"The Wiz" coming to TV, Broadway with Cirque du Soleil
The musical "The Wiz" is going to ease on down the road back to TV and Broadway.
NBC said Monday it will air a live production of the hit 1970s stage reinvention of "The Wizard of Oz" in December.
The network says its partner on the TV version is Cirque du Soleil's new stage theatrical division, which will then present "The Wiz" on Broadway for the 2016-17 season.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will executive produce the project. Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon will stage both the television production and Broadway revival in collaboration with Tony winner and theater icon Harvey Fierstein, who will contribute new material to the original Broadway book by William F. Brown.
"We love this yearly tradition and we're more excited than ever to not only bring another Broadway musical to America's living rooms, but also see it land on Broadway as well," said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. "It's a natural next step for our live musical events and we're so pleased to be in business with this award-winning creative team and Scott Zeiger, President and Managing Director of Cirque du Soleil's new theatrical division. Cirque's incredible imagination will help bring the fantasy world of Oz vividly to life and give this great show a modern spin on the age-old story we all love."
In January, Greenblatt said the network remained committed to live musicals. The network scored big ratings with "The Sound of Music" in 2013, with Carrie Underwood as Maria, but drew just half the viewers for last year's "Peter Pan Live!" with Allison Williams and Christopher Walken.
NBC's version of "The Wiz" will air Dec. 3. Casting for the TV and stage versions hasn't been announced.