All tagged Charlie Smalls
Like the tornado that lifted Dorothy to the Land of Oz, NBC’s presentation of The Wiz Live! blew me away to places I have never been where made-for-TV musicals are concerned. Skeptics be damned! The Wiz and its marvelous score are NOT dated properties and this version of the L. Frank Baum tale makes the best case yet for the musical to be revived on Broadway. In any case, at least it has washed away the stain of the misbegotten 1978 film version that, despite an all-star cast, was bleak and overwrought. This Wiz is magical.
The renaissance of the television musical is a wonderful idea that has been executed poorly with the "live" concoctions as of later. Both The Sound of Music and Peter Pan were highly anticipated and resulted in stellar ratings, but artistically lacked any spark of inspiration. The interest is fortunate because this is a terrific opportunity to introduce the uninitiated to the world of musical theatre. The lack of quality is a different matter as the producers of these "events" should strive to not only capture this new audience, but deliver them top drawer experiences. Help them see WHY theatre is magical and life-changing when all of the elements come together into one cohesive, sparkling creation.
