The Wiz at the Keller Auditorium

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22 Cal Mitchell as The Lion, Dana Cimone as Dorothy, D Jerome as The Tinman, and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as The Scarecrow in the North American Tour of THE WIZ Photo by Jeremy Daniel

I had the opportunity to attend The Wiz during its recent run at the Keller Auditorium, and it was clear from the start that this production knows exactly what it wants to be: bold, high-energy, and unapologetically music-forward.

For anyone unfamiliar, The Wiz is a soulful reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, blending R&B, funk, gospel, and pop into a visually dynamic, ensemble-heavy show. Dorothy’s journey through Oz introduces familiar characters like the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, each searching for courage, heart, and confidence through strong vocals, expressive choreography, and plenty of personality.

13 The ensemble of The Wiz in Emerald City in the North American Tour of THE WIZ Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The cast came out swinging. Vocally, the performers were impressive across the board, and the choreography leaned big and expressive, filling the Keller with movement and momentum early on. This is very much a show that leads with sound and rhythm, and the energy level never wavered. Even if you tend to prefer your Broadway a little quieter or more story-driven, it’s hard not to appreciate the level of commitment onstage.

Opening night did experience a delayed start due to technical difficulties, with the show beginning about 30 minutes late. It wasn’t the smoothest start, but once underway, everything ran seamlessly. It’s also reassuring to know that those early issues were resolved and the rest of the run proceeded without interruption!

6 Kyla Jade as Aunt Em and Dana Cimone as Dorothy in the North American Tour of THE WIZ Photo by Jeremy Daniel

While the overall style wasn’t entirely my typical taste for Broadway (this is a big show with a capital B), the talent and execution were undeniable. The performers were polished, confident, and clearly enjoying what they were doing, and audiences who love vibrant, high-energy productions with a strong musical backbone will likely find a lot to enjoy here.

In the end, The Wiz delivers exactly what it promises: a lively, colorful, well-performed take on a classic story that leans heavily into music, movement, and joy. Even if it didn’t fully win me over stylistically, it’s easy to see why it resonates with fans and why it continues to hold a well-earned place in Broadway history.

5 Elijah Ahmad Lewis as The Scarecrow and Dana Cimone as Dorothy in the North American Tour of THE WIZ Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Ticket & Show Info:

Tickets are available online at www.BroadwayinPortland.com

Tuesday, February 3 – 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 4 – 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 5 – 7:30 PM (ASL Interpreted)
Friday, February 6 – 7:30 PM (Audio Description)
Saturday, February 7 – 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday, February 8 – 1:00 PM & 6:30 PM (Open Caption)

PORTLAND, OR ~ Everybody look around! The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical that took the world by storm is back and coming to Portland.

Broadway in Portland along with producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker and NETworks Presentations are thrilled to announce that The Wiz will play Portland’s Keller Auditorium for eight performances from February 3 – 8, 2026.

Tickets are available online at www.BroadwayinPortland.com.

The Baltimore Sun raves “Powerhouse performances. Stunning choreography. Visionary sets” and the Chicago Sun-Times proclaims THE WIZ is “An eye-popping and high-intensity revival!”

This groundbreaking twist on The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway—from its iconic score packed with soul, gospel, rock, and 70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a contemporary world.

1 Alan Mingo Jr as The Wiz in the North American Tour of THE WIZ Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The principal cast includes Dana Cimone, making her national tour debut, as Dorothy, Alan Mingo Jr., returning to the role he originated on the pre-Broadway tour and played on Broadway as The Wiz, also making their national tour debuts Sheherazade as Glinda and Kyla Jade as Aunt Em/Evillene, D. Jerome (MJ the Musical, Hamilton) as the Tinman, Cal Mitchell (The White Rose, The Color Purple)as the Lion and Elijah Ahmad Lewis (Ain’t Too Proud, Motown The Musical) as the Scarecrow.

The ensemble features Maati Kheprimeni Angaza, Sai Anthony, Joseph Armon Boyd, Aliyah Caldwell, Robert Crenshaw, Lawrence Dandridge, Cyniah Elise, Amitria Fanae’, Kaiyla Gross, Gregory Hamilton, Maya Imani, Jesse Jones, Micah Jeremiah Mims, Moriah Perry, Leon Ray, Ephraim Takyi, Lyn Webber, Kameren Whigham, and Chanse Williams.

Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook), award-winning choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black is King), additional material by Tony-nominated and Emmy-nominated writer and TV host Amber Ruffin (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers”), Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements), Allen René Louis (vocal arrangements, music arrangements), and Emmy Award®-winning music director and Grammy Award®-winning writer, Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn (Dance Music Arrangers) conjure up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before. A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop bring a whole new groove to easing on down the road.

THE WIZ design team includes scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound design by Jon Weston (Parade), video and projection design by Daniel Brodie (Motown the Musical), wig design by Charles LaPointe (MJ the Musical) and make-up design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche (The Piano Lesson). Casting is by TRC Casting Company.

The production also includes ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.

Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, THE WIZtakes one of the world’s most enduring (and enduringly white) American fantasies and transforms it into an all-Black musical extravaganza for the ages.

THE WIZ premiered on Broadway in 1975 and became an instant sensation, going on to win seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ted Ross), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Dee Dee Bridgewater), Best Choreography (George Faison), and in a Broadway first, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design (Geoffrey Holder). “Ease on Down the Road” became the show’s break-out single, and “Home” has since become a bona fide classic. That original production ran for four years (first at The Majestic Theatre and later at The Broadway Theatre) – and 1,672 performances – on Broadway. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne, and marked Quincy Jones’ first collaboration with Michael Jackson. The most recent Broadway revival played from March to August 2024 at the Marquis Theater in NYC.

Additional information on tour cities, venues, performance schedules and single ticket on sale dates are available at WizMusical.com and follow THE WIZ on social media channels.

Broadway in Portland is a partnership between Portland Opera and Broadway Across America.

The performance schedule for the Portland engagement of THE WIZ is: