“The Wiz” Blows into New Orleans

Elijah Ahmad Lewis As The Scarecrow And Dana Cimone As Dorothy In The Wiz First National Tour 2025 Photo By Jeremy Daniel

NEW ORLEANS – “The Wiz” premiered in New Orleans this week at the Saenger Theatre. The Tony Award-winning musical adapted from “The Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum was a high energy, feel-good production with show-stopping vocals. In its first tour in 40 years, “The Wiz” started in Baltimore and made its way down to New Orleans.

“The Wiz” includes music that’s got a gospel, rock, funk sound as the story follows Dorothy on her journey through Oz as she tries to get home and escape the grasp of the Wicked Witch.

The original Wiz opened on Broadway in 1974 and by 1975 had won seven Tony Awards. Later, it would be made into a movie starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

The cast at the Saenger included Dana Cimone making her debut as Dorothy. D. Jerome played the Tinman, Cal Mitchell was the Lion, Elijah Ahmad Lewis was the Scarecrow, Sheherazade played Glinda, and Kyla Jade was both Aunt Em and the deliciously evil Evillene.

Elijah Ahmad Lewis As The Scarecrow And Dana Cimone As Dorothy In The Wiz First National Tour 2025 Photo By Jeremy Daniel

Dana Cimone, though new to Broadway, was easily the star of the show with her powerhouse vocals and bouncy energy. Lewis brought in comic relief as the Scarecrow and Jade’s Evillene garnered applause with her rousing rendition of “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.”

“The Wiz” was a high energy show from start to finish. For those who only know “The Wizard of Oz,” this is a show not to be missed. It celebrates Black culture and music, and no doubt, you’ll walk out of the theater humming “Ease on Down the Road.”