The initial group of actors for the revival of the popular 1975 Broadway production, The Wiz, has been revealed. R&B vocalist Avery Wilson will play the Scarecrow in the new production, a role previously played by Hinton Battle and Michael Jackson.
“Cats out the bag! Im very grateful & honored to be a part of the history of the iconic wiz !!!!” Wilson wrote in a caption, expressing his gratitude.
Phillip Johnson Richardson will play the Tinman and Kyle Remar Freeman as the Lion. The lead role of Dorothy is still unannounced.
Schele Williams will direct The Wiz revival, featuring William F. Brown’s screenplay and Charlie Smalls’ music and lyrics. It’s also adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum.
JaQuel Knight, who has crafted dance routines for music videos by Beyoncé, Fifth Harmony and Nicki Minaj, will choreograph the production.
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Todd Tucker and Kandi Burruss-Tucker are now part of the production team with producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, and Brian Anthony Moreland.
The husband-wife duo previously had success with August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, which is nominated for Best Revival of a Play at the 2023 Tony Awards.
The logline states that this version of The Wiz is a thrilling blend of ballet, jazz, and modern pop, resulting in a fresh and exciting experience of “easing on down the road.”
The Wiz is slated to begin previews for its first Broadway-bound tour in 40 years at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, from Sept. 23 to Sept. 30. The show will tour U.S. cities until the end of 2023, then have a short run in cities like San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles in 2024.
Wilson has not released a collection of songs since 2019’s 8:34. Prior to that, he dropped his EP FYI in 2018.
“When I was writing FYI, I was in the midst of getting out of a relationship that I thought was going to last and didn’t, which happens frequently in everybody’s life. So, it was a topic that I felt like people could relate to. I also had a lot to talk about, like just getting out of contractual things, label situations and becoming independent,” Wilson told Rated R&B.
In 2020, Wilson released a one-off track (“Smoke“) and was enlisted for tracks by Kenyon Dixon, Q Parker and Jared Jenkins and Michael Korte.
Since then, Wilson has stayed on the go with performances across the country and tribute shows, including last year’s Black Music Honors.
Wilson’s next show is June 18 at the third annual TriState Black Pride Festival at Overton Park in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Wiz 2023-2024 Season Schedule
Sep 23 – Sep 30, 2023 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome Theatre
Oct 3 – Oct 22, 2023 – Cleveland, OH @ Playhouse Square
Oct 24 – Oct 29, 2023 – Washington, D.C. @ National Theatre
Oct 31 – Nov 5, 2023 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center
Nov 7 – Nov 12, 2023 – Charlotte, NC @ Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Nov 14 – Nov 19, 2023 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
Nov 21 – Nov 26, 2023 – Greenville, SC @ The Peace Center
Nov 28 – Dec 10, 2023 – Chicago, IL @ Cadillac Palace Theatre
Dec 12 – Dec 17, 2023 @ Des Moines, IA @ Des Moines Civic Center
Jan 2 – Jan 7, 2024 – Tempe, AZ @ ASU Gammage
Jan 9 – Jan 14, 2024 – San Diego, CA @ Civic Theatre
Jan 16 – Feb 11, 2024 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre
Feb 13 – Mar 3, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Tickets for The Wiz can be purchased at wizmusical.com.
