William F. Brown

The 5th Avenue Theatre Announces 2022/23 Season

The 5th Avenue Theatre announced its 2022/23 Season. The 2022/23 Season features a dynamic lineup of musical theater magic that includes a world premiere, a co-production with ACT – A Contemporary Theatre, and fresh takes on musical theater favorites that investigate the complicated, often messy, but always sublimely beautiful truths of living.

TCT Presents The World-Premiere Adaptation of THE WIZ JR. At the Taft Theatre this April 

Audiences are invited to 'Ease On Down The Road' to the Taft Theatre when The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati presents the world-premiere adaptation of THE WIZ JR., April 2-11, 2022. This fresh 60-minute version rounds out the company's 21-22 MainStage Season. Tickets are on sale now.  

Open Auditions Announced for The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati's Production of THE WIZ JR.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is holding online auditions for a brand-new adaptation of THE WIZ JR., opening at the Taft Theatre in April 2022. Whether you see yourself as a beginner who only sings in the shower and dances in the kitchen, or you’ve performed with them before, everyone is welcome on their stage.

Photos: The Grand Prairie Arts Council Presents THE WIZ

The Grand Prairie Arts Council will present The Wiz, written by William F. Brown, music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, and directed by Eric Criner. The show runs Sept 17 - 26, 2021, at the Uptown Theater located at 120 E Main St, Grand Prairie, TX 75050.

The Grand Prairie Arts Council Presents THE WIZ

The Grand Prairie Arts Council presents The Wiz, written by William F. Brown, music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, and directed by Eric Criner. The show runs Sept 17 - 26, 2021, at the Uptown Theater located at 120 E Main St, Grand Prairie, TX 75050.

Estate of THE WIZ Creators William F. Brown and Tina Tippit Will Go on Sale

Rose Island Auctions & Sales has announced that the estate of William F. Brown and Tina Tippit, creators of the Broadway hit, THE WIZ, will go on sale beginning Friday, July 23, in Westport, Connecticut.

Full Creative Team and Open Auditions Announced For THE WIZ at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre

As previously announced, this Christmas Hope Mill Theatre will stage the first new UK production of The Wiz, in 10 years, running from Wednesday 24th November 2021 to Sunday 16th January 2022.

Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre To Stage New Production Of THE WIZ

Hope Mill Theatre has announced that this Christmas it will stage the first new UK production of The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in 10 years. With music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, book by William F. Brown and original orchestrations by Harold Wheeler, The Wiz is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Celebrating Black History Month: Encores! Eases On Down the Road with THE WIZ in 2009

Today we're celebrating Black History Month by taking a closer look at the 2009 Encores! production of The Wiz, which starred James Monroe Iglehart, Joshua Henry, LaChanze, Ashanti and more. Watch as we take you inside rehearsals with the cast!

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati Announces 102nd Season

After a much smaller, socially-distant season inside the company’s Showtime Stage on Red Bank Road, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is ready to roll out the red carpet and welcome patrons home to the Taft Theatre in Downtown Cincinnati starting this October 2021. 

The 5th Avenue Theatre Announces 2022/23 Season

The 5th Avenue Theatre announced its 2022/23 Season. The 2022/23 Season features a dynamic lineup of musical theater magic that includes a world premiere, a co-production with ACT – A Contemporary Theatre, and fresh takes on musical theater favorites that investigate the complicated, often messy, but always sublimely beautiful truths of living.

Celebrating Black History Month: Encores! Eases On Down the Road with THE WIZ in 2009

Today we're celebrating Black History Month by taking a closer look at the 2009 Encores! production of The Wiz, which starred James Monroe Iglehart, Joshua Henry, LaChanze, Ashanti and more. Watch as we take you inside rehearsals with the cast!

VIDEO: Get A First Look At TUTS' THE WIZ

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Theatre Under The Stars' upcoming production of The Wiz! Leading off the cast is Salome B. Smith in the role of 'Dorothy'. Smith is a recent graduate of Alabama State University where she performed in many theatrical productions including The Color Purple, Rent and Carousel. Marva Hicks is playing the role of 'The Wiz'. Hicks has appeared on Broadway in Motown The Musical, Caroline or Change, and The Lion King. Yvette Clark will play the roles of 'Evilene', 'Glinda', and 'Aunt Em'. Clark has appeared in numerous regional productions including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Showboat, Chicago, and Hairspray. Simone Gundy will play the role of 'Addaperle'. Gundy returns to TUTS after starring in the 2017 production of Memphis. Paris Nix is playing 'Tin Man'. Nix was last seen on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Allyson Kaye Daniel is 'Lion'. Daniel most recently appeared at TUTS as 'Miss Jones' in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Her other credits include Newsies, Ghost, and We Will Rock You. Christopher Campbell, who just appeared in the TUTS production of Oklahoma! as Will Parker, will play the role of Scarecrow

VIDEO: Go Inside Rehearsals For TUTS' THE WIZ

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is excited to introduce the cast of its upcoming production of The Wiz!

VIDEO: The Cast of The Muny's THE WIZ Performs 'Y'all Got It'

The Wiz is rocking its way down the Yellow Brick Road to The Muny's stage, through tonight, June 25. Watch a video of the cast performing 'Y'all Got It' below!

VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Muny's THE WIZ!

The Wiz is rocking its way down the Yellow Brick Road to The Muny's stage, and BroadwayWorld has a first look! Check out the video below!

VIDEO: Get a Preview of The Muny's THE WIZ

The Wiz is rocking its way down the Yellow Brick Road to The Muny's stage, get a preview of the upcoming production below!

The cast and crew of NBC's acclaimed production of THE WIZ LIVE! reunited yesterday, Wednesday, June 1 at Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles for a panel discussion and live musical performances. Check out clips from the day below!

Today 1985, the first Broadway revival of The Wiz opened at the Lunt-Fontanne THeatre, where it ran for 13 performances. The Wiz is a musical with 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. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland and moved to the Majestic Theatre. The 1975 Broadway production won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Saturday's episode of NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE featured a spoof on last week's live broadcat of THE WIZ LIVE! In the sketch, West Oz's Scarecrow (host Ryan Gosling) mistakenly ends up in East Oz with Dorothy (Sasheer Zamata), Cowardly Lion (Kenan Thompson), Tin Man (Jay Pharoah), Scarecrow (Michael Che) and The Wiz (Leslie Jones).