New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) NBC's musical television production of The Wiz Live! stars world-class performers and recording artists including
Queen Latifah (Chicago),
Mary J. Blige (Empire),
Ne-Yo (Red Tails), and
David Alan Grier (In Living Color). Staying true to the groundbreaking Broadway show that put a vivid urban spin on the land of Oz, this fresh new trip down the yellow brick road also stars
Common (Being Charlie), Elijah Kelley (Hairspray), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black),
Amber Riley (Glee),
Stephanie Mills (The Love Boat), and newcomer
Shanice Williams as Dorothy. Also included on the DVD will be the NBC special, The Making of The Wiz Live, featuring the behind-the-scenes story of producing this live television event!
Winner of seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical, the original 1975 hit Broadway production of The Wiz became a cultural touchstone that also spawned the classic film starring
Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Now a Tony-winning creative team has brought together the imaginative acrobats of Cirque du Soleil and a cast of extraordinary actors, singers and dancers to produce an exciting new version unlike anything seen before. Premiering on NBC to rave reviews, The Wiz Live! will be a holiday classic to watch for years to come!
The spectacular television event is executive produced by
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, whose numerous credits include the 2002 Chicago, which won six Oscars® including Best Picture, the television series
Smash and the Tony Award-winning Broadway revivals of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Promises, Promises.
Thursday's live telecast of The Wiz Live! delivered hit ratings, averaging a 3.4 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49 and 11.5 million viewers overall to dominate the night for NBC. It was the network's best
Thursday average in total viewers, excluding sports, since
September 2014, and nearly tripled NBC's best 18-49
Thursday average, excluding sports. It was also NBC's highest-rated night for any night of the week, excluding sports, in 11 years, since November 2004.
In addition to the The Wiz Live! on DVD, the previously unreleased
Diana Ross album,
Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz, a rare 1978 recording that features Ross singing every role from the classic movie musical, is out now via all digital retailers.
FILMMAKERS:
Cast:
Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige,
Shanice Williams,
David Alan Grier, Ne Yo, Elijah Kelley,
Amber Riley,
Stephanie Mills, Uzo Aduba, Common
Directed By: Kenny Leon
Live Television Director: Matthew Diamond
Choreographer: Fatima Robinson
Written By:
Harvey Fierstein
Produced By: Universal Television in association with Cirque Du Soleil Theatrical
Executive Produced By:
Craig Zadan, Neil Meron
Set Designer: Derek McLane
Costume Design By: Paul Tazewell
Music Director: Stephen Oremus
Music Producer:
Harvey Mason, Jr.
Special Acrobatic Effects: Cirque Du Soleil
Casting: Tesley + Co.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD
Street Date: December 22, 2015
Copyright: 2015 Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment
Selection Number: 61174714
Layers: Dual
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Rating: N/A
Languages/Subtitles: N/A
Sound: English Dolby
Digital 5.1
Run Time: 2 hours 12 minutes
About Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment
Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
