The Wiz

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Description

Winner of seven Tony awards including "Best Musical" and nominated for four Academy Awards, the 1975 Broadway hit and 1978 film The Wiz is coming to Chicago in a gritty new production that is sure to knock your socks off and change the way you think about these classic characters. Packed full of incredible songs like "Ease on Down the Road," "Home," "Be a Lion," and "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News," The Wiz is an urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's turn of the century novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, placed in the context of modern African-American culture. Resonating more deeply than ever in 2016's climate of racial and social unrest in America, director Lili-Anne Brown's production will explore what it means to live with intelligence, compassion, and courage in today's tough cities.

Reviews
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FOUR STARS! (out of five)
"There’s no bad news in Kokandy’s savvy revival of the streetwise Oz adaptation!"
- Kris Vire, Time Out Chicago
READER RECOMMENDED!
"Powerful singers and dancers!"
- Jack Helbig, Chicago Reader
CRITICS PICK!
"Easily the best musical I have reviewed to date!"
- Naima Dawson, PerformInk Chicago
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
"This production, directed to sheer perfection by Lili-Anne Brown utilizes the small stage of Theater Wit far exceeding my expectations."
- Al Bresloff, Around the Town Chicago
"A very lively, well sung production... Great fun with all the big, famous numbers!"
- Chris Jones, CBS 2 Chicago
"Audiences will adore Kokandy’s take on The Wiz. It’s brimming with quality and entertainment from tip to tail!"
- Ian Rigg, Chicagoland Musical Theatre
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The talent in this production is so super-sized it could easily hold court in Soldier Field."
- Amy Munice, Picture This Post

Creative Team
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Lili-Anne Brown
Direction
Jimmy Morehead
Music Direction
Breon Arzell
Choreography, Assistant Direction
Kait Samuels
Stage Management
Arnel Sancianco
Set Design
Alexander Ridgers
Lighting Design
Virginia Varland
Costume Design
Michael J. Patrick
Sound Design
Mealah Heidenreich
Props Design
Kirstin Johnson
Sound Engineering
Shawn Kronk
Master Electrician
Lindsay Brown
Production Manager
Darian Tene
Assistant Choreography
Emily Boyd
Paint Charge
Ebony Chuukwu
Assistant Stage Management
Charlie Smalls
Music & Lyrics
William F. Brown
Book

Cast
Hover over an artist's photo to see their name, and click it to read their bio.
 

Production photos by Michael Brosilow.