Hip Hop Musicals has also taken Silento’s “Watch Me Whip” and Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” and transformed these songs into barely recognizable stage-worthy productions. All three are absolutely must sees.

Ferguson is no stranger to the stage; he’s been in Motown: The Musical, Porgy and Bess, and Wonderland. The other singers in the video are equally talented. Morgan James appeared in The Addams Family alongside Nathan Lane; had leading roles in Wonderland, Godspell (Turn Back, O Man), and Motown: The Musical as Teena Marie; and recently signed with Epic Records. Nicholas Christopher has been seen in Rent, Motown: The Musical, The Tempest, and most recently, Whorl Inside a Loop.

Watch the video and then let us know in the comments what you think!

The post Chris Brown: The Musical Parody From Hip Hop Musicals appeared first on Broadway Black.

Of course, everyone has their opinion on who would be an ideal fit, and I am no exception.  Caveat: the following picks were chosen because of how I think their voices would sound on particular songs, not necessarily because they have the dramatic chops to pull off the role. (which reflects how these things are perceived sometimes to be cast)

With that in mind, these are my casting choices for The Wiz:

Dorothy: There are several artists who could perform this role (e.g., Janelle Monae, Jordan Sparks), but I think an interesting choice would be Tamia. Tamia is one of those singers who is a success but completely underrated.  Tamia has vocal control, tone, emoting, and range. She would be a great choice.  And as this clip shows, not only can she sing, but she harmonizes well, which is critical in most of the songs Dorothy sings.

Evilene: This was a tough call. There are a lot of singers who can belt out a song. The main requirements for “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” are that the singer needs to blow the roof off of the theatre and needs to take the listeners to church. But what also needs to be conveyed is some serious attitude. I dare you to watch this and not think that Ledisi won’t have you ready for the offering plate and scared out of your ruby red slippers at the same time.

Glinda; Hands down, my choice is Patti LaBelle.  “Home” is obviously the centerpiece song of the musical, but “Believe in Yourself” is a powerful song that can move one to tears in the hands of the right singer. If LaBelle’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is any indication, there won’t be a dry eye in the audience.

Cowardly Lion: This was a bit tough, as finding a true tenor isn’t as easy as one might think.  But after much thought, Anthony Hamilton came to mind. His recent tribute to Percy Sledge and B.B. King shows that his voice would be well suited for “(I’m a) Mean Ole Lion.”

Tin Man: Obba Babatunde (Dreamgirls), no stranger to the Broadway stage, would be a great fit for Tin Man.  The Tony nominated actor dances, sings, plays instruments, and would add much needed gravitas to “What Would I Do If I Could Feel.”

Scarecrow: This is an interesting one. After going back and forth trying to decide between a few options, it came down to young Chris Brown (the pre-tattoos and jail version). He can sing, dance, and act well enough to convey the sense of sincere naïvete for the Scarecrow. A predictable choice? Perhaps, but one that would be a simple fit.

The Wiz: Dave Chappelle would be an unorthodox choice. His comedic timing is obvious, but since walking away from the spotlight, Chappelle has acquired a bit of seriousness, even in his standup routines, which could translate to his ability to make The Wiz a sympathetic character.  It’s a risky choice, but could yield a huge payoff.

Obviously this list is quite the dream, but I’m anxious to see what NBC will do with their final castings.  No matter who is chosen, I’ll be watching.

The post How It Could Go Down: The Wiz Live Cast appeared first on Broadway Black.

When NBC made the announcement at the end of March that its next live musical would be The Wiz the internet went into a tizzy! Immediately theatre lovers begin pitching their dream casts! Theatre names like Anika Noni Rose, Nikki M. James , Tituss Burgess, and Condola Rashad were tossed about and mainstream names like Chris Brown, Usher, Janelle Monae, and Beyonce were also thrown into the mix. There was a great concern from many theatre buffs that NBC would cast “known” names to draw in viewers instead of casting actors and actresses more familiar with the stage. To this director Kenny Leon responded with great confidence that commercial casting would not take place. “We will tell the story with the best, available cast..no tricks- no worries!”, stated the Tony Award winner. Keke Palmer, if casted, would bring both audiences; theatre and popular culture fans.

The Wiz– based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz- made its Broadway debut in 1975. The musical went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Original Score among other recognitions. The cast included the talents of Stephanie Mills, Ted Ross, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Mabel King. The film adaptation was released in October 1978 and included an equally impressive cast- Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross and Richard Pryor. There has not been a Broadway revival of the classic since that time so it’s no wonder everyone is over the moon with excitement! We certainly can’t wait!

Make sure you continue to follow Broadway Black for all of the updates on everything The Wiz!

The post Keke Palmer Sings Home From The Wiz appeared first on Broadway Black.