GBH Openvault

Say Brother; Slices of Black Theatre; Cast members discuss the The Wiz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz

Part of Say Brother.

10/20/1978

In this clip 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. Overall this 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.


License Clip
Series
Say Brother
Program
Slices of Black Theatre
Program Number

901

Title

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

Series Description

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, Babatunde Olatunji, Byron Rushing, Owusu Sadaukai, and Sonia Sanchez. Series release date: 7/15/1968

Program Description

Program focusses 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).

Asset Type

Clip

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Larke, Paula
Kamal
Prymus, Ken
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Not Enuf (Theatrical production)
Blue, Peggy
Raisin in the Sun, A (Theatrical production of)
African American theater
Alston, Barbara
Garnett, Chip
Wiz, The (Theatrical production)
Genres
Magazine
Topics
Race and Ethnicity
Creators
Moore, Melvin (Associate Producer)
Barrow-Murray, Barbara (Producer)
Contributors
Smith, Kathy (Switcher)
Holden, Dick (Camera)
Heller, Dick (Director Program Segment)
Merhar, Milan (Videotape Recordist)
Coleman, Vern (Audio)
Norton, Chas (Lighting Director)
Fairweather, Bill (Video)
Correia, Dennis (Video)
Mahard, Fran (Scenic Design)
Wilson, Bob (Camera)
Hutton, David (Videotape Recordist)
Yang, Eileen (Researcher)
DeVitt, Doug (Videotape Recordist)
Koppel, Tiit (Camera)
Smith, Lee (Camera)
Clarke, Brian (Assistant Director)
McKenna, Jim (Stage Manager)
Mackles, Gene (Graphic Designer)
MacKnight, John (Videotape Recordist)
Crane, David (Videotape Recordist)
Barrow-Murray, Barbara (Host)
Wareham, Skip (Camera)
Bundy, Kissette (Assistant Cameraman)
Waters, Mitch (Lighting Assistant)
O'Brien, Lindsey (Assistant Cameraman)
Himes, Eric (Director Program Segment)
Shah, Bruce (Director Program Segment)
Lewis, Webster (Theme Music)
Tomaselli, Robert (Camera)
Balhatchet, Tom (Audio)
Lane, Frank (Camera)
White, Conrad (Director Program Segment)
LeCain, Larry (Camera)
Kane, Pat (Videotape Recordist)
Johnson, Nat (Audio)
Buccheri, Ron (Switcher)
St. Onge, David (Videotape Recordist)
Rivera, George (Production Assistant)
Simons, Fred (Videotape Recordist)
MacDonald, Greg (Camera)
Demers, Leo (Videotape Recordist)
Stewart, Aubrey (Video)
Lou Cronin, Mary (Audio)
Chigas, Basil (Assistant Cameraman)
Sullivan, John L. (Lighting Director)
Hill, Rebecca (Fashion Consultant)
Gray, Randolph (Assistant Cameraman)
Handyside, Keith (Video)
McGonagle, Richard (Assistant Cameraman)
Carey, Nancy (Intern)
Morton, Wil (Audio)
Bordett, Bruce (Stage Manager)
Plausse, John (Lighting Director)
Publication Information
WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “Say Brother; Slices of Black Theatre; Cast members discuss the The Wiz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz,” 10/20/1978, GBH Archives, accessed November 15, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_2696D9A4E7B44957AB277FBFD91089C2.
MLA: “Say Brother; Slices of Black Theatre; Cast members discuss the The Wiz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz.” 10/20/1978. GBH Archives. Web. November 15, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_2696D9A4E7B44957AB277FBFD91089C2>.
APA: Say Brother; Slices of Black Theatre; Cast members discuss the The Wiz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_2696D9A4E7B44957AB277FBFD91089C2
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