author: Charles Boyington & Steven Kirkpatrick 

“Success, fame, and fortune, they’re all illusions. All there is that is real is the friendship that two can share.”- The Scarecrow

If your favorite evening is one where you attend the theatre and just have a really good time, then you’ll be lucky enough to have that experience at The Wiz at National Theatre in DC. If you can, you must see this show in an auditorium where the love and enthusiasm are infectious. Recommended for everyone (ages 8 and up).

Decades before Wicked, The Wiz reimagined The Wonderful Wizard of Oz through music rooted in gospel, soul, and R&B. Written by William F. Brown with music by Charlie Smalls, the show debuted on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. After nearly 50 years, a modernized revival with additional material by Amber Ruffin, returned to Broadway in 2024 and is now touring, with a current stop at the National Theater.

The Wiz closely follows L. Frank Baum’s familiar plot: Teenage girl Dorothy (Phoenix Assata LaFreniere) on opening night) is plucked from her home in Kansas by a tornado that transports her to the magical land of Oz, where she and some friends she makes — Scarecrow (Elijah Ahmad Lewis), Lion (Cal Mitchell), and Tinman (D. Jerome) — must follow the yellow brick road to find The Wiz (Alan Mingo Jr.). Along the way, they confront Evilene (Kyla Jade), the Wicked Witch of the West, ultimately learning—through the good witch Glinda—that they already possessed what they sought.

Relying on the audience’s presumed familiarity with the story, the show doesn’t spend too much time on plot or context — this version feels primarily about the music, dance and the performances. Addaperle (Amitria Fanae) is the first good witch that Dorothy meets, and she delivers a delightfully comic performance as she sends Dorothy on her way with the evil witch’s magic silver slippers. Good witch Glinda (Sheherazade) has a glamorous presence and a soothing voice when encouragingly singing “He’s the Wiz”, or the eleven o’clock number, “Believe in Yourself”.

Kyla Jade first reveals a warm, earthy presence (and beautiful voice) as Aunt Em reassuring Dorothy in the song, “The Feeling We Once Had”, but then Jade doubles up later to play wicked Evilene, whose commanding gospel number, “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” steals the show. She shows a vocal range that is killer and had the audience on their feet! Kyla had the audience eating out of her hand and had us begging for more! Definitely the longest ovation of the night!

The Wiz (played by Alan Mingo Jr) does a good job portraying the conman that the role reveals, but leaves a little wanting if he is to be the “Great Wizard” of Oz. His voice handles the song “Meet the Wizard” well, but it falls a little lackluster, and more is expected than just moving around the stage snapping a cape behind him.

LaFreniere’s Dorothy is rooted in more reality than perhaps any other character in the show, as it should be. She must at times be sweet and innocent, others she must be wise and caring, and of course she needs to kill a couple of witches. What makes it work is LaFriniere’s ability to sell both a soft introspective ballad and then go full voice in dance number or full-on gospel when needed.

Everyone has a favorite friend of Dorothy. It perhaps changes over time, but I think we can all feel lost at times and relate to them in different ways. As a child, I loved the lion and I noticed that many of the children in the audience felt that way. Cal Mitchell gave an energetic performance with plenty of laughs and a few very touching moments. As I grew older, I found myself fascinated by the Tin Man. Here D. Jerome plays a multi-faceted fellow who longs for a family that he can’t quite recall. He has dance moves that were stunning and a voice that cuts through all of the noise to deliver hope. He’s funny and sharp and full of energy! Later in life I empathize most with the Scarecrow. Elijah Ahmad Lewis’s scarecrow is lovable, funny, energetic and a dancing fiend! He has a powerful voice that moves the entire audience. These friends of Dorothy give the show it’s strength and heart and keeps the evening flying with tons of energy! 

Dance also plays a central role, particularly in ensemble numbers like “He’s the Wiz,” “Meet the Wizard,” and the step‑dance choreography that forms the Yellow Brick Road. Standout moments include the Act II opener “The Emerald City.” The number showcases the cast’s incredibly clean and versatile dancing, which gets increasingly modern as the tempo increases throughout the six-minute track. The ensemble in this show works harder than anyone. They are on stage almost every moment and have more costume changes than I can count. Every single one of them has superior dancing and vocal skills. The consistency of choreography and the inexhaustible energy amazed me.

Though The Wiz was written far before the term Afrofuturism was coined in the 1990s, the show feels very much an expression of it — combining the aesthetics of Black and African art with futuristic fantasy to create a vision of liberation, transcendence, and above all, a promising future. Visually, the production relies on projected backgrounds and striking costumes, particularly for the witches and ensemble. Although the projections don’t provide the kind of three-dimensional physicality that physical or painted backdrops might have — especially with the bright stage lights — it did allow the impeccable, creative costumes Sharen Davis to really shine.

While not every element lands equally, the cast delivers a strong retelling of a well‑known story.

Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission

The Wiz plays through April 12^th 2026 with Broadway at The National— 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets call the box office at (202) 628-6161 or purchase them online.