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Video: Watch the Cast of THE WIZ Perform 'Ease On Down the Road' on THE TODAY SHOW

The Wiz is now running on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre.

By: May. 17, 2024
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As part of TODAY's 'Best of Broadway Week,'  the cast of The Wiz stopped by the show on Friday to perform the songs "He's the Wiz" and "Ease On Down the Road" from the new production of the classic musical.

Before the performance, Nichelle Lewis, who is playing Dorothy, discussed her role in the show with TODAY's Hoda Katb and Savannah Guthrie

Lewis is making her Broadway debut in the production after the creative team found her through TikTok. "It feels pretty insane. I mean, who would have thought that social media would lead me here?"

She went on to say that they "found me on TikTok and they saw me singing 'Home,' which is so ironic."

Watch the performance for "Ease On Down the Road" right here! To watch "He's the Wiz," click HERE.

To find the full lineup for TODAY's 2024 "Best of Broadway Week," click HERE.

About The Wiz

The cast features Nichelle Lewis as ‘Dorothy,’ Wayne Brady as ‘The Wiz,’ Deborah Cox as ‘Glinda’ and Melody A. Betts as ‘Aunt Em’ and ‘Evillene,’ Kyle Ramar Freeman as ‘Lion,’ Phillip Johnson Richardson as ‘Tinman,’ Avery Wilson as ‘Scarecrow.’ THE WIZ ensemble includes Lauryn AdamsMaya BowlesShayla Alayre CaldwellJay CopelandAllyson Kaye DanielJudith FranklinMichael Samarie GeorgeCollin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Olivia JacksonChristina JonesPolanco JonesKolby KindleMariah LyttleKareem MarshAlan Mingo, Jr., Anthony MurphyDustin PraylowCristina RaeMatthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust TateKeenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson.

Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook, revival of Disney’s Aida), 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 (Dance Music Arranger), and Paul Byssainthe Jr. (Music Director), are conjuring up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before.  A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop will 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).

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





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