The Wiz. Does the fresh take with new material by Amber Ruffin and movement by Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” choreographer JaQuel Knight ease on down the road?
For the most part, with a few stumbles along the way.The original production of The Wiz opened in 1975 and ran 1,672 performances, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The 1978 film adaption starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson centered the story in contemporary New York City, was critically panned, and lost a cool $10 million at the box office.
The live TV version (2015) introduced the musical to a new generation of Oz lovers, and now, a national tour has settled into the Marquis Theatre for a limited run before heading back out on tour later this year.