The touring revival of “The Wiz” musical has just two more stops after leaving San Diego before it arrives at its final destination in April: Broadway.
The production that opened a six-day run Tuesday at the San Diego Civic Theatre has some big pluses, most notably big-voiced, 24-year-old Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy. But it wouldn’t hurt for producers to make a couple more detours from the Yellow Brick Road to polish this show up a bit before it reaches its own Emerald City in New York.
First the good news. The 1975 Charlie Smalls-William F. Brown musical — which re-examined the 1900 novel “The Wizard of Oz” through a Black cultural lens with an all-Black cast — has improved over the past 50 years. Directed by Schele Williams and choreographed by Jaquel Knight, this revival production has been trimmed, redesigned and reimagined in spots to give it a more contemporary feel. And the stunning three-dimensional projections by Daniel Brodie bring a lush, cinematic feel to the show.
Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy and Melody Betts as Aunt Em in “The Wiz.”
(Courtesy of Jeremy Daniel)
But even with some cuts, the 2 hour, 40-minute musical drags in places, particularly the sluggish second act. The choreography ranges from workmanlike in the first act to thrilling in the second. The script’s comic moments are often stretched out or repeated until the humor wears thin. And the costumes by Sharen Davis are wonderfully imaginative, except for the Lion’s unfortunate ensemble with a waist wrapper that looks like a big purple diaper.
Unlike the 1975 original, this “Wiz” update has no Uncle Henry, no Toto, no Munchkins and no flying monkeys. In the opening scene on a Kansas farm, the orphaned Dorothy tells her Aunt Em (the wonderful Melody A. Betts) that she’s being bullied in school (presumably because of her race) and she dreams of a different place where she’d feel more welcome. A tornado soon drops her into a jazzy Ozzian town and soon she’s off to meet the Wiz with the Scarecrow (the wonderful, liquid-limbed and fluid-voiced Avery Wilson), Tinman (the sweet and gentle Phillip Johnson Richardson) and Lion (the larger-than-life Kyle Ramar Freeman).
In this version, Oz is a wildly colorful and inclusive place where Black and African culture, society, fashion, hair, dance, drumming and music — from the 1970s to today — are celebrated. It’s a feast for the eyes and especially the ears, because many of the singers are exceptional, particularly Lewis, Wilson, Betts and Deborah Cox as Glinda the good witch.
Also in this version, the Tinman wasn’t a man cursed by a wicked witch to cut of all his limbs with an ax but a karaoke bar-goer who insulted the witch’s “rusty” singing. The Lion has a new backstory about his pride being hauled off to a zoo. The scenes in and around the castle of the wicked witch Evillene (also played by Betts) have been condensed. And the Emerald City and the Wiz himself don’t make their appearances until Act Two, which opens with an extended and impressive showcase of Black dance styles.
“The Wiz” is filled with talent and imagination and it’s an entertaining evening out. But is it ready for Broadway? Time will tell. But one thing New Yorkers, and maybe Tony Award nominators, will notice is Lewis and her powerhouse singing, particularly Dorothy’s famous closing number, “Home.”
‘The Wiz’
When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11; 8 p.m. Jan. 12; 2 and 8 p.m. Jan. 13; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14
Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown
Tickets: $44 and up
Online: broadwaysd.com
A scene from the national touring production of “The Wiz” at the San Diego Civic Theatre.
(Courtesy of Jeremy Daniel)