‘The Wiz’ Will Be NBC’s Next Live Musical Production

by Olivia Truffaut-WongMarch 31, 2015, 10:03 pmNews >

NBC announced on Monday that The Wiz would be the network’s next live musical production.

NBC Partners With Cirque du Soleil For The Wiz

Previously, NBC had been rumored to be deciding between The Music Man and The Wiz for their 2015 live musical production, and it seems they have finally made their decision. The Wiz is a modernized take on The Wizard of Oz that features an all-black cast and is set in a New York City-like Oz.

The Wiz made its Broadway debut in 1975 and was adapted into a film in 1978 starring Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow.

This will be NBC’s third annual live musical production, and executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who helmed last year’s Peter Pan production and 2013’s The Sound of Music, are returning as producers.

Unlike the previous years’ productions, this year NBC is teaming up with Cirque du Soleil, which will co-produce the show in the hopes of bringing The Wiz back to Broadway for the 2016-17 season.

“We love this yearly tradition and we’re more excited than ever to not only bring another Broadway musical to America’s living rooms, but also see it land on Broadway as well. Cirque’s incredible imagination will help bring the fantasy world of Oz vividly to life and give this great show a modern spin on the age-old story we love,” said NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt.

No casting has been announced yet, but Zadan teased his Twitter followers that “exciting casting” news is on the horizon, and people are already making bets on Twitter. Some popular names so far include Zendaya Coleman, Usher and Queen Latifah.

The Wiz Live will air Thursday, Dec. 3 on NBC.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.