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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews "Ease
on Down the Road" Entire contents copyright © 2008 Joe Monroe, II. All rights reserved.
Some people heard The Wiz was in town and thought it was just an up-to-date version of the original Wizard of Oz. Some thought it was going to be the same Dorothy and Toto we've seen for years since 1939. Then there were those like me who had seen the TV version of The Wiz, with a cast including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Nipsy Russell, and thought this was the version we would see. Well, I am pleased to say we were all right and all wrong at the same time.
Broadway at Iroquois presented a version of The Wiz that was hip, up-to-date and refreshing. With a cast and crew of 50 plus, and their ages ranging from under 12 to — well, let's just say, to the "seasoned" actor — director William Bradford, II assembled a fantastic group. The story is the same: friends on a journey who overcome obstacles together, and in the end all get what they want, but the up-beat music, dancing and costumes give this show a flavor of its own. As expected, Dorothy (Frances Lewis) carried the show, but Lion (Jermaine Brown) kept us rolling with his cowardly comedy. The only down-side to the show was that many times the live orchestra drowned out the soloist. Luckily, I was there on the night they had a teleprompter for the hearing impaired, so I could read what I should have heard during the songs. Since I attended the second-to-last performance,
you have probably missed the opportunity to see
this show, but be advised that when you hear about
a production from Broadway at Iroquois going live,
you should definitely "ease
on down the road" and see it.
The Wiz August 1-10, 2008 Broadway At Iroquois Posted August 18, 2008
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