Ease on down the road to the bushnell for The wiz!
By Kiersten Bjork (March 12, 2025)
The national tour of The Wiz, playing at The Bushnell in Hartford March 11-16, is a delightful adventure down the yellow brick road packed with unforgettable rock, soul, gospel, and funk tunes and brimming with stellar performances. Featuring iconic songs such as “Ease on Down the Road,” “Everybody Rejoice,” and “Home,” it’s two and a half hours of magic, music, and fun.
Adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wiz has a book by William F. Brown and music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, with additional material for this production by Amber Ruffin. Original orchestrations are by Harold Wheeler, with music arrangements by Joseph Joubert and Allen René Louis. Joubert is credited as music supervisor and orchestrations, with Louis on vocal arrangements, and Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn on dance music arrangements. The tour is directed by Schele Williams and choreographed by Jaquel Knight, with Emily Madigan as associate director, Ashley Seldon as associate choreographer, Victor Simonson as music director, and Michael Aarons as music coordinator. The direction and choreography are dynamic and packed with energy throughout.
The Wiz follows young Dorothy as she struggles to fit in at her new school and home with her Aunt Em. When a tornado sweeps her away to the magical land of Oz, Dorothy is informed by the good witches that she must embark on a journey to see The Wiz – he will know how to send her back to Kansas. Along the way, Dorothy befriends a Scarecrow, a Tinman, and a Lion, all of whom join her adventure as they are seeking their own desires from the Wiz. Along the yellow brick road they encounter Poppies, Kalidahs, Ozians, and more, all the while exploring themes of friendship, self-worth, and finding your place in the world.
The national tour of The Wiz, playing at The Bushnell in Hartford March 11-16, is a delightful adventure down the yellow brick road packed with unforgettable rock, soul, gospel, and funk tunes and brimming with stellar performances. Featuring iconic songs such as “Ease on Down the Road,” “Everybody Rejoice,” and “Home,” it’s two and a half hours of magic, music, and fun.
Adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wiz has a book by William F. Brown and music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, with additional material for this production by Amber Ruffin. Original orchestrations are by Harold Wheeler, with music arrangements by Joseph Joubert and Allen René Louis. Joubert is credited as music supervisor and orchestrations, with Louis on vocal arrangements, and Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn on dance music arrangements. The tour is directed by Schele Williams and choreographed by Jaquel Knight, with Emily Madigan as associate director, Ashley Seldon as associate choreographer, Victor Simonson as music director, and Michael Aarons as music coordinator. The direction and choreography are dynamic and packed with energy throughout.
The Wiz follows young Dorothy as she struggles to fit in at her new school and home with her Aunt Em. When a tornado sweeps her away to the magical land of Oz, Dorothy is informed by the good witches that she must embark on a journey to see The Wiz – he will know how to send her back to Kansas. Along the way, Dorothy befriends a Scarecrow, a Tinman, and a Lion, all of whom join her adventure as they are seeking their own desires from the Wiz. Along the yellow brick road they encounter Poppies, Kalidahs, Ozians, and more, all the while exploring themes of friendship, self-worth, and finding your place in the world.
Kyle Ramar Freeman as Lion, Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Phillip Johnson Richardson as Tinman, and Avery Wilson as Scarecrow in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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“The Emerald City” in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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Dorothy is played by Dana Cimone. Dorothy has so many songs to carry throughout the show, and I can honestly say that I was impressed by each and every one of them. Cimone’s Dorothy is sweet yet strong, hesitant yet resilient. She takes us on the journey with her, and by the end of the show brings the house down with “Home.” Her relationships with Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion are endearing, and watching the four of them together is one of the best parts of the show.
Elijah Ahmad Lewis is perhaps my favorite to watch over the course of the production, as he knocks the role of Scarecrow out of the park. Lewis brings so much energy, life, and vibrancy to the character, practically bursting with light as he tells the story. I enjoyed the movement choices that evoked his Scarecrow-nature, and was blown away by his rendition of “You Can’t Win.”
Joining the crew on the yellow brick road is D. Jerome as Tinman. Similar to Lewis, the movement and choreography for Tinman are incredibly well done, and Jerome executes it all to perfection. From the rigid, robotic style to the post-oil smoothness, Jerome delivers a powerful performance, both physically and vocally.
Rounding out the group is Mykal Kilgore as Lion. Kilgore is absolutely precious in this track: a Lion who prefers to be pampered and takes extra care with where he places his tail. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – this cast can sing, and Kilgore’s “Mean Ole Lion” is truly a performance fit for the King of the Jungle.
Elijah Ahmad Lewis is perhaps my favorite to watch over the course of the production, as he knocks the role of Scarecrow out of the park. Lewis brings so much energy, life, and vibrancy to the character, practically bursting with light as he tells the story. I enjoyed the movement choices that evoked his Scarecrow-nature, and was blown away by his rendition of “You Can’t Win.”
Joining the crew on the yellow brick road is D. Jerome as Tinman. Similar to Lewis, the movement and choreography for Tinman are incredibly well done, and Jerome executes it all to perfection. From the rigid, robotic style to the post-oil smoothness, Jerome delivers a powerful performance, both physically and vocally.
Rounding out the group is Mykal Kilgore as Lion. Kilgore is absolutely precious in this track: a Lion who prefers to be pampered and takes extra care with where he places his tail. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – this cast can sing, and Kilgore’s “Mean Ole Lion” is truly a performance fit for the King of the Jungle.
Avery Wilson as Scarecrow in “You Can’t Win” in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production
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Phillip Johnson Richardson as Tinman in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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Addaperle and Glinda, the good witches, are played by Amitria Fanae’ and Sheherazade, respectively. Fanae’ and Sheherazade wow the audience with impressive vocals and killer stage presence. Sheherazade’s “Believe In Yourself” is breathtaking, and Fanae’ has the crowd in stitches from early on. Fanae’ also has a great comedic moment as Gatekeeper 1 later in the show.
Kyla Jade plays both Aunt Em and Evillene. Both characters require some serious singing, and Jade does not disappoint. Her rendition of “The Feeling We Once Had” with Cimone is beautiful. There were times that I felt Jade wasn’t quite as expressive as the surrounding characters, but it works for the tempestuous Evillene.
Alan Mingo Jr. reprises his role as The Wiz after playing the part in the Broadway revival. Mingo Jr. dazzles in the track, charming the crowd as the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. While we don’t meet him until the second act, Mingo Jr. makes up for lost time by following up the opening number of act two with a powerhouse performance of “Meet the Wizard.”
Rounding out the company in the ensemble that portrays everything from the Tornado and Poppies to Ozians, crows, winkies, and the yellow brick road, are Maati Kheprimeni Angaza, Sai Anthony, Joseph Armon Boyd, Lawrence Dandridge, Cyniah Elise, Gregory Hamilton, Maya Imani, Cal Mitchell, Moriah Perry, Josh Walker, Lyn Webber, Kameren Whigman, and Chanse Williams. The ensemble really elevates the show, and many of the performers take on additional featured tracks, including Mitchell as Lord High Underling, Anthony as Announcer (Emerald City), Dandridge as Gatekeeper 2, Elise and Webber as The Wiz’s backup singers, and Elise as Duke Low Underling. Aliyah Caldwell (assistant dance captain), Kaiyla Gross, Jesse Jones (dance captain), Leon Ray, Ephraim Takyi, and Mikayla White support the show as swings.
Kyla Jade plays both Aunt Em and Evillene. Both characters require some serious singing, and Jade does not disappoint. Her rendition of “The Feeling We Once Had” with Cimone is beautiful. There were times that I felt Jade wasn’t quite as expressive as the surrounding characters, but it works for the tempestuous Evillene.
Alan Mingo Jr. reprises his role as The Wiz after playing the part in the Broadway revival. Mingo Jr. dazzles in the track, charming the crowd as the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. While we don’t meet him until the second act, Mingo Jr. makes up for lost time by following up the opening number of act two with a powerhouse performance of “Meet the Wizard.”
Rounding out the company in the ensemble that portrays everything from the Tornado and Poppies to Ozians, crows, winkies, and the yellow brick road, are Maati Kheprimeni Angaza, Sai Anthony, Joseph Armon Boyd, Lawrence Dandridge, Cyniah Elise, Gregory Hamilton, Maya Imani, Cal Mitchell, Moriah Perry, Josh Walker, Lyn Webber, Kameren Whigman, and Chanse Williams. The ensemble really elevates the show, and many of the performers take on additional featured tracks, including Mitchell as Lord High Underling, Anthony as Announcer (Emerald City), Dandridge as Gatekeeper 2, Elise and Webber as The Wiz’s backup singers, and Elise as Duke Low Underling. Aliyah Caldwell (assistant dance captain), Kaiyla Gross, Jesse Jones (dance captain), Leon Ray, Ephraim Takyi, and Mikayla White support the show as swings.
Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy and Melody Betts as Aunt Em in “The Feeling We Once Had” in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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Alan Mingo Jr. as The Wiz in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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Scenic design by Hannah Beachler is effective in telling the story through setting. There are a variety of scenic pieces that are set and struck to evoke the different locations, from the Scarecrow’s barn to the Wiz’s stage, though a number of the settings also rely on the projections on the upstage wall to support the overall look. Video and projection designer Daniel Brodie does a good job of filling in the background of each moment with floor to ceiling video and projection backdrops upstage, however, I didn’t love the style of the projections as it does make them feel AI-generated in a variety of spots, whether this is or isn’t the case.
Lighting designer Ryan J. O’Gara crafts a range of gorgeous looks for the productions, really utilizing color, spotlights, and selective shadows to the fullest. I particularly enjoyed the entire sequence of the tornadoes, in not just the lighting, but the overall effect of the combination of projection, video, lighting, costumes, sound, and more. Sound design by Jon Weston is solid throughout. The effects and overall balancing were well done.
Costumes by designer Sharen Davis are one of my favorite aspects of the show. There is such a stunning array of colors, patterns, and textures at play in the design, and it effortlessly evokes the magic of Oz. The range of ensemble costumes for the production are just as impressive as the principals, if not more so, even just in the sheer number of looks the ensemble moves through over the course of the production. Hair and wig design by Charles G. Lapointe and makeup design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche support the costumes and characters beautifully, helping to build out the characters even further. Glinda’s dress and hair are one of my favorite looks, with the design for the Tinman right up there as well.
Lighting designer Ryan J. O’Gara crafts a range of gorgeous looks for the productions, really utilizing color, spotlights, and selective shadows to the fullest. I particularly enjoyed the entire sequence of the tornadoes, in not just the lighting, but the overall effect of the combination of projection, video, lighting, costumes, sound, and more. Sound design by Jon Weston is solid throughout. The effects and overall balancing were well done.
Costumes by designer Sharen Davis are one of my favorite aspects of the show. There is such a stunning array of colors, patterns, and textures at play in the design, and it effortlessly evokes the magic of Oz. The range of ensemble costumes for the production are just as impressive as the principals, if not more so, even just in the sheer number of looks the ensemble moves through over the course of the production. Hair and wig design by Charles G. Lapointe and makeup design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche support the costumes and characters beautifully, helping to build out the characters even further. Glinda’s dress and hair are one of my favorite looks, with the design for the Tinman right up there as well.
Melody Betts as Evillene in “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Keenan D. Washington, and Avilon Trust Tate in “The Emerald City” in The Wiz Pre-Broadway Production (Jeremy Daniel)
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The national tour of The Wiz is a dazzling spectacle perfect for audiences of all ages. Experience the groundbreaking musical for yourself – see the tour of The Wiz now through March 16 at the Bushnell, or on their route later this year. Dates and venues can be found at wizmusical.com/tour-dates.
The Wiz plays March 11-16, 2025, at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT. Learn more and purchase tickets for upcoming Bushnell events online at bushnell.org or by calling the Box Office at (860) 987-5900.
Kiersten Bjork is a professional theatremaker, performer, and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.
The Wiz plays March 11-16, 2025, at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT. Learn more and purchase tickets for upcoming Bushnell events online at bushnell.org or by calling the Box Office at (860) 987-5900.
Kiersten Bjork is a professional theatremaker, performer, and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.