The 29 Stages of Discovering A New Version of Any Part of The Wiz Exists
That ripple in the universe you felt/missed on Friday morning was thousands (ratings estimate is 5.5 million viewers) of people with the Today Show on in the background simultaneously overhearing the first five notes of Ease on Down the Road, feeling a huge jolt down to their bones, and _running_ to the television.
The following is a completely incomplete list of the chain of events that may have ensued for people who had no idea that a revival of The Wiz is even happening. This list is primarily based on an incomplete list of what actually happened for me, someone who has known this revival might exist for almost a decade.
The chain of events after hearing the first five notes of Ease on Down the Road in the next room might have gone something like this:
A jolt of joy
"wait what, is that?..,"
The ability to physically move again returns
Sprint to the television
Registering that this song that's burned into their psyche is being sung by new people. Whoa.
Registering the visuals
Registering the choreography
Registering the HBCU drum majors as the Yellow Brick Road
Registering the remix/mashup of the Eases
Returning to the fact that new voices are singing this song professionally
[The following order is interchangeable based on various individual factors]
Registering each element of Dorothy (voice, costume, moves, personality, makeup, shoes, etc)
^ w/ Scarecrow
^ w/ Tinman
^ w/ Lion
Bouncing around amongst 11 - 14
Registering the musical arrangements
Screaming
Registering the vocal arrangements
Screaming
Remembering this is the Today Show
Wondering what is happening with this amazing life altering moment and why is it on my TV on the Today show
Cycling 1 through 21
Somewhere after 1, between any other step, and likely intermittently, texting all the people who NEED TO KNOW this is happening
Registering that The Wiz — a previously unconsumed version — is on national television in some new format
Noticing the lower third graphic "cast of The Wiz" - what cast, where?
Noticing "concert series" so wait where is this concert, what is it?
Nearly going catatonic or screaming to the point of vocal damage in response to the vocal/music arrangements of the end of the performance
WAIT. THERE'S A BROADWAY REVIVAL OF THE WIZ???????
Fainting/Screaming/Texting/Planning/Crying
This is what I texted after I watched:
Ease on Down on the Today Show definitely resulted in tears. Thinking about how many people for whom that clip will mean so much and touch them viscerally were just able to see that. Like, not just the access of them seeing it on the Today Show, but that it has been brought to life anew at all.
You might note that exactly nowhere in those 29 (Twenty. Nine. and incomplete) steps is: is it good? What are people saying? What did the critics say?
For the record, the talent is simultaneously unmatched and fully representative of what. it. is.
