Following the Yellow Brick Road— ‘The Wiz’ National Tour
There’s something deeply nostalgic about sitting in a velvet seat, lights dimming, and hearing the first notes of “Ease on Down the Road.” For many—myself included—The Wiz is more than just a reimagining of The Wizard of Oz. It’s a cultural landmark. I’ve seen the 1978 film with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. I watched the 2015 NBC live production with Uzo Aduba and Queen Latifah. But this new national tour? It wants to be something different. It is different. And it both flies high and stumbles—sometimes in the same breath.
[Warning: Spoilers from the North American tour of The Wiz are below!]
The Dazzling lights of Oz shine in this Broadway revival
Wednesday night, the audience buzzed with excitement. Kids in sparkly shoes, older couples nodding to the familiar rhythms, a community ready to be charmed. And for the most part, we were.
Dana Cimone’s Dorothy is an undeniable force—more grounded than Ross and less precocious than Shanice Williams on NBC’s The Wiz Live! Cimone has a clarion voice and a quiet emotional core that makes her journey feel deeply personal. She doesn’t perform “Home” as a showstopper—it’s a reflection, an arrival, a reckoning. That restraint works.
Alongside her are three standouts. Elijah Ahmad Lewis’ Scarecrow is a delight—rubbery, elastic, endearing without falling into caricature. D. Jerome, as the Tinman, finds the emotional ache beneath the chrome. And Cal Mitchell’s Lion walks the fine line between clownish and courageous, nailing the balance of laughs and heart.
But the star that really anchors this production of The Wiz? Alan Mingo Jr. as The Wiz. He strides onto the stage with the presence of a seasoned showman, and when he opens up in “Believe in Yourself,” you do. Mingo Jr. takes a character that can easily become a gimmick and makes him matter.
JaQuel Knight’s choreography pulses with a Beyoncé-adjacent swagger. In moments like “He’s the Wiz” and the Emerald City sequence, the stage crackles. There’s a clear attempt here to bridge generations—to inject pop vernacular and movement vocabularies that resonate with a younger crowd. Adam Blackstone’s updated musical arrangements support this, threading funk, gospel, and R&B through the original Charlie Smalls score.
But even with all that momentum, The Wiz sometimes loses its footing
The book, with additions by Amber Ruffin, swings between punchy and perplexing. Some of her humor lands—especially in Evillene’s lair—but elsewhere, jokes undercut character development.
Visually, the production relies heavily on projections. And while some of these—particularly during the tornado or Emerald City—are genuinely stunning, they often stand in for a more immersive set. At times, it feels like a Broadway-caliber cast trapped in a touring-size box. The lack of physical set pieces makes the world of Oz feel less lived-in. It’s stylish but sterile.
Additionally, there are the sound issues that plague the show. In several scenes, drums overwhelmed the vocals. Important lines—especially during ensemble numbers—were swallowed by poor mixing. It robbed some numbers of their impact and left quieter moments feeling flat.
The Wiz is still worth easing on down the road for
That said, the costuming is a triumph. Sharen Davis imbues each character with a modern Afrocentric flair—Glinda’s regal whites, Evillene’s fiery reds, the citizenry of Oz in vibrant, otherworldly couture. The visual storytelling succeeds even when the physical stage feels sparse.
This tour is in its “take-off” stage. You can feel it in every pivot and pirouette, every riff and belt. And when it soars—as it often does—it feels like flying.
But for all its magic, The Wiz on tour still feels like a production in search of a final polish. It needs richer character moments, tighter pacing, and sound design that does justice to its exceptional vocal talent. It needs to trust its heart as much as its visuals.
Still, it’s a joy to walk that Yellow Brick Road again. To remember that home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling, a voice, a note that hits you right in the chest. If you’re a longtime fan, you’ll leave the theater smiling. If you’re new to Oz’s soulful cousin, you’ll see its promise.
The national tour of The Wiz is running now through June 29th at the Fisher Theatre as the final show of Broadway in Detroit’s 2024-2025 season. Make sure to grab your tickets as this is one show you don’t want to miss! Not a native of Detroit- that’s okay! Catch this show at a city near you by checking out their next stops! Have you seen this musical before? What are your thoughts on the story and music of this beloved show? Let us know on social media @boxseatbabes!
Exclusive Interview: D. Jerome (Tinman) of The Wiz
