Entertainment
 

The Wiz (stage)

From Oz Wiki

The Wiz was a stage musical which was a modernized reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It premiered on Broadway in 1975 starring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy; Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow; Tiger Haynes as the Tin Man; Ted Ross as the Lion; Mabel King as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West; and Andre De Shields as the title character. It was directed by Geoffrey Holder, and had a score by Charlie Smalls, a libretto by William F. Brown, and won 7 Tony Awards in 1975, including Best Musical. It was made into a movie in 1978.

Production Staff

  • Book: William F. Brown
  • Book: Sam Bobrick [uncredited]
  • Source Material: Based on the novel by L. Frank Baum
  • Music/Lyrics: Charlie Smalls
  • Music (additional): George Faison
  • Music (additional): Timothy Graphenreed
  • Music (additional): Luther Vandross
  • Producer: Ken Harper
  • Director: Geoffrey Holder
  • Choreography: George Faison
  • Settings: Tom H. John
  • Costumes: Geoffrey Holder
  • Lighting: Tharon Musser
  • Sound: Richard J.C. Miller
  • Musical Director: Charles H. Coleman
  • Orchestrations: Harold Wheeler
  • Dance Arrangements: Timothy Graphenreed
  • Vocal Arrangements: Charles H. Coleman
  • Music Coordinator: Earl Shendell
  • Wardrobe Supervisor: Yvonne Stoney
  • Assistant to Choreographer/Dance Captain: John Parks
  • Wigs: Stanley James
  • General Manager: Emanuel Azenberg
  • General Manager: Eugene V. Wolsk
  • Manager: Jose Vega
  • Company Manager: Susan Bell
  • Press: Merlin Group
  • Press: Sandra Manley
  • Press: Elizabeth Rodman

Original Cast

  • Aunt Em: Tasha Thomas
  • Toto: Nancy
  • Dorothy: Stephanie Mills
  • Uncle Henry: Ralph Wilcox
  • Tornado: Evelyn Thomas
  • Munchkins: Phylicia Ayers-Allen, Pi Douglass, Joni Palmer, Andy Torres, Carl Weaver
  • Addaperle: Clarice Taylor
  • Yellow Brick Road: Ronald Dunham, Eugene Little, John Parks, Kenneth Scott
  • Scarecrow: Hinton Battle
  • Crows: Wendy Edmead, Frances Morgan, Ralph Wilcox
  • Tinman: Tiger Haynes
  • Lion: Ted Ross
  • Kalidahs: Phillip Bond, Pi Douglass, Rodney Green, Evelyn Thomas, Andy Torres
  • Poppies: Lettie Battle, Leslie Butler, Eleanor McCoy, Frances Morgan, Joni Palmer
  • Field Mice: Phylicia Ayers-Allen, Pi Douglass, Carl Weaver, Ralph Wilcox
  • Royal Gatekeeper: Danny Beard
  • The Wiz: AndrĂ© De Shields
  • Evillene: Mabel King
  • Lord High Underling: Ralph Wilcox
  • Soldier Messenger: Carl Weaver
  • Winged Monkey: Andy Torres
  • Glinda: Dee Dee Bridgewater
  • Emerald City Citizens: Lettie Battle, Leslie Butler, Wendy Edmead, Eleanor McCoy, Frances Morgan, Joni Palmer, Evelyn Thomas, Phillip Bond, Ronald Dunham, Rodney Green, Eugene Little, John Parks, Kenneth Scott, Andy Torres
  • Pit Singers: Frank Floyd, Sam Harkness, Jozella Reed, Tasha Thomas