General Discussion

ehrnst

(32,640 posts) Fri Mar 9, 2018, 02:55 PM Mar 2018

I saw final dress rehearsal of "The Wiz" at Ford's Theatre in DC last night

Spouse worked on building the set. The costumes are amazing, and the Wiz transforms into Prince in the scene where he ascends in the balloon - complete with third eye sunglasses, ruffled shirt and purple lamé trench coat.

It was fantastic all around, but there were some improv'd moments that really brought down the house.

Among them, when AddePerle casts her spell, some of the words that came out were:

"ChakaKhanChakaKhanChakaKhan"
"mamase mamasa mamakusa!"
"WAKANDA!"

and the one that brought the show to a halt:

"comeBackBARACK!"

I just know that the Obamas will be coming to see this, and the love that will be going out to them from the cast and audience will be overwhelming.

12 replies

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I saw final dress rehearsal of "The Wiz" at Ford's Theatre in DC last night (Original Post) ehrnst Mar 2018 OP

Wish I could see it. It does provide a little solace knowing the ENTIRE FUCKING WORLD Eliot Rosewater Mar 2018 #1

Fun. Thanks. RandomAccess Mar 2018 #2

OMG I'd love to see it! I saw Stephanie Mills back in the mid-70s from the back row! flygal Mar 2018 #3

I missed Stephanie Mills in the tour when I was young... forgotmylogin Mar 2018 #6

You're so lucky! sheshe2 Mar 2018 #4

Thanks for posting....just purchased tickets HipChick Mar 2018 #5

Here's a sneak peek of the stage: ehrnst Mar 2018 #11

Nice.....I rarely go down to DC any more HipChick Mar 2018 #12

working in FORD'S THEATER Skittles Mar 2018 #7

So cool! brer cat Mar 2018 #8

That sounds wonderful, ehrnst! Cha Mar 2018 #9

That sounds amazing! mcar Mar 2018 #10

Eliot Rosewater

(31,112 posts)

1. Wish I could see it. It does provide a little solace knowing the ENTIRE FUCKING WORLD

Reply to ehrnst (Original post)

Fri Mar 9, 2018, 02:57 PM

Mar 2018

LOVES Barack and hates trump, other than putin and his assholes.

RandomAccess

(5,210 posts)

2. Fun. Thanks.

Reply to ehrnst (Original post)

Fri Mar 9, 2018, 04:03 PM

Mar 2018

flygal

(3,231 posts)

3. OMG I'd love to see it! I saw Stephanie Mills back in the mid-70s from the back row!

Reply to ehrnst (Original post)

Fri Mar 9, 2018, 04:26 PM

Mar 2018

forgotmylogin

(7,529 posts)

6. I missed Stephanie Mills in the tour when I was young...

Reply to flygal (Reply #3)

Fri Mar 9, 2018, 05:49 PM

Mar 2018

she was out sick most of the week the tour was in my town, but her understudy brought down the house. (I think her name was Ada Dyer?) It was an amazing show. The thing I remember most is how the last song was nothing but Dorothy on stage by herself in front of a black wall singing with just a pin spot on her face and it was absolutely electrifying. I recognize names on Wikipedia from the 1984 revival, so it must have been a tour after that.

I also remember as a kid wondering how the actress could get spun so fast for so long on the porch during the tornado and not be dizzy afterward.

Also, I studied the program cover to cover and remembered lots of performers' names, so it was neat a decade later when Jasmine Guy (who was in the chorus) showed up on A Different World and I remembered her mainly due to her unique name. I also recognized Geoffrey Holder, the director, as the 7up commercial guy with a very deep voice.