{"product_id":"if-ever-a-wiz-there-was","title":"If Ever a Wiz There Was \/\/ The Battle for the Soul of Oz (Pre-order, Feb 23 2027)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA cultural history of the record-shattering Broadway musical\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wiz\u003c\/i\u003e, and the beloved movie it inspired, revealing the never-before-told story of the man behind the sensation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSince its release in 1978, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wiz\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e has become a cultural mainstay. Jam-packed with the top stars of the day, Diana Ross as Dorothy, Richard Pryor as the Wizard of Oz, and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, the film is a joyful classic synonymous with the holidays and good cheer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf Ever a Wiz There Was\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Caseen Gaines uncovers the dramatic, previously untold story of the making of the Broadway musical that inspired the film. The Broadway show earned seven Tony Awards and went on to become the longest-running musical with an all-Black cast in Broadway history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe famed show, a reimagining of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wizard of Oz,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was produced by Ken Harper, a late-night radio disc jockey with almost no experience in show business, and even less money. Harper’s unconventional efforts, unbridled creativity, and unapologetic Blackness redefined what was considered possible for generations of Black Americans. Fifty years after \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wiz\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Black children can see themselves as everything from superheroes to little mermaids.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith new and exclusive interviews, Gaines recounts the roller-coaster journey to get \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Wiz\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to the stage; and Ken Harper finally receives his due as one of America’s greatest showmen and pioneers of racial representation in entertainment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCaseen Gaines\u003c\/b\u003e is the award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eWhen Broadway Was Black\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWe Don’t Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy.\u003c\/i\u003e His writing explores the lasting impacts of significant moments in art, entertainment, and popular culture, which has led to his appearances on Netflix’s \u003ci\u003eThe Movies That Made Us\u003c\/i\u003e and\u003ci\u003e Entertainment Tonight\u003c\/i\u003e. His work has been praised by media outlets around the world, including \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, NPR, and \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Reporter\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublisher: Tiny Reparations Books\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublish Date: February 23, 2027\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePages: 336\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eType: Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEAN\/UPC: 9780593476239\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 9.0 X 6.0 X 0.8 inches | 1.1 pounds\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBISAC Categories: Music, Biography \u0026amp; Memoir, Politics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Caseen Gaines","offers":[{"title":"(Pre-order, Feb 23 2027) Hardcover","offer_id":49113022071019,"sku":"9780593476239","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0253\/4014\/9820\/files\/9780593476239.jpg?v=1785098331","url":"https:\/\/rep.club\/products\/if-ever-a-wiz-there-was","provider":"Reparations Club","version":"1.0","type":"link"}