On Friday 12th June, The Wiz Live will be available to stream online as part of The Show Must Go On series. Viewers will also have the opportunity to donate to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), raising money towards the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.

Based on The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wiz Live follows Dorothy as a tornado whisks her away to the Land of Oz. Meeting friends and enemies along the way, she navigates herself down the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard and find her way back home.

The lead cast of The Wiz Live includes Shanice Williams in her breakthrough role as Dorothy, alongside Elijah Kelley as the Scarecrow, Ne-Yo as the Tin Man and David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion. Amber Riley and Uzo Aduba play Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South respectively. Mary J. Blige plays Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, with Queen Latifah as the titular character.

The Wiz was first performed on Broadway in 1975, winning seven Tony Awards including best new musical and best original score. Songs in The Wiz include “Ease On Down The Road” and “Home”.

The upcoming stream follows previous NBC musical events made available to watch online, including Hairspray Live! and The Sound of Music Live!. The previously announced stream of Peter Pan Live has been postponed. 

The stream will begin from 7pm on 12th June on www.youtube.com, and will be available online globally (excluding Latin America and Asia) for a further 48 hours.

By Sophie Thomas for www.londontheatre.co.uk.

Photo: Queen Latifah as The Wiz. © 2015 Viginia Sherwood for NBC.