The Wiz Live! is ready to hit the yellow brick road—that is, begin production—because the musical has just cast its Dorothy. TVLine reports that 18-year-old Shanice Williams will play the Kansas girl lost in the Emerald City this December. This will be Williams’ first TV appearance (well, aside from this Today interview), but she does have a musical theater background.
This is just the latest bit of casting news since NBC announced that it would stage a live version of the ’70s musical. The network got off to a good start (to our slight dismay) when it brought Stephanie Mills on board as Auntie Em. (Mills originated the role of Dorothy in The Wiz’s initial Broadway run.) Soon Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige were cast as The Wiz and the Wicked Witch of the West, respectively. David Alan Grier was added to the cast a day ago; he’ll play the Cowardly Lion.