Elijah Kelley will play the Scarecrow in the Dec. 3 live broadcast of the Tony Award-winning musical that will be directed by Kenny Leon and feature choreography by Fatima Robinson.
"You Can't Win," originally sung by the Winkies, was cut from The Wiz prior to its Broadway opening. For the film adaptation the show's creators reinstated the song as a solo for Jackson to perform as the Scarecrow – dropping the character's Broadway song "I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday." Jackson later released "You Can't Win" as a single.
While full details of what changes are in store for The Wiz Live! have not been revealed, actress Shanice Williams, who will star as Dorothy, tweeted that Kelley was rehearsing the song.
Sitting outside the room while
@elijah_kelley is singing you can't win! ��������������❤️����������������! Yall not ready!!!
#TheWiz
— Shanice Williams (@LuvbeingShanice)
October 8, 2015
The all-star cast will also feature Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo, Common, Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley, Stephanie Mills and David Alan Grier.
Get to Know the Cast of The Wiz Live! (So Far) With Our Favorite Pictures and Videos
