Actress Nichelle Lewis has been cast as Dorothy in the highly anticipated Broadway revival of The Wiz. Lewis, who gained recognition on TikTok, was chosen for the role after more than 2,000 submissions. In addition to her Broadway role, she has also been announced as the lead for the upcoming National Tour of the musical. The tour will kick off in Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre on September 23 and run until September 30. It will then continue to other cities across the United States before its limited run in New York.
Wayne Brady has already been announced as the Wiz for the Broadway production, with appearances in San Francisco and Los Angeles scheduled before the Broadway run. Alan Mingo Jr. will portray the Wiz in additional tour cities, including Cleveland, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. The musical will also star Deborah Cox as Glinda, Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow. Both Richardson and Wilson will make their Broadway debuts in their respective roles.
Lewis’ casting announcement comes after the news that Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker have joined the production team for The Wiz. They join the already impressive team, which includes Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, and Ambassador Theatre Group.
Announced in December 2022, The Wiz revival will feature an infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop. It will be directed by Schele Williams and features a book written by William F. Brown, with a score by Charlie Smalls and others. Music supervision, orchestrations, and music arrangements are helmed by Joseph Joubert, with choreography led by Jaquel Knight in his Broadway debut. Additional material comes from Tony-nominated and Emmy-nominated writer Amber Ruffin, as well as Allen René Louis for vocal and music arrangements.
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The design team for the musical includes scenic designer Hannah Beachler (known for her work on Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King, and Lemonade), costume designer Sharen Davis (known for Ray and Dreamgirls), lighting designer Ryan J. O’Gara (known for Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound designer Jon Weston (known for Parade), projection designer Daniel Brodie (known for Motown the Musical), and wig designer Charles LaPointe (known for MJ the Musical).
The Wiz is based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and originally opened in Baltimore in 1974. It later transferred to Broadway’s Majestic Theatre in 1975 and ran for a total of 1,672 performances over four years, including a transfer to The Broadway Theatre. The original production won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Direction of a Musical. It was also adapted into an iconic film in 1978, starring Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne. The film marked Quincy Jones’ first collaboration with Michael Jackson. In addition, NBC aired a live TV production called The Wiz Live! in 2015.
The Broadway revival of The Wiz is highly anticipated, and the casting of Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy has generated excitement among fans of the musical. With an all-star cast and a talented production team, the revival is sure to bring a fresh and exciting take on this beloved story. Theatergoers can look forward to a dazzling production filled with music, dance, and a modern twist on a classic tale.
