A Broadway Musical the black-themed musical itself. "The Wiz" proved to be Brown's only success. Following a dismal October–November tryout with Helen Gallagher and Julius LaRosa at the theatre in the Riverside Church in Morningside Heights, the producers fired most of the cast and creative personnel, including director/choreographer George Faison. Gower Champion was called in to rescue the Broadway-bound production with only a month to go, but he feared that the show's defects were too serious to remedy and insisted on receiving a "Production supervised by" credit only. After 14 previews, the Broadway production opened and closed the same night at the Lunt-Fontanne
Kelly (musical) on a percentage of ticket sales for each of the show's profitable weeks. Before its Broadway opening, the show was presented for three weeks in Philadelphia and half a week in Boston. While "Kelly" was in tryouts, roles played by Ella Logan, Jack Creley, and Avery Schreiber were cut by show doctors Leonard Stern and Mel Brooks. Pre-Broadway promotion for the show included an event on the Brooklyn Bridge with a series of chorus girls. Directed and choreographed by Herbert Ross, the musical began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre on February 1, 1965 and opened (and closed) on February 6