‘THE WIZ’: Wayne Brady (center) & cast. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

THE WIZ
Book by William F. Brown
Additional material by Amber Ruffin
Score by Charlie Smalls
Directed by Schele Williams
Choreography by Jaquel Knight
Marquis Theatre
1535 Broadway at 45th Street
(877-250-2929), www.WizMusical.com

By David NouNou

Believe it or not, it was the original The Wiz that actually saved Broadway in the 1970s. Broadway was dangerous—from 42nd Street going northbound, there was a lot of crime and drugs. Geoffrey Holder, the great director and designer, reimagined The Wizard of Oz as an Afro-centric fantasy and turned it into one of the most exciting, original, and innovative musicals. It rescued the commercial New York theatre industry and started filling seats on Broadway.

This version is not as innovative or clever as the original production. Sure, it still has the classics of “Ease on Down the Road,” “Believe in Yourself,” “Home,” and “He’s The Wiz,” but now it uses more camp than genuine humor. The humor here, in most cases, seems a bit forced. However, this is still a fun show.

Dorothy (Nichelle Lewis) gets caught in a tornado, her house splits, and lands in Oz, killing the Wicked Witch of the East. There is no Toto nor any munchkins here. Glinda is the Good Witch of the South (played by the ever-gorgeous Deborah Cox). She warns Dorothy to put on the silver sneakers and never give them to the Wicked Witch of the West because they are the only thing that will keep her safe and get her back to Kansas. In order to do that, she has to go see the Wizard to grant her wish.

Along the way she meets the Strawman, who like to be called Dorothy (Avery Wilson, who needs a brain). Next is the Tinman (Philip Johnson Richardson), a rusty old tinman who wants a heart to feel.  Finally, the cowardly lion (Kyle Ramar Freeman) is seeking courage. They join forces to see the Wizard and are derailed by Evillene (Melody A. Betts), making them go through a poppy field.

They eventually wake up, end up in Oz and meet the Wizard (Wayne Brady), and what a handsome Wizard he makes. He asks them for proof that they killed Evillene. By now he has shown himself as a fraud and flees. With the help of Glinda, they all possessed what they wanted but had to find out for themselves.

Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy is a delight and has a lovely singing voice. Wayne Brady is dynamic and charming as The Wiz. R&B legend Deborah Cox is one of the show’s highlights, and her powerful vocals on such songs as “He’s the Wiz” with Addaperle (Allyson Kaye Daniel) and the townspeople are a bright spot in the first act. The direction by Schele Williams isn’t exactly crisp or original.  It relies mostly on cheap jokes, letting the actors do their thing with very loose discipline until it gets a laugh.  Jaquel Knight’s choreography is rhythmic and delightful. If you want to relive the fun of The Wiz, this is the time for it.

Editor’s note: This is the last review by David Nounou, written two days before he passed away on April 27, 2024. Everyone at StageZine remembers David fondly and we all miss him.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published May 9, 2024
Reviewed at April 24, 2024 press performance

‘THE WIZ’: Deborah Cox & Nichelle Lewis. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Kyle Ramar Freeman, Nichelle Lewis, Phillip Johnson Richardson & Avery Wilson. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Deborah Cox. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: The cast. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

‘THE WIZ’: Nichelle Lewis & Melody A. Betts. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

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‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Jordan Tyson. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

THE NOTEBOOK
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks
Book by Bekah Brunstetter
Music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson
Directed by Michael Greif & Schele Williams
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
236 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.notebookmusical.com

By David NouNou

Eternal love is about the highest ideal a couple can achieve in life: To be there for each other from the onset of their first meeting to their final days. Nicholas Sparks wrote the novel The Notebook on which this musical is based in 1996 when he was 28, and it has endured with readers and moviegoers for nearly 30 years now. However, the Broadway adaptation of the hit book and film is problematic indeed.

The story consists of the three periods in the life of Allie and Noah. They meet in a coastal town in the Mid-Atlantic in the late 1960s where teenagers Younger Noah (John Cardoza) meets Younger Allie (Jordan Tyson) at a picnic with friends and knows she is the girl he’ll marry. Allie is there for the summer with her rich family, Noah works in his father’s lumberyard. Her family looks down on him. He was forced to enlist in the army because her parents were claiming he abducted her and he risked being thrown in jail.

Ten years pass. Middle Noah (Ryan Vasquez) and Middle Allie (Joy Woods) reunite in the late 1970s. Unbeknownst to Allie, Noah wrote her letters for 10 years but she claims she never received them. Of course, her mother hid them from her, and now Allie is engaged to be married to a rich defense lawyer. She reads in the paper that Noah is alive and has bought the home he was building for them and refurbished it as planned. She takes a leave of absence for a few days from her engagement to clear her mind and rekindle what may have been lost. Lots of recriminations here. Until Allie gets the letters handed over by her mother.

Part three is Older Noah (Dorian Harewood) and Older Allie (Maryann Plunkett). Allie is in an old-age facility, suffering from dementia. She doesn’t realize that Noah is her husband. She has good days thinking of him as a friend and days she has no idea who he is. Noah is persistent. He reads the notebook journal that Allie has written to constantly remind her of their lives together so that one day she will remember and come back to him.

The love story is bearable and one wants to believe in this magical love; it’s the execution that is mind-numbingly awkward. From the poorly written book by Bekah Brunstetter and the unremarkable and forgettable music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, one only wishes there was a large scissor to cut out the text and the score so we could sit with Older Allie and Older Noah and just let them try to find themselves and have that glimpse of recognition.

Which brings me to Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood—God bless them. Ms. Plunkett and Mr. Harewood are the saviors of the show. Without them, you have one of the most unremarkable cast ensembles assembled. With hardly any stage presence or even investment in character, cast members just meander on and off the stage in puddles, water and rain. What’s astonishing is that The Notebook needed two directors—Michael Greif and Schele Williams—to keep the cast moving on and off stage without bumping into each other.

Imagination is in short supply here. Look at the dreary Playbill cover; it will tell you nothing. One just has to be grateful for the professionalism and stage presence of Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood and be satisfied with them.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 22, 2024
Reviewed at March 21, 2024 press performance.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Maryann Plunkett & Dorian Harewood. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Joy Woods. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Maryann Plunkett & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: John Cardoza & Jordan Tyson (front) & Ryan Vasquez & Joy Woods; & Dorian Harewood & Maryann Plunkett. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Jordan Tyson & John Cardoza. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Ryan Vasquez & Joy Woods. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

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