Showing results by author "Caseen Gaines" in All Categories

A cultural history of the record-shattering Broadway musical The Wiz, and the beloved movie it inspired, revealing the never-before-told story of the man behind the sensation Since its release in 1978, The Wiz has become a cultural mainstay. Jam-packed with the top stars of the day, Diana Ross...

No one was sure if America was ready for a show featuring nuanced, thoughtful portrayals of Black characters―and the potential fallout was terrifying. But from the first jazzy, syncopated beats of composers Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, New York audiences fell head over heels. This is the story of how Sissle and Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism, and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and produce a runaway Broadway hit that launched the careers of many of the twentieth century’s most beloved Black performers.