Review: THE WIZ AT THE SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE at Springer Opera House

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA — The Wiz premiered on Broadway 50 years ago, but you would never guess that the show is that old by watching the current production at the Springer Opera House. The energetic cast and wondrous visuals breathe fresh life into the play and make The Wiz compelling from start to finish.

The Wiz owes a debt to The Wizard of Oz but also escapes from it. No one can see The Wiz without thinking of the 1939 MGM film, and comparisons are inevitable. But The Wiz proudly stands as its own work of art and refuses to be boxed in by its audience's expectations. Half of the delight of seeing The Wiz is discovering where the show will follow earlier versions of the tale and where it will confidently depart from them. The script by William F. Brown is audacious and bold, and a production must live up to the lofty artistic demands that are hidden beneath the jazzy music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls.

Thankfully, the Springer Opera House's production meets these ideals while also entertaining its audience with humor and heart. Director and choreographer Keith McCoy surpasses his normal level of excellence in The Wiz, especially with the wide variety of dance styles in the production. From the Fosse-inspired crows in "I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday," to the energetic "Kalidah Battle," McCoy's choreography consistently pleases. McCoy also stages the scenes to seem larger than life; his lead performers fill the space without overacting or sacrificing emotion. The only shortcoming was in the tornado scene, which baffled me and my kids (though it was a great display of modern dance).

The cast of 16 might be the hardest-working actors in Georgia right now. Few have much downtime, as the same performers morph into crows, flying monkeys, Emerald City inhabitants, and more. Their performances never lack in enthusiasm, and they execute every dance step with precision.

Catara Brae stars as Dorothy Gale, and her performance is faultless. Over the course of the play, Brae has Dorothy growing from an eye-rolling teenager into a caring young woman. Crae's portrayal of this character arc makes the show advance beyond a simplistic story of a girl trying to get home. However, audiences will remember best her powerful renditions of "Soon as I Get Home" and "Who Do You Think You Are?" These songs (and others) are a vocal tour de force, but Crae also excels at laying her character's emotions bare on stage and inviting the audience to feel for Dorothy.

Jermarcus Riggins delights as the Scarecrow. His natural rhythm and carefree dancing make him ideal to introduce the audience to "Ease on Down the Road." As the Tin Man, Sterling McClary has the best physicality in the show. His "Slide Some Oil to Me" was a fun transition from the stiff to smooth. The Tin Man's occasional slips back into robot form (even sometimes performing The Robot) were fun little physical bits that helped differentiate him from the other leading characters. But Craig Terrell steals the show as the Cowardly Lion. His featured songs like "Mean Ole Lion" and "Be a Lion" were strengths of the production. Where Terrell excels most is in his comedic performance; he probably got more laughs than the rest of the cast combined. 

The four leading actors are all good on their own, but combined, together they have a synergy that is special to watch. In their first song together, these actors seem to be genuinely having fun, and their enjoyment is infectious. The camaraderie ties their scenes together and is the emotional core of the story. Because of this bond among them, the final scene is extremely touching as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion say goodbye to Dorothy. For all the razzle-dazzle of The Wiz, these leading actors never forget that it is a story about friendship.

The only fault in this production was in my ability to understand the lyrics. Music director Digger Howard helped this cast vocally meld the styles of traditional musical theatre, soul, and the Motown golden age. But the diction faltered more often than not. With my limited previous exposure to The Wiz limited (just the 2015 television version and the mess that is the 1978 film adaptation), I had to rely on my knowledge of the story to understand what was happening in many songs. The sound design (by Caleb Huneycutt) shoulders some of the blame, too.

The other production design elements live up to the excellence found in the acting and directing. Alex Allison's costume designs are magnificent and did more to create the different locations of the scenes than anything else. The costumes merged familiar styles with fantastical elements to create a new look for Oz. For example, the flying monkeys had their wings, but the skater helmets, T-shirts, thigh-high boots, jackets and skirt-like cloth around their waist resulted in a look that was eclectic but not chaotic. There are no misfires in Allison's designs, though I particularly enjoyed the glitz of the Emerald City and the over-the-top red jumpsuit for Evelliene.