway. The latest addition, David Alan Grier will be playing the part of The Cowardly Lion alongside Queen Latifah in Richard Pryor's title role as the Wiz, and Mary J. Blige in the iconic role of Eveline, the Wicked Witch Of The West (originally played by "What's Happening!!"'s Mabel King).

Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the original show was a massive hit on Broadway and even spawned a feature film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. The NBC production will be put together by Universal Television and Cirque du Soleil Theatrical with Executive Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Oscar-winning "Chicago" and "Hairspray," "The Sound of Music LIVE!," "Peter Pan LIVE"). Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon ("A Raisin in the Sun," "Fences") will direct with choreography by Fatima Robinson ("The Voice," "Dreamgirls", "VH1 Hip Hop Honors"), featuring new material from Harvey Fierstein ("Kinky Boots," "Newsies," "Torch Song Trilogy," "La Cage aux Folles").