The Wiz Revival at Shea’s A 21st Century Celebration of Black Joy!

The Wiz has come to Buffalo at Shea’s Buffalo Performing Arts Center and it is a phenomenal revival of a classic show so many of us love. With new songs, revamped musical and vocal arrangements, along with additional dialogue by writer comedian Amber Ruffin, this is not Broadway’s The Wiz of 1974! This new version of The Wiz represents the 21st century with unapologetic Blackness beside celebrations of Black joy.

This revived production coincides well with the original stage story of 1974, which debuted a teenage Stephanie Mills in the role of Dorothy, while continuing to give the heart beating musical excitement of the 1978 film, starring a full adulting Diana Ross, who was blindly determined to be miscast as Dorothy. Today’s version brings Dorothy back as a pre-teen, who unlike the original problem of finding her dog, Toto, before a tornado. This Dorothy is grieving the loss of her parents, being uprooted from her home to live with her mother’s sister, Aunt Em, and being the new kid at a school where bully’s attack her for being different. These nuanced character developments allow us to feel an even closer connection to our contemporary Dorothy.

When bringing such a well-loved production back to stages after a 50 year absence producers and directors have to meet the expectations of multi-generational audiences, theater kids, and theater parents/grandparents who have grown hearing and loving the songs. If you were attached to seeing Toto, Dorothy’s Uncle Henry, or the Evilene’s flying monkey, forget it, this production has removed them from the story and I think you won’t miss them. The 21st century revival of this show will not disappoint you! It is stellar!

There are a few musical number changes, new songs like “Meet The Wizard”, “Wonder Wonder Why” keep the flow and direction of the show, while the songs “He’s the Wiz”, and “You Can’t Win”, were originally recorded for inclusion in the 1978 film have been adopted for the revival and they work seamlessly. One of my favorite designs of the show were the wigs! This show offers Black hairstyling perfection giving looks of high fabulousness. It’s a 10 out of 10 for textured hair from afros, locks and Evilene’s infamous water avoiding silk press, Africa was all around us!

With an ensemble of strong powerful singers, beautifully trained dancers wearing color filled, lovely costumes this cast will have you thinking every note and move is produced with effortless ease. The lighting and set design team highlight the cast and production number with mesmerizing animated projections and backdrops that take us from the fields of Kansas to the streets of New Orleans, the forests of Liberia, the savannahs of Zimbabwe, and the urban landscapes of Harlem!

Leading the cast is an incredibly passionate Dorothy, (Dana Cimone) whose voice will pierce your heart during “Be a Lion” and again during the iconic song “Home”. The excitingly funny and energetic Scarecrow (Elijah Ahmad Lewis Eal) is perfectly cast alongside Tin Man (D.Jerome) who gives us an unprecedented break-dancing solo during “Slide Some Oil To Me” that just made me gasp, and his incredibly moving “What Would I Do if I Could Feel” broke me. The lovable Cowardly Lion, introduced to us during his comical vocally impressive “Mean Ole Lion” melts us when he joins Dorothy during “Be a Lion”. Glinda, (Sheherazade) literally shines while performing “Believe in Yourself” in the role, and Evilene/Aunt Em (Kyla Jade) is outstanding singing “Don’t Nobody Bring Me no Bad News”, taking us to church right before she revealed a tambourine! Every cast member of this production is the truth!

For the theater scholars, The Wiz is an Afro Futuristic living musically infused theatrical document intersecting gospel, hip-hop, jazz and traditional musical theater elements which bring the audience directly into this familiar yet dynamic imaginary world. The Wiz is a message for today and a reminder of yesterday: “Yes times may be difficult, the road may be long, and the struggle can definitely be real, AND joy, love, family, and friendship can help us celebrate the life of every brand new day!

The Wiz is running through March 9, 2025 on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 7:30; Saturday 2:00 & 8:00; Sunday 1:00 & 6:30 at Shea’s Buffalo Performing Arts Center, 650 Main Street Buffalo, New York.

Visit sheas.org for more into .

Originally published at https://www.buffchallnews.com on March 5, 2025.