NBC loooooooves their live theatrical productions (as in their terrible version of The Sound of Music, and the not-exactly-terrible version of Peter Pan) because they are always ratings winners—which probably has a lot to do with hate-watching? WHATEVER. Tonight they're doing it again with a live theatrical remake of The Wiz (8 pm, NBC) starring Queen Latifah, Elijah Kelley, Ne-Yo, Mary J. Blige, Stephanie Mills, David Alan Grier, Shanice Williams, and (SQUEEE!) Uzo Aduba (Crazy Eyes from Orange is the New Black!). You may remember the original Broadway version (which won 7 Tonys), or more likely, the 1978 film starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Nipsey Russell. What you'll see tonight will probably be sort of a mishmash of the two. From Refinery 29:
The Wiz Live!, however, more closely replicates the play rather than the movie, though not without some alterations. Broadway writer Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles, Kinky Boots) has reworked the show’s book to make it "deeper and more emotional," and music producer Harvey Mason Jr. has tinkered with music. “[They're] the same songs and all of that, but it has a freshness and a quality that makes it a little cooler and hipper,” Zadan said. Cirque Du Soleil is co-producing, meaning that there are some acrobatic elements to the choreography by Fatima Robinson.
Ugh. Cirque Du Soleil. However, if they can make this show tight and fun, it'll have a greater shot at success than Sound of Music and Pan—at least here's hoping. Here's the trailer!
And if you need a memory booster, here's Diana Ross and Michael Jackson singing "Ease on Down the Road"—which should put a smile on your face if you're not a monster.