THE WIZ will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre for a limited one-week engagement.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, January 30 for the Chicago engagement of The Wiz, which will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre for a limited one-week engagement from March 31 through April 5.
The production is presented by Broadway In Chicago in association with producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker, and NETworks Presentations.
Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wiz features a book by William F. Brown and a score by Charlie Smalls, with additional music and lyrics by Luther Vandross. The musical reimagines the classic story through an all-Black cast and creative team, combining elements of soul, gospel, funk, and pop with the familiar journey of Dorothy.
The Chicago engagement will star Dana Cimone as Dorothy, making her national tour debut. Alan Mingo Jr. will reprise his role as The Wiz after originating the part on the pre-Broadway tour and appearing in the Broadway production. The cast also includes Sheherazade as Glinda, Kyla Jade as Aunt Em/Evillene, D. Jerome as the Tinman, Cal Mitchell as the Lion, and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as the Scarecrow, alongside an ensemble of dancers and performers.
The production is directed by Schele Williams, with choreography by JaQuel Knight. Additional material is by Amber Ruffin, with music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Joseph Joubert and vocal arrangements by Allen René Louis. Dance music arrangements are by Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn.
The design team includes scenic design by Hannah Beachler, costume design by Sharen Davis, lighting design by Ryan J. O’Gara, sound design by Jon Weston, video and projection design by Daniel Brodie, wig design by Charles LaPointe, and make-up design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche. Casting is by TRC Casting Company.
The Wiz premiered on Broadway in 1975, winning seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne. The most recent Broadway revival played at the Marquis Theatre in New York in 2024.
Individual tickets will go on sale Friday, January 30 and range from $43 to $121 when purchased at the box office, with additional fees applying to online purchases. Group tickets for parties of 10 or more are available by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com.
Performances will take place Tuesday through Sunday, with weekday evening shows, weekend matinees, and evening performances scheduled throughout the engagement.