We Cast The Live Musical Version Of "The Wiz" So NBC Doesn't Have To
Last week NBC announced the next musical it would foist upon the American public is The Wiz, the urbanized update of The Wizard of Oz. And by the Great Gay Gods on Broadway, they've got Cirque du Soleil on board and Harvey Fierstein reworking the book!
Related: NBC's Next Live Musical Is "The Wiz"
Assuming they don't just fill the show with the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta (with Nene Leakes as Evillene!), we came up with some rather inspired ideas for who should star in this classic-in-the-making.
Dorothy
Everyone forgets Raven-Symone was in The Cheetah Girls, and she cut her Broadway teeth in Sister Act. We'd love to see Raven give Dorothy a fierce, queer edge.
If she turns it down, though, we'd be happy with Zendaya. She's been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons.
Scarecrow
This one has Empire's Jusssie Smollett written all over it.
Tin Man
NBC will probably give the part to Christian Borle— they're obligated to put him in every musical—but we'd like to see Bruno Mars or Usher sing ""What Would I Do If I Could Feel."
The Lion
If Tituss Burgess wasn't meant to ease on down the road, we don't know who is.
Aunt Em
Hello, Patti Labelle—the lady comes with her own costumes and pyrotechnics!
Glinda
For nostalgia's sake we're gonna go with Diana Ross, who played Dorothy in the 1978 movie version. But when she inevitably drops out/becomes too difficult, NBC will call Audra McDonald. You heard it here first!
The Wiz
If they can pry him out of those Kinky Boots, Billy Porter would be great in the part.
Evillene
Oh c'mon, you know Queen Latifah is already practicing her lines.
Addaperle
It's not the perfect role for Jennifer Hudson, but JHud just has to be in this show (and she's too old to play Dorothy).
Anyway, stage makeup can do wonders!
Assorted Winged Monkeys and Munchkins
Girl, you know Shangela would play the house if they asked her.