Presenting "The Wiz" at Sugar Hill

You can buy, "The Wiz" on DVD right here!
some of the ladies sitting and enjoying the scene before the movie event!

I can't tell you how long it had been since I'd seen Sidney Lumet's, "The Wiz"! I could've told you about "Wizard of Oz" but, the black version of the mythical movie...forget about it! The most persistant memory I had of the movie experience was being a kid, kinda being made to watch it on certain occassions and having a jolting case of acid reflux syndrome the last time i'd seen it...so whenever I thought of "The Wiz" my throat automatically started hurting. But that is until a couple of days ago. I recently had the pleasure of watching this classic at an event cleverally dubbed, "Cinemartini" sponsored by Courvoisier at Sugar Hill in the Underground Atlanta. Well the city wasn't so emerald inside Sugar Hill...more ruby red slipper but that suited me just fine, the red vibe gave the evening a slight edge.

I sat amongst the familiars but mostly strangers who were all truly fans of the black spin on the original tale. I mean these people were getting up and dancing, easing down the road (or the club it was held in), and saying lines vehemently before Diana Ross' Dorothy could even move her lips! Omg...i was so embarrassed with myself and secretly mad at my parents for a few minutes for not making me watch the flick more as a kid so i could know the next moves of Micheal Jackson once he got off of that pole! But then I got over it and became just as excited as the rest of the crowd, and even sang a little bit, albeit off key to the tunes of this newer Oz. I can honestly say that this film is one of those cult classics. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching it recently...go ahead and check it out...good memories...good times.

The newer Oz brought me to another thought. What if...what if there were a 2008 version of "The Wiz"? If I were the casting director who would I choose the play the coveted roles in my over the top dramatic big screen version? Well here goes my list:

Dorothy: Beyonce. Duh. This girl is such a performer...singing, dancing! Can't you see this chick easing down the road and making you wanna get up and do the holy dance??!! YUP!
The scarcrow: TI. With that skinny body and that loveable killa swag TIP would make us go out and see the movie a few times over! Okay so he can't sing...but who says the crow can't rap??!
The Tin Man: Usher or Tyrese. That voice...and his face (either one) would look like a dream all oiled up in a nice darker brown or black. Mmmm hmmmm.
The Cowardly Lion: Alphamega or Cedrick the Entertainer. Big boys you don't mess with. But maybe deep down inside they are not so hard.
Evillene: Fantasia...she can sang...hello. And she is thick, the brothas like that.
The Wiz: Steve Harvey man...all day long.
Auntie Emma: Phylicia Rashad. People I just saw her Monday night in Kenny Leon's, "A Raisin in the Sun" and I was sooooooooo impressed. I see why she won the Tony for her broadway performance. Three words: FAB U LOUS!
Glenda The Good Witch: Halle Berry or Kerry Washington. "Bad" chicks but such sweet and lovely faces. Almost angelic.

Now i know...i know...i heard there was another version made last year with Ashanti...but it wasn't so hot. So therefore we need mine and it will have all the missing elements that the other lacked. And further more I'll re-name the classic to something clever like..."Welcome to Oz"...no no wait...how about, "Dreams are made in Oz", or "Welcome to Oz, everything else is Kansas". Let me keeping thinking about that. But I got ideas! So go on now, write me a check!

Hmmm...I think I'll take up casting and directing one day. Watch out now!

Thanks to Nicole Garner and The Garner Circle PR for the invite! This PR agency is on top of Atlanta's entertainment events! And thanks to Lachelle Morris for pointing out Ivory Weems, artist development at DTP Records who hosted that night, so I can make contact for more interviews. Lachelle is such a gem and a wealth of information.

Enjoy your Wednesday lovlies!

Miesha
The Juice ReportER
http://www.findentertainmentnow.com/