New Orleans native Brian Jordan Jr. makes audiences laugh with side-splitting hilarity as Maurice on BET’s “Sistas,” the No. 1 watched cable series on television. But like a true professional, the NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate is not resting on his laurels, but is taking on a major engagement — directing an all -ew production of The Wiz‘, which debuts during Juneteenth weekend in Atlanta.
“Sistas” did huge numbers in the season six premiere. What is the key to the show’s continued success?
I believe the magic of the show is its newness. And we all know there is a built-in loyalty with Tyler Perry fans to start. I think another part of it is the concepts and ideas written into the scripts, and we have young actors with fresh perspectives.
There is a myriad of things for people to enjoy and the storyline connects with so many people. You have LGBTQIA storylines, a body positivity [storyline], and there are stories for the upper class, middle class, and lower class. I think the show has a little something for everyone.
Maurice is a major character on the show. Have you ever worried about being typecast?
When you are on a television show with a 22-episode order, with very few breaks in between seasons, it’s easy to end up typecast. When someone has you in their home every week, they feel like they know you. It’s not like a Denzel Washington [movie] that you get dressed up and go see at the movies once a year. I know there is that possibility especially when you play such a big character who is over the top. But I’m honored to get a chance to be a part of people’s lives in this way. It’s a great problem to have.
Were you a fan of The Wiz before you were brought on board to direct this year?
The Wiz was the first performance I ever did in my entire life. I played the Tin Man, and I remember being so nervous. It’s the longest running Black musical of all time. It helped sculpt the careers of people like Diana Ross.
After that performance, she was nominated for an Oscar for the very next movie she did. Quincy Jones’ producing career musically changed. He had never scored a film and then The Wiz happens … I think it’s doing the same thing for me.
What was your initial reaction to finding out that you were directing this culturally iconic piece for Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company?
I was a theatrical artist before moving into television and film, and back then I worked at True Colors Theatre, one of the premier Black theaters in the country. Kenny Leon is one of my heroes and I was so honored when I learned I was being given the opportunity to direct and choreograph the show as well. A lot of people don’t know I’m a singer, actor and dancer.
What do you hope to bring to this new production of the The Wiz?
With my fan base on “Sistas” and this amazing cast for The Wiz, my goal in a nutshell is to commercialize Black theater. “Sistas” has this huge fan base. Our premiere this season was the biggest one we’ve ever had. We’ve been No. 1 since we started, and we had a 26 percent increase this season, which is crazy. I would love to use that popularity to introduce those fans to live theater.
The choreography for The Wiz is legendary. How did you keep that style of dance relevant with today’s audiences?
You want to stay true to what people loved about the [dance] movement, but also be welcoming to people who have never seen it. Dance and movement are such a universal thing. When you think about TikTok and its influence, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include that energy — but we had to ease on down the road a certain way.
You have an amazing cast of stars working in this production. Will showcasing this diverse cast of social influencers help connect Black theater with a new audience?
I want this to be like a Harlem Renaissance of sorts. With talent like Tina Fears, who is a phenomenal performer and does a little of everything — she’s so talented. Q Parker an R&B legend is part of the cast along with George Lovett who was a contestant on “American Idol.” And then we have a new star playing Dorothy, she just graduated from Howard drama, as well as Latrice Pace, one of the legendary [Anointed] Pace Sisters.
Black theater has struggled, especially since the pandemic. My hope is to introduce new fans to it and remind old fans of why they need to support it. It’s a celebration of everything unique to our culture. I’ve coined this “The Lemon Pepper” Wiz.
Images by DeWayne Rogers Photography
One Response
I’m excited to see what he brings to this revamped version of The Wiz. I saw the original touring company back when I was a kid!
A couple of timeline corrections: the FIRST movie Quincy Jones did the score for, was “The Pawnbroker” in 1964. He had done the score for at least 25 films before “The Wiz”. Diana Ross’s Oscar nomination was for “Lady Sings The Blues” in 1972. “Mahogan” came out in 1975. “The Wiz” was filmed in 1978. It was an important film for them, but not on a career changing level.