THE WIZ Comes to the Springer Opera House
The Wiz opens at 7:00 pm, September 19, and runs through September 28.
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 10, 2025
The Springer Opera House, Georgia's historic State Theatre, will kick off its 2025-26 season with a high-voltage, soulful celebration of courage, heart and home. The Wiz opens at 7:00 pm, September 19, and runs through September 28.
Directed and choreographed by the Springer's Artistic Director Keith McCoy, this reimagined classic brings the land of Oz alive with dazzling choreography, powerful voices and a soundscape rooted in R&B, soul, gospel and funk. "The Wiz is more than a musical. It's a cultural moment," says McCoy. "This show gave voice to a new vision of Oz, full of rhythm and identity. Our production honors that legacy while infusing it with the energy and talent of our incredible cast."
First debuting on Broadway in 1975, The Wiz is a contemporary African American adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It quickly became a cultural touchstone. With music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and a book by William F. Brown, the show took home seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Direction of a Musical. The production includes iconic songs such as "Ease On Down the Road," "No Bad News" and the soul-stirring ballad "Home."
McCoy's dual role as director and choreographer ensures that this production is as dynamically visual as it is emotionally resonant. "There's something truly joyful about telling this story through movement," McCoy says. "From the Emerald City to the Poppy Fields, every place in Oz is transformed through movement and music."
One of the few active regional producing theatres in the Southeast, the Springer Opera House constructs custom sets, designs production-specific lighting and creates original costumes for each of its shows. Unlike touring productions, which often rely on pre-designed elements, the Springer builds its productions from the ground up with work done by in-house artisans, designers and technicians. Its current staging of The Wiz continues that tradition, with every visual element tailored specifically for this production. From Dorothy to Toto, each role features unique design choices based on L. Frank Baum's source material and interpreted for a Modern Stage. Dorothy's costume includes silver, jewel-studded kitten-heel boots, a reference to Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which the character's shoes were silver.
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