5 Things We Want to See From The Wiz Live!

There are a lot of eyes on newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy as she will lead the merry band of Oz misfits to the Wiz (Latifah) to grant their wishes.

[...] in the case of NBC's previous live musical efforts, The Sound of Music and Peter Pan, there was a disconnect between what the audience expected and what was presented on stage.

[...] The Wiz Live! is based off the Broadway production rather than the 1978 film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, but there are some things we hope to see in the live version that make this spectacle a success for viewers at home.

The great thing about The Wiz when it debuted in 1975 was that it was an updated version of the Judy Garland tale from the 1930s, complete with contemporary music.

The goal for me was to update the music and make it sound fresh and contemporary while still being respectful to the original versions.

The Wiz Live! is keeping the production in the African-American tradition but it's not enough to just put people of color on TV; their roles need to have a positive effect as well.

The Wiz may not be a familiar property for much of the new generation watching, which means its an opportunity to fit in some new songs and beef up the musical.

"[We] decided the end of the act need something to lift it up and also further the story of the four friends overcoming a huge obstacle," Mason says.

The key to making this musical a success is making sure the show's stand-out numbers really wow the people at home and give us something to sing about.