Cast of The Wiz on stage in colorful costumes with Emerald City in the background
Entertainment Featured

REVIEW: Broadway Revival of THE WIZ Brings Soul, Style, Showstopping Magic to DPAC Stage (4.5/5)

Phyllis Coley @phyllis_coley

Everybody Rejoice: The Wiz Returns, and It Was Worth the Wait

Cast of The Wiz on stage in colorful costumes with Emerald City in the background
Opening number, Treme from The Wiz- Sheherezade as Glinda, Dana Cimone as Dorothy, and Amitria Fanae as Addapearle in The Wiz. 

Last night, I had the pleasure of witnessing a legendary musical reborn. The Wiz, now touring nationally for the first time in 40 years, landed at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) with all the soul, sparkle, and spectacular storytelling I hoped for—and then some.

From the moment the overture began, this all-Black reimagining of The Wizard of Oz was an electric, joy-filled experience. The orchestra (yes, live music!) instantly transported me, and I knew we were in for a powerful night.

Standout Performances

Cal Mitchell as The Lion, Dana Cimone as Dorothy, D. Jerome as The Tinman, and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as The Scarecrow in The Wiz. 

Dana Cimone, making her national tour debut as Dorothy, gave a sweet, sincere performance and truly soared vocally. But the showstoppers? D. Jerome as the Tinman and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as the Scarecrow. Their comedic timing, smooth choreography, and rich vocals had the crowd erupting. And when they joined forces for “Ease on Down the Road,” it was like gospel met Broadway — and it brought the house down.

Evillene’s lair brought to life with glowing red and gold effects in The Wiz
Kyla Jade as Evillene in The Wiz

Other highlights included Sheherazade’s angelic take on Glinda and Kyla Jade’s commanding dual performance as Aunt Em and Evillene. And as a lifelong HBCU marching band fan, I absolutely loved how the Munchkins were portrayed by high-energy drum majors. Brilliant!

Design That Dazzled

Visually, this production is pure magic. The lighting and set design created a vibrant, futuristic Oz that felt fresh but still familiar. The costumes were equally impressive — a blend of Afrofuturism, funk, and fairy tale that dazzled in every scene.

Modernized but Rooted in Tradition

Dana Cimone as Dorothy and The Ensemble of The Wiz as the Yellow Brick Road in The Wiz.

Director Schele Williams and choreographer JaQuel Knight (yes, of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” fame) injected fresh energy through ballet, jazz, and pop while honoring the soul and gospel roots of the original. The additional material from Amber Ruffin added timely humor and relevance.

For me, it was the music that moved me most. Every note felt intentional and spirit-lifting. Songs like “Be a Lion” and “Home” gave me chills, but it was “Ease on Down the Road” as a gospel celebration that had me clapping and swaying in my seat.

The Verdict

This new tour of The Wiz is everything I wanted and more. A 4.5 out of 5 stars experience that I’d recommend to anyone—families, musical lovers, and longtime fans alike. It’s joyful, funny, visually stunning, and vocally superb. If you get the chance to ease on down to DPAC this week, do not miss it.

Click here to get your ticket before the show closes on August 12.

(Photos: Jeremy Daniel)