BROADWAY-BOUND ‘THE WIZ’ FINDS ITS LION, TINMAN AND SCARECROW
The Broadway-bound revival of The Wiz, which will launch a national tour in Baltimore this fall, has cast Kyle Ramar Freeman (A Strange Loop) as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson (Apple+’s Sharper) as the Tinman, and former The Voice contestant Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow.
Richardson and Wilson will be making their Broadway debuts. Casting for the character of Dorothy has yet to be announced.
The revival, featuring some new material by Amber Ruffin, is produced by Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker, who issued the joint statement today announcing the castings. The revival is set to arrive on Broadway next spring.
Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a score by Charlie Smalls (and others), the revival will be directed by Schele Williams and choreographed by JaQuel Knight. The Wiz premiered on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne.