by EAST LANSING, MI—Everybody look around! The Tony Award® winning Best Musical that took the world
by storm is back and coming to Wharton Center on Tuesday, December 9, through Sunday, December
14, 2025.
Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi
Burruss, Todd Tucker and NETworks Presentations are thrilled to announce The Wiz will be at Wharton
Center for 8 performances from Tuesday, December 9 to Sunday, December 14. Tickets are available
through the Wharton Center Ticket Office, online at whartoncenter.com, or by calling 517.432.2000
or 1.800.WHARTON. SeatGeek is the only official partner of the Wharton Center Ticket Office.
The Baltimore Sun raves “Powerhouse performances. Stunning choreography. Visionary sets,” and the
Chicago Sun-Times proclaims THE WIZ is “An eye-popping and high-intensity revival!”
This groundbreaking twist on The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway—from its iconic score
packed with soul, gospel, rock, and 70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a
contemporary world.
The principal cast includes Dana Cimone, making her national tour debut, as Dorothy, Alan Mingo Jr.,
returning to the role he originated on the pre-Broadway tour and played on Broadway as The Wiz, also
making their national tour debuts Sheherazade as Glinda and Kyla Jade as Aunt Em/Evillene, D. Jerome
(MJ the Musical, Hamilton) as the Tinman, Cal Mitchell (The White Rose, The Color Purple) as the Lion, and
Elijah Ahmad Lewis (Ain’t Too Proud, Motown The Musical) as the Scarecrow.
The ensemble features Maati Kheprimeni Angaza, Sai Anthony, Joseph Armon Boyd, Aliyah Caldwell,
Lawrence Dandridge, Cyniah Elise, Amitria Fanae’, Kaiyla Gross, Gregory Hamilton, Maya Imani, Jesse
Jones, Micah Jeremiah Mims, Moriah Perry, Leon Ray, Ephraim Takyi, Josh Walker, Lyn Webber,
Kameren Whigham, Mikayla White, and Chanse Williams.
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 breakout 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. The most recent Broadway revival played from March to August 2024 at the Marquis Theater in
NYC.
Additional information on tour cities, venues, performance schedules, and single ticket on sale dates is
available at WizMusical.com and follow THE WIZ on social media channels.
Follow @thewizbway on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Date/Time: Tues, Dec 9 – Sun, Dec 14, 2025
- Tues, Dec 9 – Fri, Dec 12, at 7:30PM
- Sat, Dec 13, 2PM & 7:30PM
- Sun, Dec 14, 1PM & 6:30PM
Location: Cobb Great Hall
Tickets: From $36, Student/Youth $33
Ticket Office: whartoncenter.com
517.432.2000 or 1.800.WHARTON
