Elijah Kelley Archives - Broadway Black

ORDER NOW! The Wiz Live! Original Soundtrack Is Available For Preorder

Broadway Black — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 04:37:18 +0000

It’s official.

The Wiz Live! has taken the cake as the gift that keeps on giving and it’s safe to say there are no complaints on our end.

As if God knew three hours of unadulterated magic was not enough, he has created a solution to fill the void that will grow in our hearts between The Wiz Live! and The Broadway Revival of The Wiz. And to that I say, AMEN!

We just got word that Broadway Records is releasing The Wiz Live! Original Soundtrack. *praise dances* The soundtrack will be available December 18, 2015 and you’re able to preorder right now! Keep in mind, this will include the new song penned by Ne-Yo and Elijah Kelley, as well as Elijah Kelley singing the song Michael Jackson’s “Scarecrow” made popular, “You Can’t Win.” And again, the church says AMEN!

Shanice Williams leads this all star cast as “Dorothy.” Academy Award Nominated powerhouse, Queen Latifah, takes on the “The Wiz” and Grammy Award Winning, Mary J. Blige, portrays the Wicked Witch, “Evillene”. Rounding out yellow brick brigade, Ne-Yo stars as the “Tinman,” Elijah Kelley (Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”) as the “Scarecrow,” and David Alan Grier as “The Cowardly Lion,” Uzo Aduba as “Glinda The Good Witch,” and Amber Riley as “Addaperle.”

The ensemble, in alphabetical order are: Chris Borrero, Olutayo Bosede,James Brown III, Ta’rea Campbell, Jessica Castro, Kacie Garland, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Frankie Gordils, Khadija Griffith,Tre Holloway, Antonio Hudnell, Carlos Irizarry, Marcus Paul James,Frederic Jean, Capathia Jenkins, Mykal Kilgore, Tamika Lawrence, India R. McGee, Antonio Moore,Maurice Murphy, Danielle Polanco, Malaiyka Reid, Eric Sanchez, Chris Silcox, Sherisse Springer, Ahmahd Thomas, Raphael Thomas, Elon Van Buckley, Alex Wade, Donald Webber, DaShaun Wesley, Xavier Wilcher, and NaTasha Yvette Williams.

This news has me easing on down the road as I count down the days until the Dec 3 live event. Until then, I’ll keep rewatching the cast sing Ease On Down The Road:

Pre-order the album from Amazon HERE!

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The Wiz Live! Debuts a New Commerical!

Broadway Black — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 20:41:49 +0000

In a word, YYYYYAAAAASSSSSS!!! At least that’s what I said when I saw the BRAND NEW COMMERCIAL for The Wiz Live!, which will be broadcast on NBC December 3. The colors! The costumes! The choreography! This production is shaping up to be everything we had hoped. This is the first time that we’ve had a real opportunity to see the ensemble and it is simply stunning. See for yourself!

In less than three weeks, we will be able to relish the glory of this production. The cast is like the Broadway Black version of The Avengers, bringing together our favorite veterans to give life to the revamped 2015 version of The Wiz. Shanice Williams leads us through the streets of Oz as “Dorothy”, Queen Latifah serves as the powerful, yet powerless legend: “The Wiz”, Mary J. Blige is “Evillene” (The Wicked Witch of the West), David Alan Grier searches for courage as the “Cowardly Lion”, Uzo Aduba is “Glinda”, Amber Riley is “Addaperle”, Stephanie Mills joins the company as “Auntie Em”, Elijah Kelley finally gets his brain as the “Scarecrow”, Common is the “Bouncer”, and Ne-Yo gets loose as the “Tin Man”. In the midst of so many talented stars, it’s no surprise that creativity produced magic. Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, music producer Harvey Mason, Jr., and music director Stephen Oremus, co-wrote a new song that will be featured in the show.

My concerns are abated; this production is going to be fantastic. Will you be watching?

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Ne-Yo & Elijah Kelley Pen New Song for The Wiz Live!

Broadway Black — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 17:09:09 +0000

The cast of The Wiz Live! sure know how to build anticipation! Since the announcement that NBC will be doing a live reboot of The Wiz, we have been hanging on to each announcement and sharing it with you on Broadway Black. If you haven’t yet heard about the show, check out our previous article here. “The Wiz Live!” will star Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Shanice Williams, David Alan Grier, Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley and Common and is scheduled to air Thursday, December 3.

Get ready to hit the road with this star-studded cast in #TheWiz! https://t.co/DmoZVHGiKT pic.twitter.com/V4dVpcRoty

— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) November 2, 2015

Now we have a bit of news that’s so wonderful, we couldn’t wait to share it! Ne-Yo, who has been cast as the “Tin Man,” is not only a wonderful singer and dancer but a prolific songwriter. He has penned hits such as “Let Me Love You” for Mario, Rihanna’s “Unfaithful” and “Take a Bow” and Beyonce’s girl power anthem “Irreplaceable.” Elijah Kelley, who has been cast as “Scarecrow,” is also a phenomenal singer, dancer and actor known for roles in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and the film adaptation of “Hairspray.” These two got together with members of “The Wiz Live!” creative team, hitmaking super producer Harvey Mason, Jr. and Broadway musical director and orchestrator Stephen Oremus, and have written a brand new song for “The Wiz Live!” This tantalizing information was announced during a Q&A session at the Apple Store in Soho. The new song is a part of the effort to make this version of the beloved adaption of “The Wizard of Oz” fresh and exciting for new audiences. Fans can expect to hear the song sung by the yellow brick quartet of “Dorothy,” “Cowardly Lion,” “Tin Man,” and “Scarecrow.”

We cannot wait to hear the new music and look forward to the live performance of “The Wiz Live!” on NBC. It has been a favorite of audiences for years and we are sure that this new iteration of an iconic Black classic will be just as delectable as the original that we know and love.

Pre-order the album from Amazon HERE!

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NBC Takes Us Behind The Yellow Brick Road With The Making of The Wiz Live!

Broadway Black — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 20:26:09 +0000

I think it’s safe to say, we’re all sitting on the edge of our seats with popcorn and Sour Patch Kids, waiting for the Dec 3 arrival of NBC’s The Wiz Live! We may not be able to reach new levels of obsession over Shanice Williams and the rest of the star studded and immensely talented cast, but let me tell you something: there is more good news! Ne-Yo, I mean NBC, is taking us on a backstage, all-access look into the teamwork it takes to ease on down the road through “The Making of The Wiz Live!” on November 25 from 8-9pm EST.

We’ll see Shanice belting her face off, Queen Latifah bringing back “U.N.I.T.Y,” Mary J. Blige teaching us how she fits her infamous bop into her role as “Evilene”, and the original Dorothy, Stephanie Mills, reliving her experiences from the original Broadway production.

Okay, okay, okay! None of that was promised.. but tune in for an hour of insight that covers costumes to casting! And I’m sure candid (or not so candid) shots of Shanice singing! #yassss

UPDATE: Watch the latest promo video for #TheWizLive below!

The Wiz is an adaptation of L. Frank Baulm’s timeless, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, told through a lens that weaves in African American culture. Many were exposed to The Wiz through the 1978 film which featured Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Richard Pryor. However, the show we’ll see in December is based on the 1974 Broadway production of The Wiz that went on to snag seven Tony awards, including Best Musical.

The cast is like the Broadway Black version of The Avengers, bringing together our favorite veterans to give life to the revamped 2015 version of The Wiz. Shanice Williams leads us through the streets of Oz as “Dorothy”, Queen Latifah serves as the powerful, yet powerless legend: “The Wiz”, Mary J. Blige is “Evillene” (The Wicked Witch of the West), David Alan Grier searches for courage as the “Cowardly Lion”, Uzo Aduba is “Glinda”, Amber Riley is “Addaperle”, Stephanie Mills joins the company as “Auntie Em”, Elijah Kelley finally gets his brain as the “Scarecrow”, Common is the “Bouncer”, and Ne-Yo gets loose as the “Tin Man”. In the midst of so many talented stars, it’s no surprise that creativity produced magic. Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, music producer Harvey Mason, Jr., and music director Stephen Oremus, cowrote a new song which will be featured in the show.

Maybe we’ll get insight into that new song. Maybe we’ll see David Alan Grier crack jokes on his fellow castmates. Maybe we’ll just see Shanice smiling. All I know is we’re getting a glimpse into this highly anticipated production– the very glimpse my impatience needed.

Take a look at glimpse of the panel discussion we attended with a part of the cast at the Apple Store in Soho. If you follow us on Periscope you know we streamed the entire thing. It was great!

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The Wiz Live! Full Ensemble Cast is Announced

Broadway Black — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:15:46 +0000

As the date looms ever closer, we are shining our ruby red slippers and making sure our oilcans are topped off in preparation of NBC’s The Wiz Live! to be broadcast on December 3. While we previously reported on the leads for this epic production, we now have a full cast list! Joining Ne-Yo as the “Tinman,” Elijah Kelley (Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”) as the “Scarecrow,” Shanice Williams as “Dorothy” and David Alan Grier as “The Cowardly Lion” and more is the ensemble, in alphabetical order: Chris Borrero, Olutayo Bosede, James Brown III, Ta’rea Campbell, Jessica Castro, Kacie Garland, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Frankie Gordils, Khadija Griffith, Tre Holloway, Antonio Hudnell, Carlos Irizarry, Marcus Paul James, Frederic Jean, Capathia Jenkins, Mykal Kilgore, Tamika Lawrence, India R. McGee, Antonio Moore, Maurice Murphy, Danielle Polanco, Malaiyka Reid, Eric Sanchez, Chris Silcox, Sherisse Springer, Ahmahd Thomas, Raphael Thomas, Elon Van Buckley, Alex Wade, Donald Webber, DaShaun Wesley, Xavier Wilcher, and NaTasha Williams.

True to their word of incorporating amazing acrobatic feats, several of the ensemble cast have experience as Cirque du Soleil performers. We can’t wait to see how choreographer Fatima Robinson has these amazing performers soaring.

Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah & Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige are also in the cast of The Wiz Live. 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.” In addition to Stephanie Mills as “Aunt Em,” Uzo Aduba as Glinda The Good Witch, and Amber Riley as Addaperle, 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. William F. Brown wrote the original book of the show. This time around, Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein will add new material to the book.

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Paul Tazewell Gives First Look At The Wiz Live Costumes + Sneak Peek Into Rehearsals

Drew Shade — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 19:39:44 +0000

The incredible Tony-nominated costume designer Paul Tazewell, who designed the costumes for Hamilton, gave People magazine a first look at the costumes for The Wiz Live. He talks about his inspiration for each design of the main characters that includes Shanice Williams as Dorothy, Elijah Kelley as Scarecrow, Ne-Yo as Tin Man, & David Alan Grier as The Cowardly Lion. Tazewell does not disappoint at all. Take a look at the pictures below and what he had to say about his designs.

The Wiz Live will air on NBC Dec. 3rd. and this issue of People magazine will hit the stands on Friday!

The previously mentioned stars are accompanied by more star power that includes Stephanie Mills, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Amber Riley, and Common.Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct and Fatima Robinson will choreograph. The show heads to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring both 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. The show will be executive produced by The Sound of Music and Peter Pan duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Photos are by Paul Gilmore / NBC. Read the entire article here & pick up your copy of People magazine come Friday!

UPDATE: A behind the scenes look into rehearsals of #TheWizLive released!

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Uzo Aduba & David Alan Grier Get Ready for The Wiz Live

Broadway Black — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 16:17:12 +0000

Now that the full cast for NBC’s The Wiz Live has been announced, fans of the acclaimed musical are eagerly awaiting its airdate of December 3rd. Recently, Uzo Aduba and David Alan Grier spent some time ramping up expectations. Aduba, who will play “Glinda the Good Witch,” made an appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show” where she discussed her excitement as part of the cast.

On the “Today Show,” Aduba, best known for her Emmy-winning portrayal of “Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren” on the hit Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” discussed the moment she received the call telling her that she got the part, saying “I just could not believe that they offered me the job. What a company to be a part of, just an amazing cast of people. And just to be a part of this show, I’m excited.”

Aduba also mentioned how three years ago she was crying on the subway returning from an audition when she decided to quit show business and re-train as a lawyer after a stretch of not receiving any roles. But, 45 minutes later, she got a phone call telling her that she was up for the role of “Crazy Eyes.” Of course, that seminal moment changed her life. Quoting the song “Believe in Yourself” from The Wiz, she says, “If you do believe, anything is possible.”

“Getting to go into the Wiz and to sing a song like ‘if you believe’ seems all that more impactful,” she says.

Meanwhile, Grier, who’s been cast as “The Cowardly Lion,” (and is HILARIOUS in The Carmichael Show, by the way) appeared in the production’s first promo. In the first preview for the live performance, Grier discusses his role and how he expects it to be groundbreaking.

“I’m really excited to be playing the cowardly lion,” he says. “More importantly, my daughter said, ‘Daddy, are you going to look like a lion lion?’ I said it’s going to be a little different: I’m going to have dreads. We’re doing a whole new vision of the lion.”

He also has another commercial where he talks about telling his friends & family exactly how they’ll be able to watch him in The Wiz Live. Just FYI, there are no tickets! It’s on television. NBC to be exact.

As previously announced, Grier and Aduba join a star-studded cast that includes Stephanie Mills, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Amber Riley, Elijah Kelly, Common, Ne-Yo, and newcomer Shanice Williams. Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct and Fatima Robinson will choreograph. The show will also head to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring both the live and Broadway productions to life.

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Ne-Yo, Common, & Elijah Kelley Join NBC’s The Wiz Live

Drew Shade — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 17:56:12 +0000

Well here we have it. We have been waiting for the additional cast members of the highly anticipated The Wiz Live on NBC scheduled to air Dec. 3rd. So, not to delay, award winning singer-songwriter Ne-Yo will ease on down the road as the “Tinman”. Accompanying him will be Elijah Kelley (Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”) as the “Scarecrow”. Both roles were just announced via producer Craig Zadan. Shanice Williams will play “Dorothy” and David Alan Grier will be “The Cowardly Lion”, as previously announced. Once they actually get to Oz however, rapper and actor Common will be there waiting for them as “The Gatekeeper”.

Whew! Ok, all of this star power is sort of overwhelming, in a good way, and it doesn’t end there. Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah & Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige are also in the cast of The Wiz Live. 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.” In addition to Stephanie Mills as “Aunt Em,” Uzo Aduba as Glinda The Good Witch, and Amber Riley as Addaperle, 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.

JUST IN: @Elijah_Kelley is the Scarecrow. @NeyoCompound is the Tin Man & @common is the Oz Gatekeeper in #TheWizLive

A photo posted by BroadwayBlack (@broadwayblack) on Aug 13, 2015 at 10:04am PDT

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