The Wiz
Jeremy Daniel
Asher HaVon, Gabby Samone, Jaelen Spellman and Jose E. Figueroa Jr., from left, in the touring production of 'The Wiz.'
Asher HaVon, Gabby Samone, Jaelen Spellman and Jose E. Figueroa Jr., from left, in the touring production of 'The Wiz.'
Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion are heading down the Yellow Brick Road again, but this definitely isn’t your great-grandmother’s Wizard of Oz. The Wiz took the familiar story, gave it a soulful ’70s makeover, and became a Broadway sensation. Fifty years later, a Broadway revival has introduced Dorothy’s trip to Oz to another generation. Now that production comes to Madison with plenty of big voices, big dancing (with choreography by JaQuel Knight, the man behind the dance moves to Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies”), and big spectacle. Really, who couldn’t use a little more courage, heart and brains these days? Performances at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6-9, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11.
media release: Everybody look around! The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical that took the world by storm is back and coming to Madison. Tickets for ”The Wiz” will go on sale on Friday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m. for eight performances, playing Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Sunday, Oct. 11 in Overture Hall. Tickets are available at overture.org, by visiting the ticket office or by calling 608.258.4141. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by emailing [email protected].
Fresh off the critically acclaimed success of its landmark 50th Anniversary Tour, "The Wiz" returns with an exciting new national tour, bringing the groundbreaking musical to audiences from coast to coast. This next chapter continues to celebrate the timeless story, unforgettable music and electrifying theatrical magic that have inspired generations of theatergoers.
The Baltimore Sun raves, "Powerhouse performances. Stunning choreography. Visionary sets," while the Chicago Sun-Times proclaims "The Wiz" is "An eye-popping and high-intensity revival!"
This iconic, culture-defining reimagining of The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway—from its iconic score packed with soul, gospel, rock and '70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy's journey to find her place in a contemporary world.
Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook), award-winning choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black is King), writer of additional material by Tony-nominated and Emmy-nominated writer and TV host Amber Ruffin (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers”), Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations and music arrangements), Allen René Louis (vocal arrangements, music arrangements), and Emmy Award®-winning music director and Grammy Award®-winning writer Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn (Dance Music Arrangers) conjure up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before. A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz and modern pop bring a whole new groove to easing on down the road.
"The Wiz" design team includes scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound design by Jon Weston (Parade), video and projection design by Daniel Brodie (Motown the Musical), original wig design by Charles LaPointe (MJ the Musical) and original make-up design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche (The Piano Lesson).
The production also includes “Everybody Rejoice” music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the “Emerald City Ballet” with music by Timothy Graphenreed.
Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” "The Wiz" takes one of the world’s most enduring (and enduringly white) American fantasies and transforms it into an all-Black musical extravaganza for the ages.
"The Wiz" premiered on Broadway in 1975 and became an instant sensation, going on to win seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ted Ross), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Dee Dee Bridgewater), Best Choreography (George Faison), and in a Broadway first, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design (Geoffrey Holder). “Ease on Down the Road” became the show’s break-out single, and “Home” has since become a bona fide classic. That original production ran for four years (first at The Majestic Theatre and later at The Broadway Theatre)—and 1,672 performances—on Broadway. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne, and marked Quincy Jones’ first collaboration with Michael Jackson. The most recent Broadway revival played from March to August 2024 at the Marquis Theater in NYC and the First National & 50th Anniversary North American tour kicked off in February of 2025 traveling the country until May of 2026 ending in Toledo, Ohio.
