Amber Riley and Stephanie Mills Talk The Wiz Live!Posted by Wilson Morales
November 30, 2015
Coming to TV this week is NBC’s anticipated holiday production of The Wiz Live., which airs on Dec. 3.
The production will star Shanice Williams, an 18-year-old newcomer from New Jersey, as Dorothy while David Alan Grier will play the Cowardly Lion. Ne-Yo will play the Tin Man, who was once a flesh-and-blood woodsman but a spell put on him by the Wicked Witch causes him to lose his limbs and heart. He learns that he’s never lost the ability to feel. Elijah Kelley will play the Scarecrow, the first of the three friends to meet Dorothy and who has always dreamed of having brains, but never realizing that he’s the smartest of them all.
Queen Latifah stars as the Wiz, Mary J. Blige as Evilene, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West, Uzo Aduba as Glinda (the Good Witch of the South), Amber Riley as Addaperle (the Good Witch of the North), and Common as the Bouncer, and Stephanie Mills (who played Dorothy in the original Broadway production of “The Wiz”) as Auntie Em.
With Craig Zadan and Neil Meron serving as executive producers and Kenny Leon directing the musical, the show has been as follows: “Dorothy, a young woman from Kansas, is swept up in a tornado and relocated to a fantasy world that is inhabited by munchkins, good and bad witches, and, of course, flying monkeys. She eventually takes a path down a yellow brick road to find a wizard who can help her go home and along the way meets a scarecrow, tin man and cowardly lion, who all learn to help one another.”
For Riley, having been part of the musical series Glee for seven seasons, doing a live television event is nothing new but to be a part of something that her mom knows and with a star-studded cast is an amazing accomplishment. For Mills, it’s been 40 years since she played Dorothy in the original and to be involved in the latest production for TV is something she could not see coming.
During a roundtable discussion promoting the musical, both actresses talked about what the show has meant to them.
What’s the rehearsal schedule been like for you? Are you doing 10 hours a day?
Amber Riley: Yes and no. We’re still locking the show. We’re doing the first half and then the second half on another day, so we’re here when they really need us. Sometimes I’m here all day, and sometimes it’s just a couple of hours and I get to go home. Me and Stephanie are usually here at the same time because we’re here in the beginning and at the end.
Amber, what’s your process before you go live on stage? Do you have a ritual?
AR: I did Dancing with the Stars live and that was my first experience doing TV live and I was terrified. I didn’t realize it was live until the moment the music started. I swear to you! It didn’t hit me. When the music cued, I was like oh my God. Whatever happens now, it just happened. There’s nothing I could do about it. Having that little bit of experience has taught me to just be in the moment. I am excited to do it, but the anxiousness and nervousness will come from fear and I’m not scared to do it. We are preparing and doing it every single day. It’s going to be like second nature.
Harvey Fierstein mentioned earlier that Dorothy has more control over her fate and her decisions. Can you talk about these changes and how you think audiences will receive this Dorothy 2.0?
Stephanie Mills: I think Harvey brought The Wiz from 1925 to 2015 and he brought it right where it needed to be as far as the script is concerned. He changed and tweaked it so that everyone now, this generation, could relate to.
Can you talk about being part of the production?
AR: Being part of it has been surreal. I wanted to be a part of it as soon as I heard that they were doing it. There was buzz in the industry before the news was actually released and listen, every agent that I could talk to I was asking to get me in that room to audition. I don’t care what I do. I just need to be a part of it; and then I got asked to do it. It was an honor that they had that much confidence in me to just offer me the part and then I found out Stephanie was also in the production. My mother freaked out and then I freaked out. My mom remembers going to see Stephanie sing. She’s incredible and she means a lot to audiences.
Did you have a lot of fun doing this project?
SM: We did. It’s so full of love with Ne-Yo and Elijah (Kelley) and Shanice (Williams). It’s all love on set. It really is. With Kenny Leon at the helm, that’s what he’s pouring down, love and hard work. He’s rehearsing it like a Broadway show which is giving us plenty of time to hone it in.
Stephanie, can you talk about doing this on Broadway and having a bigger audience see you, in a different role, on TV?
SM: I feel like I’m making history again. In 1975, I was 17 years old and doing the role and now I’m being asked to play Aunt Em. It’s 40 years and it’s the anniversary and what a better way to celebrate it. This is such a fabulous way to celebrate what we did 40 years ago.
Can you describe the sensation of seeing Shanice sing “Home”?
SM: It’s emotional because there’s so much that went on when I was rehearsing and the trials and tribulations that The Wiz had to endure to get to Broadway back in 1975. It’s amazing that it’s here now. Ken Harper, who produced the original production, would be smiling now, along with Geoffrey Holder and Charlie Smalls. All three are no longer alive but I know that they are smiling.
What advice did you give Shanice to bring Dorothy into the 21st century?
SM: I didn’t give her any advice. It’s hers. I give her love. If she comes to me and asks me something I give it to her but it’s hers. I had to find my way and make it mine and she’s finding her way and doing it in a wonderful way. She’s delicious as Dorothy. She’s a star. Her yellow brick road is going to be golden.
How do you feel knowing that millions of people will be watching this at the same time and talking on social media?
AR: I think I’m more excited about it. To be a part of something that my mom has a special connection to and I had a special connection to and now my 4 year-old niece is going to sit down and watch and she’ll have a special connection to. Even though the script may have changed a little bit and the words are different, the theme is still the same and everyone is going to be touched in the same way. For me the major theme in the story is about home, finding your home and finding your place. Whether that’s within yourself or where you are and being ok with where you are. I had to find my place in New York. I am the baby of my family and I’m here by myself. I had to find my place here and I think everyone can feel that. For me, it’s not so much a pressure. It’s more about giving a message and in a fun way. It’s an entertaining and amazing show.
Have either of you watched the previous two live musicals NBC had on TV and it affected your decision to do this?
AR: It didn’t affect my decision at all. I don’t really read blogs or pay attention to that because I’m an artist and this art. I watch “Sound of Music” and I loved it and the music. People will say what they want and how they feel and that’s a part of art. People will share their opinions and what it means to them and how they are affected by it whether it’s positive or negative, and all I can do is the be the best that I can do.
Amber, you have so much experience performing on television, singing and emoting with your face. Did you share any advice with Shanice or with the rest of the cast?
AR: Me and Shanice have this rapport. We just sit and talk. I’m really 29 and she’s really 19. That’s one thing that I learned. There are some words that she has used that I don’t know it means.
SM: She’s really a 19 year old. She’s so sweet and innocent.
AR: I feel that’s a big reason why she’s so amazing as Dorothy. She’s so excited to do this. Even when she’s exhausted between takes, she goes out there and she just kills it. It just surprises me every time because I’ve seen her so the same take over and over again and I’m still touched and entertained by it.
What was it like when you first got the role of Dorothy in the original?
SM: I actually didn’t want to audition for the role because even back then the audition process is traumatic. I don’t like it and that’s why I don’t do a lot of things because I will not audition. So I didn’t want to audition but my mom made me. I had three auditions. In the first audition I went and was in tears. I think I did well but didn’t think I would get the part. But Ken Harper was really into me being Dorothy and he was at all three of my auditions.
What was the first thing that came to mind when you got the call to do this?
SM: I just couldn’t believe it. The first thing that came to my mind is that after all these years, they are really going to celebrate The Wiz in such a big way and I was just honored to be a part of it.
Are you closer to doing Broadway?
AR: Yes. I’ve always wanted to do Broadway. I was locked down for seven years on “Glee.” It’s something that I’ve dreamed of doing.
The Wiz Live! – First Look (Sneak Peek)
