LAUNCHING NATIONAL TOUR IN BALTIMORE
Sept. 23-30 at the Hippodrome Theatre
AHEAD OF ITS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RETURN TO BROADWAY
Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group and the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, home of Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theatre, are thrilled to announce that individual tickets for THE WIZ in Baltimore, are on sale now!
THE WIZ makes its return to Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre September 23 – September 30, 2023. Ticket prices start at $57.00. Additional ticket information at BaltimoreHippodrome.com and wizmusical.com. Groups of 10 or more should contact [email protected]. Following its run at the Hippodrome Theatre, the tour will slide into Emerald cities across the country before it begins its limited engagement on Broadway in Spring 2024.
The North American touring cast features Alan Mingo Jr. (Kinky Boots, Doom Patrol) who will lead the production as the Wiz, alongside award-winning recording artist Deborah Cox as Glinda and Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene.
The cast also features Kyle Ramar Freeman (A Strange Loop) as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson (Sharper) as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson (The Voice) as the Scarecrow, respectively. Richardson and Wilson will also be making their Broadway debuts. Additional casting still to come.
Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook, revival of Disney’s Aida), award-winning choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black is King), additional material by Tony-nominated and Emmy-
nominated writer and TV host Amber Ruffin (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers”), Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements), Allen René Louis (vocal arrangements, music arrangements), and Derek Dixie (dance music arranger) are conjuring up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before. A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop will bring a whole new groove to easing on down the road.
THE WIZ design team will include scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound design by Jon Weston (Parade) and wig design by Academy Award-winning Mia Neal (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).
THE WIZ is produced by Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland and The Ambassador Theatre Group. Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker also serve as producers of the musical.
Additional information on tour cities, venues, performance schedules and single ticket on-sale dates is available at WizMusical.com. Fans can now sign up for an email newsletter with up-to-date information as well as follow THE WIZ on social media channels.
Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, THE WIZ takes one of the world’s most enduring (and enduringly white) American fantasies and transforms it into an all-Black musical extravaganza for the ages.
THE WIZ premiered on Broadway in 1975 and became an instant sensation, going on to win seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ted Ross), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Dee Dee Bridgewater), Best Choreography (George Faison), and in a Broadway first, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design (Geoffrey Holder). “Ease on Down the Road” became the show’s break-out single, and “Home” has since become a bona fide classic. That original production ran for four years (first at The Majestic Theatre and later at The Broadway Theatre) – and 1,672 performances – on Broadway. A 1978 film adaptation starred Diana Ross, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne, and marked Quincy Jones’ first collaboration with Michael Jackson.
For more information and complete tour route visit: www.wizmusical.com and follow @thewizbway on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office. Led by 15-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton. Current and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill A Mockingbird.
The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide. Under the leadership of 15-time Tony-winning theatre producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, and Group Sales Box Office. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.
The Hippodrome Broadway Series is presented in partnership with THE HIPPODROME FOUNDATION. The Hippodrome Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization established in Baltimore, Maryland in 1976. Formerly known as the Baltimore Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA), the foundation was created to present live theater at the Morris A. Mechanic Theater. Over the years, HFI has evolved into its present incarnation as the largest presenter of Broadway in Maryland working in partnership with Broadway Across America to bring in the very best possible shows.
