On Broadway, Mitchell took over from Mabel King as Evillene in The Wiz. This is a story of a Broadway phenomenon, a show in so much trouble its closing notice was posted on opening night and which was forcibly turned into Broadway's biggest hit—all in a matter of weeks. See what’s playing on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and more this month. ", They liked it. Tinman. Ella Mitchell (15 August 1937) is an African-American soul singer and actress. Series VI. It was not the usual Broadway audience at all, but moviegoers, people who listen to Top 40s radio stations, young people, Black people,  families, people who've never been to the theatre in their lives, not even to see Raisin. Weaknesses. The wheel began to turn immediately. Start Your 2021 Reading List With These 31 Books Broadway Stars Are Currently Recommending, 2020 in Photos: A Look Back at an Unprecedented Year in Theatre History. The show ran 1,672 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. He thought Fox might be interested. Sandy got on the phone to the staff back at her office and had them follow through on all the stories and radio and TV bookings that had been lined up. "Normally, you figure on two pairs of press tickets per performance," she explained, "but with no advance sales, if we had nothing else, we had seats. Ella Mitchell Ella Mitchell (15 August 1937) is an American soul singer and actress. The original production starred Stephanie Mills as Dorothy, and featured Tiger Haynes, Hinton Battle, Ted Ross, Andre de Shields, and Dee Dee Bridgewater in supporting roles. the replacement cast of the Broadway musical "The Wiz." Look back at the most recent productions to play over 100 performances at the venue. Tickets were selling at the half-price ticket booth on Times Square. In exchange for first option for film rights, publishing rights, and album rights, they agreed to put up an ante of $650,000 with a 20 percent overcall (extra money the producer’s allowed to spend if the production needs it—and this one sure did). Directed by Geoffrey Holder with choreography by George Faison, The Wiz featured scenic design by Tom H. John, lighting design by Tharon Musser, costume design by Holder, and sound design by Richard J.C. Miller with stage management by Charles Blackwell, Henry Velez, and Jerry Laws. It will be a "concept" album and will sell, Harper hopes, like Tommy and Jesus Christ Superstar. Ella Mitchell is an American soul singer and actress. Broadway Checklist: How Many of These Shows at the New Amsterdam Theatre Have You Seen. The Wiz [Broadway] Original Broadway Production, 1975. During previews, Sandy Manley (who with several other bright young press agents formed the Merlin Group, Ltd.) persuaded The Wiz management to give her a virtually unlimited number of press tickets to use at her own discretion. As Dorothy Gale chases after her dog Toto, an upset Aunt Em tells her that she needs to take more responsibility (The Feeling We Once Had). Actress Ella Mitchell in a publicity shot fr. The production featured music and lyrics by Smalls and book by William F. Brown. The Wiz (Jun 15, 1976 - Jul 07, 1979) Also Starring: Ella Mitchell [Evillene] Musical Comedy Original. Mitchell is best remembered for playing the comic role as Hattie Mae Pierce in the 2000 comedy film Big Momma's House and Evillene the evil witch in the original Broadway theatre production of the musical The Wiz. … Before tuning into the streaming benefit, here's a spread sure to impress the rat of all your dreams. He had a book, written by William Brown, and 13 original songs with lyrics written by Charlie Smalls. With Fox as the sole limited partner, Ken Harper was on his way as a producer. The two-time Tony Award winner celebrates her birthday December 31. The show was revived in 1984 starring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy once more. A technical run-through before opening night in Baltimore was so disastrous the managing company told Harper he’d be wise to pack it in. Clive Barnes clobbered them. With a weekly production nut of $67,000, the show was only grossing $46,000 in previews. The musical earned eight Tony nominations, winning 7 including best musical. ", Fox was interested. Clarice Taylor, Stephanie Mills, and Dee Dee Bridgewater in, Martha Swope/©NYPL for the Performing Arts, Hinton Battle, Stephanie Mills, Ted Ross, and Tiger Haynes in, Martha Swope / The New York Public Library, Stephanie Mills, Andre De Shields, and Stu Gilliam in, Tiger Haynes, Andre De Shields, Hinton Battle, Stephanie Mills, and Ted Ross in, Andre De Shields, Tiger Haynes, Hinton Battle, Stephanie Mills, and Ted Ross in, Stephanie Mills, Andre De Shields, and Stu Gilliam, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Will Launch Season With, Theatre Artists Call Out Hypocrisy, Demand Reckoning and Trump Removal After Capitol Building Havoc, Tony Winner Tonya Pinkins to Appear in ABC's, Betty Buckley Will Offer Virtual Song/Monologue Master Class, Alia Jones-Harvey and Stephen Byrd Partner With Columbia University for Front Row Productions Fellowship, Grateful: 37 Broadway Actors Share Who They Were Thankful for in 2020. I invited all the DJs, the talent coordinators from radio and TV programs, and all the newspaper reporters and freelance feature writers who I thought would like the show. Mitchell appeared in the 1975 film Lord Shango. Fox jumped in with both feet. He signed on jack-of-all arts, Geoffrey Holder, as costume designer and, eventually, as director, and he found a couple of unknowns for principal roles, namely 16-year-old Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and 18-year-old Hinton Battle for the Scarecrow. 1937) is a gospel singer and actress who appeared on Sesame Streettwice in season 4. The Wiz [1977] Dates / Origin Date Created: 1977 Library locations November 2020. the replacement cast of the Broadway musical "The Wiz." The Wiz made theatre history overnight. Ella Mitchell Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018 Ella Mitchell ( August 15, 1937 ) is a African-American soul singer and actress. Digitized slides and mounted negatives. A week after its dismal opening, The Wiz sold out at Saturday matinee. Tinman Charles Valentino. At this point in the story we have to back up a little to talk about intelligent press agentry. Sign up for exclusive discounts and save up to 50% on tickets! Harper was ready. the replacement cast of the Broadway musical "The Wiz." Actresses (C) Ella Mitchell & Gayle Turner w. cast in a scene fr. Without some action at the box office, any chance of getting more money out of Fox was slim. "If I’d met you three years ago," he said to me, "I’d given you the rap and asked if you knew anyone." Daryl Richardson. Next day, the reviews. Evillene. Addaperle Sharon Brooks. For the complete cast and creative team, visit PlaybillVault.com/TheWiz. For these TikTok users, a quarantine pastime became the stuff that musical theatre dreams are made of. Jul 30, 2019 - Explore Playbill's board "The Wiz", followed by 13532 people on Pinterest. True to showbiz tradition, the show went on that night and received a standing ovation and four curtain calls. The Wiz (Aug 04, 1992 - Apr 18, 1993) Also Starring: Ella Mitchell [Evillene] Musical Comedy Revival. The Wiz, Charlie Smalls’ musical adaption of The Wizard of Oz, opened at the Majestic Theatre January 5, 1975. (New York) Names Swope, Martha (Photographer) Collection. Broadway Horoscopes: Which Musical Theatre Lyric Will Inspire Your 2021. Apparently, if handled well, it can work wonders. The Wiz follows Kansas farm girl Dorothy who works to find her way home after being transported in a tornado to a magical land. joined NBC's series of live musical events starring Uzo Aduba as Glinda the good witch, Queen Latifah as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Stephanie Mills as Aunt Em, Mary J. Blige as Evillene, David Alan Grier as The Cowardly Lion, Amber Riley as Addaperle, Ne-Yo as the Tin Man, Elijah Kelley as the Scarecrow, Common as Bouncer, and 18-year-old newcomer Shanice Williams as Dorothy. Can You Name These Musicals Summarized From the Perspective of a Secondary Character? The Wiz Ella Mitchell. While television advertising of films is a highly developed marketing technique, it's only recently begun to be used for Broadway properties. Look Back at Past Productions of The Wiz on Broadway. The Wiz Broadway, The Wiz Original Cast List, Original Cast, Current Cast ... Ella Mitchell. Martha Swope photographs. 1978-01-01. the replacement cast of the Broadway musical "The Wiz." Wiz people describe them as "mixed," but in fact they were the sort that ordinarily would kill so precarious a venture. "I began to perspire," Harper recalls, "and then I went out into the lobby of the theatre and I fainted. Trouble was, he needed more money to do it, and what sane backer is going to pour money into a dying show? Ella Mitchell, Gayle Turner, and cast of The Wiz Martha Swope/©NYPL for the Performing Arts Stephanie Mills, Andre De Shields, and Stu Gilliam in The Wiz Martha Swope The Wiz, Charlie Smalls’ musical adaption of The Wizard of Oz, opened at the Majestic Theatre January 5, 1975. Here is how it happened. The production played 15 previews and 1,672 performances before closing January 28, 1979. Discover which memorable musical theatre characters align with your personality type! All day Monday, management was in conference, waiting for the word. These commercials were crammed into a two-week period, during which time word of the The Wiz reached 95 percent of all local TV households 7.7 times. No amount of money and advertising will sell a piece of shiit.". (New York) Names Swope, Martha (Photographer) Collection. Performer (Swing) Howard Porter. Mitchell is best known for playing the comic role of Hattie Mae Pierce (Big Momma) in the 2000 comedy film Big Momma's House starring Martin Lawrence. (New York). If he could find a way of getting to these people, he was sure The Wiz would win. Ken Harper had the concept for the TV commercial, a telescoped version of the Yellow Brick Road scene, with punched up orchestration of the song, "Ease On Down the Road." The way his intuition has been paying off, Harper may end up making that hundred million dollar dream come true. Afterwards, a tornado (played by dancers dressed in black) sweeps Dorothy and the farmhouse away while Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and Toto go into hiding. She sings four songs in Episode 0487where Oscar the Grouchriffs on one of them, and two songs in Episode 0532including "The Gospel Alphabet". Then she called the radio stations advertising managers and made deals, trading off a thousand dollars worth of tickets in exchange for a thousand dollars worth of free air time—the equivalent of 14 30-second spots. The original production starred Stephanie Mills as Dorothy, Tiger Haynes as the Tinman, Ted Ross as the Lion, Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow, Clarice Taylor as Addaperle, Mabel King as Evillene, André De Shields as the Wiz, and Dee Dee Bridgewateer as Glinda alongside Tasha Thomas, Phylicia Ayers-Allen, Leettie Battle, Danny Beard, Phillip Bond, Leslie Butler, Pi Douglass, Ronald Dunham, Wendy Edmead,Frank Floyd, Rodney Green, Sam Harkness, Eugene Little, Eleanor McCoy, Frances Morgan, Joni Palmer, John Parks, Howard Porter, Jozella Reed, Kenneth Scott, Evelyn Thomas, Andy Torres, Carl Weaver, and Ralph Wilcox. Evillene Howard Porter. Ella Mitchell played Evillene as a replacement in the original Broadway production (ca. But not so in New York. 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