The Wiz

The Wiz: Background and Production

• The song "Home" from The Wiz was used in a TV ad campaign to attract huge audiences.
• Composer Charlie Smalls described The Wiz's signature style as "R&B-soul-gospel-funk-rock".

Development and Casting

• It took Charlie Smalls 6 months to finish the score for The Wiz.
• Diana Ross was adamant about playing Dorothy in the film version of The Wiz.
• Motown Records founder Berry Gordy persuaded Universal Pictures to make the film version of The Wiz with Diana Ross in the lead.
• Queen Latifah was the first person cast in the 2015 televised update of The Wiz.
• Stephanie Mills found out about The Wiz at the age of 17.
• Stephanie Mills said that auditioning for The Wiz was a "dream come true".

Original Broadway Musical

• The original Broadway musical version of The Wiz achieved critical success.

Cast and Crew

• Charlie Smalls was 49 years old when he died.
• Stephanie Mills played the role of Dorothy in the original ensemble of The Wiz.
• Michael Jackson played the role of the Scarecrow in The Wiz.
• Michael Bush oversaw Michael Jackson's makeup in The Wiz.
• It took 4 hours to put on Michael Jackson's makeup in The Wiz.
• Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
• Buddy Ebsen ended up in an iron lung during the filming of The Wizard of Oz due to a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum dust used in his makeup.
• Ne-Yo played the Tin Man in The Wiz Live.

Storyline

• The main objective of Dorothy and her companions in The Wiz is to find the Wiz.
• Evillene is the evil sister of Evermean in The Wiz.
• The biggest obstacle faced by Dorothy and her companions in The Wiz is navigating through the Land of Oz.