Wow! Its becoming more and more real. It has officially been announced by producers Craig Zadan & Neil Meron that Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier had joined the cast of #TheWizLive as The Cowardly Lion. If this isn’t music to your ears that I simply do not know what is. Grier has been nominated for a Tony Award three times since his debut in 1981 (Gerwshin’s Porgy & Bess, Race, The First), his work is solid. So, its great to hear that he will join the live musical set to air on NBC Dec 3rd, as previously reported.
Grier will join the Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah & Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige in the cast of The Wiz Live, set to air on NBC Dec. 3rd. Latifah will play The Wiz, a role originated on stage by the incomparable Andre De Shields (Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Full Monty). Blige will portray the role of Evillene, the horrible wicked witch known for the upbeat “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” They join Stephanie Mills as Aunt Em, who was also previously announced.
Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct & Fatima Robinson will choreograph, as previously announced. The show will also head to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz for NBC will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring the live and Broadway productions to life. The original book of the show was written by William F. Brown. This time around, Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein will add new material to the book.
Universal Television will produce. Casting for both the NBC telecast and Cirque du Soleil‘s Broadway production will be announced at a later date.
Tell us what you think about this casting in the comments below and also check out a performance from the the last time David Alan Grier was on Broadway in Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess and a tribute to Broadway which originally aired on the hit comedy show “In Living Color.”
