On the heels of NBC’s “The Wiz Live!” on Dec. 3 comes the stage play revival of the remake of the The Wizard of Oz with a Black cast. The 40th anniversary of the electrifying Broadway play The Wiz was celebrated last week as some of the original cast members came together at New York’s Marcus Garvey Park to recreate the magical play.
Actress Phylicia Rashad, who played a Munchkin in the Tony Award-winning play, hosted “The Wiz: A Celebration in Dance and Music” along with outstanding choreographer George Faison, who was instrumental in bringing the special program together. Andre De Shields reprised his role as the Wiz and Dee Dee Bridgewater graced the stage once again as Glinda. She was delighted to return to help tell the beloved tale of a lost girl trying to find her way home.
“It’s a story about a girl coming of age and coming into her own,” Bridgewater said, according to the NY Daily News. “It’s about the beauty of bonding together. That never gets old.”
The role of Dorothy was mostly played by Broadway actress Darlesia Cearcy, who most recently starred in The Book of Mormon.
Singer Inaya Day stunned the audience with her powerful voice as she sang songs such as “Be a Lion” and “Home” as Dorothy. After singing the latter song, she received an almost instant standing ovation as she closed out the show, according to Playbill.
Check out a gallery of pictures from the amazing show below.
