Stephanie Mills, Broadway’s original Dorothy in “The Wiz,” begins rehearsals Monday for her role as Aunt Em in NBC’s production of the musical. She tells she’s blown away by the “girl power” on tap for TV audiences in “The Wiz Live!” airing Dec. 3. Pop stars Queen Latifah (as the Wiz) and Mary J. Blige (as the nasty Evilene) are among the leads. Uzo Aduba, of “Orange is the New Black,” plays goody-goody Glinda. Amber Riley is the Good Witch of the North. “I’m starstruck. I’ll think we’ll have a huge girl powwow,” Mills told theater critic Joe Dziemianowicz. Mills, a Grammy-winner for “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” was at the Majestic Theater, where “The Wiz” premiered in 1975, to talk about old times and to meet a new colleague. On Friday, Mills was introduced to 19-year-old Shanice Williams, a bubbly unknown cast as NBC’s Dorothy in an open call. The emotional meeting was filmed for Peacock Production’s documentary about the making of the live telecast. The doc airs Thanksgiving eve. “Shanice reminds me of me when I was her age,” says Mills, 58, who was filmed singing and chatting with the newcomer. “She’s a beautiful spirit.” “The… Read full this story
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