THE WIZ New York City Center Poster 14" x 22" Rare 2009 NEW : Large Color Poster for the New York City June 12th thru July 5th 2009 Limited Engagement of * THE WIZ * at the renowned New York City Center on West 56th Street in New York City. The Wiz, the 1974 rock and soul musical based on the beloved L. Frank Baum story about Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography. The Encores! Summers Stars production of The Wiz will be directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, the duo who brought the Tony Award-winning In the Heights to Broadway last season. Stars Ashanti (Dorothy), Orlando Jones (the Wiz), Joshua Henry (Tinman), James Monroe Iglehart (Lion), Christian Dante White (Scarecrow), Tichina Arnold (Evillene), Dawnn Lewis (Addaperle) and LaChanze (Aunt Em/Glinda). Thomas Kail's ingenious staging and Andy Blankenbuehler's lively choreography, it's a technicolor celebration of the imagination that is utterly captivating and Wickedly fun. One of the chief pleasures is the tuneful music and lyrics of Charlie Smalls, a gifted melodist who died tragically young in 1987 at age 43. Songs like ''Ease on Down the Road,'' ''No Bad News,'' and ''Believe in Yourself'' are infectious enough to require a CDC bulletin. William F. Brown's book, which hews closely to L. Frank Baum's original story, has been given a few smart tweaks to downplay some of its '70s origins (and slang). As a result, the show feels like a timeless story. But as contemporary as The Wiz feels, this production remains very rooted in African American traditions: from tap dance to Alvin Ailey-style choreography, from gospel choruses to plastic barrels as percussion, from masks to seemingly homespun costumes. Pop singer Ashanti more than holds her own as Dorothy, particularly in solo numbers performed, American Idol-style, downstage center in the spotlight. A master class in show-stopping as her costars: Dawnn Lewis (A Different World) as take-no-guff good witch Adddaperle, Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris) as take-even-less-guff bad witch Evillene, and Tony winner LaChanze as Aunt Em and Glinda. In this most democratic of musicals, which doles out numbers to a wide number of supporting players, they each get a moment to shine. as the story moves fitfully through its paces, with Dorothy collecting the traditional menagerie of misfits — the Scarecrow (Christian Dante White), the Tinman (Joshua Henry) and the Lion (James Monroe Iglehart) — on her adventures in the land of Oz, the pacing seems either to lurch forward or to dawdle. No sooner have we met the Wicked Witch of the West, Evillene (Tichina Arnold), than she has been defeated, and everybody begins leaping about in a frenzy of happy liberation. ( the late, great Luther Vandross wrote this effervescent song, “Everybody Rejoice.”). As the curtain falls, you can't help but feel a brand new day. This Original Poster is Large Size ( measures 14" inches wide by 22" inches high ) and is printed on thick heavy chrome-coat advertising poster stock paper and printed in Beautiful Brilliant , Razor-sharp 6 color production. This is the Official Poster for * THE WIZ * printed in Limited Edition . Rare , Authentic , * THE WIZ * Collectible ~ ready for framimg , or just simply hang as is. Great for a Dorm Room , Den , Dance Studio or Office. Will be carefully rolled and shipped in a heavy duty tube and shipped Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation / Tracking. This Poster is in Mint New Condition. Please email with any questions before purchasing if you are unsure about something. We ONLY accept Money Orders , Cashiers Checks or U.S. Cash as payment ( we do NOT accept personal checks or online payment at all ). Please email about local pick-up , we are located in NYC in Times Square. All International Customers MUST email us before purchasing this item.
