Review: THE WIZ at National Theatre

In 1975 a revolutionary approach to L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre. The Wiz was a musical that no one thought would get past its opening night. The show proved everyone wrong. It won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and ran for 1,672 performances. The all-African American version of Dorothy’s trip down the yellow brick road is now embarking on a thirteen-city pre- Broadway tour and is playing at The National Theatre here in DC through October 29th. I am sorry to say that this version is a rocky journey over a cool “Ease on Down the Road”.

I should say up front that The Wiz was the third Broadway musical I ever saw and to be perfectly honest, the original production can’t be rivaled for many reasons. The debuts of Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and the replacement of Stu Gilliam as the Scarecrow with a nineteen-year-old unknown named Hinton Battle are two big reasons why. Mills became a top recording artist and Battle became a huge Broadway star because of The Wiz. Charlie Smalls’ score as originally orchestrated by the legendary Harold Wheeler was, and still is, one of the best of the period. Most importantly, the book by William F. Brown told the story honestly and with tons of heart.

For me that is what is missing the most from this current version. TV personality Amber Ruffin’s additional material just cheapens what the creators were trying to do in telling the story. Things like how the Tinman had an encounter with Evilene the Wicked Witch of the West at a karaoke bar and that’s how he became rusted are just totally unnecessary.

I also very much object to the fact that Smalls’ score is reimagined to more of a gospel-going-to-church style over a pure soul and theatrical style of arrangement and orchestration. I am a big fan of Joseph Joubert as an orchestrator/musician and conductor. Maybe he was just following orders, but the music has lost much of its theatricality in this version. Going from twenty players down to eleven does not help either, including the lack of any live string instrument except for bass. Here’s hoping on Broadway the orchestra is enlarged!

Casting wise, Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy is a good find vocally, but she relies on riffs way too much. Her version of “Soon As I Get Home” is a prime example of a quiet story song gone bad with too many vocal embellishments. The score won a Tony Award. It does not need any “help”. Lewis’ acting also needs work. I did not get the sense of urgency in her wanting to get home at all. It’s also a bit disconcerting to me that her bio says she is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in The Wiz before the show ever gets to Broadway. Anything could happen between now and March of 2024. Just saying.

Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow does shine in his feature “You Can’t Win”. You might know this song as Michael Jackson’s big number in the 1978 movie version that also featured a way too old Diana Ross as Dorothy. The song, however, was originally written for the show, but dropped during its tryout period and replaced with “I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday”. The fact that Wilson basically does most of Jackson’s vocal riffs just proves that sometimes you don’t mess with the best.

Phillip Johnson Richardson, as the Tinman, brings one of the only touching moments in the show with his terrific “What Would I Do If I Could Feel”. I’m not quite sure what Sharen Davis was thinking with the costume design for this character, but it doesn’t look very confining or stiff to me. When we meet the Tinman, the costume gives the impression of him being quite limber and not rusted.

While Kyle Ramar Freeman’s Lion is a little too “schticky” for me, he has the bravado needed for the character. His act one closer with Lewis, “Be A Lion,” is a highlight for sure. For those of you that know the show, yes, they changed the placement of the act break. I guess modern audiences can’t wait another twenty minutes. SIGH….

In an “interesting” piece of casting, Melody Betts doubles as Aunt Em and Evilene. Maybe director Schele Williams wanted a contrast? Betts fares better as Evilene than she does as Aunt Em. At my performance, she seemed unsure of her lyrics for Aunt Em’s song “The Feeling We Once Had” and at one point appeared to go up. This is not how you want your show to start out. As Evilene, however, her “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” does stop the show, so it isn’t a total loss.

The most bizarre thing content- wise is the treatment of the character of the Wiz, played on tour by Alan Mingo Jr.  (Wayne Brady will assume the role when the production moves to Broadway.)  The Wiz’s introduction requires a flashy entrance.  However, his entrance number “So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard” misses that mark.  In this version, there are backup singers, and the song is more laid back and constrained in tone. Then the little problem of him being exposed as a conman but never redeeming himself. That is a major plot point, yes?

Then we have from the will producers never learn category the casting of pop singer Deborah Cox as Glinda. She isn’t, and never will be, an actress and let’s just say subtlety isn’t in her vocabulary.

Let us also not forget that pop star Luther Vandross wrote the liberation song “Everybody Rejoice” It sounds pretty with the ensemble executing Allen René Louis’ vocal arrangement, but I would have preferred more energy over a choral stand and sing approach for part of the song.

Lastly, JaQuel Knight’s choreography looks rather basic compared to George Faison’s stunning original work. If you are not knocked out by the “Tornado” dance there is a problem.  I also don’t agree with the choice to cut the fun “Funky Monkeys” dance out altogether.

Other touches in this production that fans of this show might or might not notice include the use of a song written for Stephanie Mills in the first Broadway revival called “Wonder, Wonder, Why.”  There is also the trumpet fanfare alerting an announcement from the Wiz for the citizens of Emerald City that is lifted straight from the movie. 

This tour has ten more cities to play before it hits Broadway.  It’s possible that a lot of what I find suboptimal about this production can be fixed. I hope so because, as it stands now, I think this production of The Wiz will melt into oblivion pending a major overhaul in casting and beyond.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes including one intermission.

The Wiz runs through October 29th, 2023, at The National Theatre which is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC.

Photo credit: Melody Betts at center with the company of The Wiz.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

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