Creative couple Todd Tucker and Kandi Burruss followed different roads to producing The Wiz (Wed/17-February 11, Golden Gate Theatre, SF.)
Tucker, a TV/film producer from New York, was taken, as a child, to the original Tony-winning Broadway production, starring Stephanie Mills.
“I still can remember bits and pieces because it was all so amazing,” says Tucker.
Burruss, a Georgia peach four years Tucker’s junior—and best known as one-third of R&B girl group Xscape, Grammy-winning songwriter of TLC’s “No Scrubs,” and Bravo’s longest-running Real Housewife in herstory—first encountered the 1978 film adaptation starring Diana Ross.
“I’ve watched that movie 500 times because it’s a movie that I can watch again and again,” says Burruss.
What’s shared between “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” regulars and production partners, who just last year were nominated for a Tony for The Piano Lesson, is a desire to bring William F. Brown’s 1974 adaptation of The Wizard of Oz—delineating Dorothy’s journey across a dystopian New York City, where she kills two witches, picks up three pals, and learns there’s no place like Harlem—to new audiences.
Five decades after taking the Great White Way by storm with its all-black cast and indelible soul-, gospel-, and funk-filled score, The Wiz returns revitalized, with director Schele Williams, additional material from Amber Ruffin, and an all-star cast including Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, and Broadway newbie Nichelle Lewis.
The other wizards behind the curtain—fellow producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Common, and MC Lyte—are no less noteworthy.
Before The Wiz eases on down the road to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre for a limited run (Wed/17-Sun/11) on its way back “Home” to Broadway, I spoke to Burruss and Tucker about reviving the groundbreaking musical, celebrating Wayne Brady, and their future on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
48 HILLS Why is now a great time to bring back The Wiz?
KANDI BURRUSS We are celebrating 50 years since it premiered on Broadway, but anytime would be a great time. It’s my favorite musical of all time. So there’s no time greater than the present.
48 HILLS “Ease On Down the Road” and “Home” are the songs fans talk about the most. What are your other favorite numbers from the musical?
TODD TUCKER The Scarecrow song “You Can’t Win.” If you watch the movie, Michael Jackson doesn’t get any better.
KANDI BURRUSS I’ve always loved “What Would I Do if I Could Feel” from The Tin Man and “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.”
48 HILLS The new production has added material from Amber Ruffin. What else is new about the revival?
KANDI BURRUSS It’s hilarious. Amber did an amazing job updating the script to where it’s more current and relatable today. Oh, and some of her jokes. When the house falls on one of the evil sisters, she’s like, “In this market?” Everybody falls down laughing because in this housing market, who’s going to tear up a house or use the house to kill somebody? She did an amazing job finding that great combination of what we all know to be The Wiz and making it current.
48 HILLS Speaking of current events, Wayne Brady made the press recently for coming out as pansexual. What were your reactions to that news?
KANDI BURRUSS I didn’t react because I was like, “Cool. Good for him because he could live in his truth openly and feel comfortable.” In this day and age, the world is a lot more open compared to where it was. In our younger years, it was more taboo. But now, people are more comfortable to be themselves and accept others. In this newer version of The Wiz, there are a lot more jokes and moments in the show that are very friendly to the LGBTQ+ community. So we celebrated.
48 HILLS I’ve read that you’re both huge advocates of democratizing theater because of its power to create change. Now that you’ve helped produce multiple shows—A Mother’s Love, Thoughts of a Colored Man, The Piano Lesson, La Musica de La Familia, and The Wiz—how has theater changed you?
KANDI BURRUSS Theater was always near and dear to my heart. I went to a performing arts school and went for musical theater and was in the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. So it was a childhood dream for me to do Broadway and be a part of that world.
To finally be embraced by the Broadway community as a producer and able to know the behind-the-scenes of how to make these shows go up and what it takes to make these shows thrive—it’s been a joy.
48 HILLS If you google Kandi Burruss, you get “actress and businesswoman”—not vocalist and music producer. Where does singing fit into your current schedule?
KANDI BURRUSS I’m doing lots of performances with my group. We currently have an agent who’s putting together a tour for this coming summer. I’m still performing and intend to release more music this year. As far as writing music, I’m actually in the studio today. I’m developing a girl group called Psiryn and writing songs for them.
I plan to do a lot more writing and placements this year because I recognize that I don’t write for people or release as much music as I used to. I don’t want people to forget I do this.
48 HILLS You’ve inspired so many people to realize their dreams. Who inspired you when you were starting out?
KANDI BURRUSS My inspirations are all over the place. Vocally, I always loved Stephanie Mills, which makes it fun doing The Wiz now because I used to sing “Home” all the time in middle school. Regina Belle—I loved her tone because she was a dope alto.
Then, business-wise, even though our group got our first deal when I was 16, so I was already doing my career, I looked up to Queen Latifah. I was 19 when we were at the Lady of Soul Awards. I saw Queen Latifah win the Sammy Davis Jr. award because she was a successful rapper, actress, TV producer, and artist manager.
While sitting there, I looked at my group member Tiny and told her I would get that award one day. The next day, we went home, and I called my friend, Richard Wingo. I was like, “Hey, you still got that guy group you were working with?” And he was like, “Yeah.” I said, “OK, I’m going to manage y’all,” and I got Jagged Edge their record deal. They went on to be super successful.
I also knew I wanted to write songs. At that time, I didn’t know how I was going to be able to write for other people yet, but Queen Latifah inspired me to think, “I don’t have to stay in one lane.” That’s when I decided that I would achieve everything I wanted. Because she made it happen, I could make it happen.
48 HILLS You were recently named one of Variety’s most powerful women on reality TV. You’re now officially the longest-consecutive housewife on the franchise. What keeps you doing “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”?
KANDI BURRUSS I love the Bravo fans. They support like no other. I love being able to have that connection with them in that way. On top of that, I’ve had some great moments on the show. I met my husband through the show, and we’re celebrating 10 years of marriage.
It’s almost scary, the thought of when I’m going to make that move one day not to do it, but I’ve been doing it so long, so it’s weird the thought of cutting it off cold turkey. But I thought maybe I’d go to a specific number because I like numbers. I have 14 seasons so maybe I’ll go for a sweet 16. I have no idea.
Bravo has always been good to me. I’ve had so many specials and been able to produce shows. Last year, we produced our movie, The Pass, for [Bravo’s sister channel] Peacock. It’s been a good relationship, so, for now, I’m just chilling.
48 HILLS There have been many stories about a cast shakeup on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” What can you tell me about the next season?
KANDI BURRUSS It’s true what they say about the cast. They are planning to maybe keep a couple of people from the current cast that we all know from last season. And they want to get a couple of new people and maybe bring somebody back who was previously a part of the team.
As to who those people are, they haven’t told us anything yet. They’ve been interviewing so many women here, every other day. But I don’t know who they’re going to pick.
48 HILLS Your old cast went to San Francisco in Season 10, and I’m sure you’ve been through here a million times on tours. Any memorable stories from your time here?
KANDI BURRUSS I love the Bay Area, so every time I come through, they always show love in a major way. When my group does shows there, they’re always pretty much sold out.
When I first started [the sex-toy line] Bedroom Kandi years ago, I did an in-store there where I had some of my products in one of the adult stores, and there was a line around the building of people who came to support me.
The thing that I love about San Francisco is the restaurants. What I hate is that it gets cold in the evening. Even if it’s hot during the day, it gets cold.
When I was young, I had an aunt who lived in one of the suburbs outside of San Francisco. So my mom and I would go up during the summer. I hated coming up there with my little shorts on—and it’s cold. But other than that, it’s a beautiful place.
THE WIZ Wed/17-Sun/11, Golden Gate Theatre, SF. $55-$172. Tickets and more info here.
