Why Love The Wiz Live? Because, because, because…

On December 3rd, my family and I sat piled in front of our television spellbound by a story we’ve enjoyed many times before. The faces were different. The voices, too, but the heart of a classic tale told through a culturally unique lens was more than familiar.

The Wiz Live! - an African American stage version of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz - first hit Broadway in 1984, but it was the theatrical release of The Wiz in 1978 that earned a permanent place in Black America’s emotional memory. Directed by Sidney Lumet and heavily influenced by the musical genius of Quincy Jones, The Wiz starred Michael Jackson as Scarecrow and Diana Ross as Dorothy - a young woman who would be swept up by a storm, only to land, after the adventure of a lifetime, exactly where she belonged. The Wiz is a timeless story…and a timely one, too.

Let’s be real. It’s been a rough year in the hearts and minds of black people in America. Violence, injustice, and protests have dominated the airwaves. And while these realities are worthy of being seen and understood, sound bites never capture the whole of anyone’s experience. What’s more, it’s often the wrong side of the story that sticks.

Maybe this is why when African Americans gathered their children on couches across America to watch NBC's The Wiz Live!, directed by Kenny Leon, they did more than watch. They communed. They sang. They danced. And they even healed a little. The good news for NBC? While viewership was indeed higher in predominantly Black DMAs, it wasn’t just Black people watching. 11.5 million people tuned in, beating last year’s Peter Pan by more than 2 million viewers. And although this year’s event didn’t come close to The Sound of Music at 18 million viewers 2 years ago, the Twittersphere was alive with the sound of engagement, with #TheWiz garnering at least three times more reactions than either Peter Pan or The Sound Of Music.

So why do we love The Wiz Live? Well, it goes far beyond a good song and dance.

Because COMMUNITY.

As the story progresses, Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow become family. Connected by their aspirations, they fight for each other, encourage each other, challenge each other, and repeatedly prove their loyalty. Family is everything, and as Dorothy so aptly proclaims toward the end of the show, “Home is not where you live; it’s where you love.” Truth.

Because JOY.

The Wiz Live! was FUN. The addition of Cirque de Soleil adds dimension to an already magical ride, and is fueled by a mesmerizing soundtrack. It is, by all accounts, two and a half hours of happy. No drama. No stress. No fear. Basically, “No Bad News,” which, if we’re being honest, is a departure from the American narrative as of late.

Because OVERCOMING.

The good guys defeat the bad guys with their brains, hearts, courage, and leadership. They use their special gifts to realize their goals, even as they doubt whether they really have it in them. We can all relate to the self-doubt that sometimes plagues even the most successful among us. Are we really that capable, we wonder? Can we really do it? Yes, we are. And yes, we can.

Because REPRESENTATION.

I’ve written about this before, but it matters that black people see themselves reflected positively in the media. The themes in The Wiz Live! represent the best of who we are - determination, resilience, humor, and yes, musicality. We saw ourselves working it out on screen - beautifully adorned and undeterred. It wasn’t perfect, and some bristled at the use of an occasional colloquialism. Personally, I felt no need to dissect the production. For me, those moments were almost forgettable compared to more important ones, like when Queen Latifah’s Wiz said to Elijah Kelley’s Scarecrow, “It takes a quality mind to know there’s always more to learn.” YES!

Bottom line, I expected to love the show and I did. I found The Wiz Live! to be not only enjoyable, but necessary. We needed a dose of goodness. Something we could feel good watching together, and feel great sharing with others. A colorful, soulful, heartfelt rendition of a story we all long to be true, no matter who we are or where we come from:

Everyday hero joins with friends to defeat evil and restore hope to the land...discovering her own strength along the way.

Cheers to that.

Tara Jaye Frank is VP of Multicultural Strategy for Hallmark Cards, Inc. and the author of Say Yes: A Woman's Guide to Advancing Her Professional Purpose, written to help women from all cultural backgrounds chart a career course they can believe in and achieve. Follow her on Twitter @tarajfrank, Instagram @tarajayefrank, Facebook at Facebook/tarajayefrank, or visit her at tarajayefrank.com.