- We’re shining a light on The Wiz’s Broadway debut in ‘74.
We are celebrating The Wiz all month at Soul Music Society. Yep, I’m talkin’ ’bout the legendary Broadway production from ’74 and the iconic film from ’78. The Wiz was one of the first large-scale, big-budget Broadway musicals to star an all-Black cast. The Wiz features music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African-American culture.
The Wiz opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, and on January 5, 1975, moved to the Majestic Theatre on Broadway with Geoffrey Holder at the helm. The cast starred Stephanie Mills as Dorothy, Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow, Tiger Haynes as the Tin Man, Ted Ross as the Lion, Dee Dee Bridgewater as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, André De Shields as the Wizard, Mabel King as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, Clarice Taylor as Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, Tasha Thomas as Aunt Em, Ralph Wilcox as Uncle Henry and Phylicia Rashad as a Munchkin.
Watch this full length filming of The Wiz on Broadway.
In this article
Cherish
Artist Name: The Wiz Broadway Cast Album
Album Name: The Wiz – The Super Soul Musical: Original Cast Album (1975 Broadway Cast)
And did y’all know that The Wiz is on tour RIGHT NOW featuring an all star INCREDIBLE cast? Included in that cast is my very own sister Judith Franklin. She’s beyond talented. I ain’t even biased! It’s all facts! Check their official IG page @thewizbway and website for all the details about their tour! Get tickets when they’re in or close to your city!
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