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Cast members discuss the The Wiz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz

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Summary

Host Barbara Barrow-Murray speaks with members of Wiz cast Ken Prymus (the Lion), Peggy Blue (Aunty Em), and Kamal (a former member of the National Center of Afro-American Artists who plays the "Wiz"). Prymus talks about Judy Garland's Wizard of Oz being one adaptation of the original L. Frank Baum text, and The Wiz being another, more colorful version.

Topics

African American theater, Alston, Barbara, Blue, Peggy, Garnett, Chip, Kamal, Larke, Paula, Prymus, Ken, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Not Enuf (Theatrical production), Raisin in the Sun, A (Theatrical production of), Wiz, The (Theatrical production)

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Episode 901

Program Slices of Black Theatre

Series Say Brother

Description

Program Program focuses on African American theater, with an emphasis on the national tour of the Broadway musical The Wiz. Host Barbara Barrow-Murray speaks with members of Wiz cast Ken Prymus (the Lion), Peggy Blue (Aunty Em), and Kamal (a former member of the National Center of Afro-American Artists who plays the "Wiz") about their professional careers prior to their engagement with the touring company, their professional goals, whether or not The Wiz is a new adaptation of Baum's text, and what they have enjoyed about working on The Wiz. Program includes musical performances by "Wiz" guests and previously aired studio performances by Chip Garnett (Duke Ellington's song "Sophisticated Lady," which he performed in the Broadway production of "Bubbling Brown Sugar"), and Barbara Alston and Paula Larke (who both performed in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Not Enuf by Ntozake Shange). Produced by Barbara Barrow-Murray.

Series Say Brother is WGBH's longest running public affairs television program by, for and about African Americans, and is now known as Basic Black. Since its inception in 1968, Say Brother has featured the voices of both locally and nationally known African American artists, athletes, performers, politicians, professionals, and writers including: Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Thomas Atkins, Amiri Baraka, Doris Bunte, Julian Bond, Stokely Carmichael, Louis Farrakhan, Nikki Giovanni, Odetta Gordon, Henry Hampton, Benjamin Hooks, Jesse Jackson, Hubie Jones, Mel King, Eartha Kitt, Elma Lewis, Haki Madhubuti, Wallace D. Muhammad, Charles Ogletree, Byron Rushing, Owusu Sadaukai, and Sonia Sanchez.

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