It was pretty radical at the time: A remake of the classic "Wizard of Oz," with an all-black cast.
"The Wiz" debuted in 1978, starring some the biggest names of the era: Diana Ross played Dorothy; Richard Pryor was The Wiz; and, Michael Jackson was the Scarecrow. More from IMDB.com
So what's in store for the live version on NBC?
6 THINGS TO KNOW
1. It airs on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. on 2 Works for You. It's a three-hour live event.
2. The cast includes Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo, and Common. Watch the cast sing "Ease On Down The Road."
3. Dorothy is being played by newcomer Shanice Williams, 19, who won the role after auditioning with 600 other hopefuls.
Shanice William as Dorothy
4. Sing along! Click here for the soundtrack lyrics and be ready to join in.
5. The costumes are to die for! See a photo gallery here.
6. "There's no place like..." You can make your own meme, featuring the place on earth you love best. Click here to create!
Go to: theresnoplacelikemyhome.com and look for the giant, blinking cursor.
EXTRA: "Ease On Down The Road," by Michael Jackson & Diana Ross
