The Wiz at Paramount Theatre Seattle

Here’s something truly unique for musical lovers in Seattle, Washington! This spring, a monumental Broadway classic is coming to hit the Paramount Theatre Seattle and it’s featuring a plethora of magnificent soulful hits performed by a stellar cast! The Wiz is a terrific retelling of the L. Frank Baum’s  Wonderful Wizard of Oz, except the music is all influenced by soul, hip-hop, and R&B! Catch this fantastic epic by William F. Brown with additional book by Amber Ruffin. The incredible music is a stunning revival of the original seven-time Tony winning production that took Broadway by storm! With music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and other artists, The Wiz still possesses the same essence and magic as it did way back in 1975! So if you’re up for some great fun and a spectacular time, then you should hurry and secure your tickets and catch The Wiz at the Paramount Theatre Seattle!

 The Wiz Tickets

THE PLOT

Dorothy Gale from Kansas lives with her aunt and uncle. The young teen feels like her life is unfulfilled, often working in the farm while she daydreams. A storm causes a massive tornado and it whisks Dorothy to a far away land. She has been blown away to the Land of Oz where she met The Munckins, the Tinman, and the Scarecrow. Now, Dorothy with the help of her new friends, try to find their way home. 

AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

The Broadway musical that broke barriers and defied the norms is here! Seattle, Washington bears witness to the ground breaking production that has scored countless awards. The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” takes over the spring season with a myriad of magnificent performances across key cities. In Seattle, the musical will conquer Paramount Theatre Seattle from February 10 to 15. The stopover delivers a total of eight performances with matinee and evening shows during the weekends. The performances are painfully limited, but it’s all the more reason you should be scoring your access early! 

The Wiz premiered on Broadway in 1975 after two fantastic trial runs in Detroit and Philadelphia. The musical was an overwhelming commercial success bagging many awards and rave reviews from theater authorities. The Wiz went on tour the following year. Due to its incredible popularity, the musical was adapted into a film in 1978. In 1984, Broadway premiered a highly awaited revival followed by another U.S. Tour. Finally, The Wiz was revived once again last year with additional book by Amber Ruffin. The writer adapted the original storyline from William F. Brown to the modern era. However, the production maintained its original flair by performing the music and lyrics of Charlie Smalls with additional music and lyrics from Luther Vandross and Zachary Walzer.

“There’s plenty of gold along this Yellow Brick Road.” – The New York Times

THE CREATIVE TEAM & CAST

The production features an astounding talented team. Firstly, this epic is brought to life by Drama League Award winning director Schele Williams. Esteemed choreographer Jaquel Knight choreographed the performances, while Joseph Joubert came in as music supervisor, orchestrations, and music arrangements. The musical also features the work of an incredible creative team, including Hannah Beachler on scenic design, Sharen Davis on costume, Ryan O. Garra on lighting, and Jon Weston on sound design. 

“This is the best iteration yet!” – Entertainment Weekly

Meanwhile, the cast is as stellar as they come. The ensemble includes Dana Cimone as Dorothy, Alan Mingo Jr. The Wiz, Sheherazade as Glinda, D. Jerome as Tinman, Elijah Ahmad Lewis as Scarecrow, and Cal Mitchell as Lion. 

RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS

The original production of The Wiz scored a ton of accolades back in the day. In 1975, the musical scored seven Grammy Awards, including winning Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Choreography. That same year, The Wiz also received several Drama Desk Awards, winning a total of five awards with Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Music and Lyrics. 

“Every moment bursts with color, texture, humor, movement.” – Vogue

THE REVIEWS

The musical was not just a hit among theater lovers, but also the unrelenting critics. Receiving a ton of rave reviews, The Wiz definitely delivered great nostalgia but also delivered something incredibly original and new. Vogue profusely praised the musical’s score, “The musical’s Tony-winning score—principally composed by Charlie Smalls, and layered with the sounds of soul, jazz, and gospel music—has a lot to do with its staying power.” the writer continued to praise this production’s astounding creativity, “The effect of all that creative cross-pollination is awesome; every moment bursts with color, texture, humor, movement.”

Over in Entertainment Weekly, the musical received a glowing review. “Grade A: Don’t ease, on down on this spectacular revival.” The review praised the cast, choreography, and the update on the beloved characters. “This is the best iteration yet!” Over in the New York Times, the article mentioned that The Wiz’ revival “is a fresher production hinted at in the ecstatic array of costumes and mix of choreography.” The writer added “There’s plenty of gold along this Yellow Brick Road.”

Lastly, the Chicago Tribune said that The Wiz is all freshened up for the audience. This production is deemed “a cause for celebration,” according to the review thanks to the production’s eye-popping, high intensity revival. 

“A cause for celebration” – Chicago Tribune

THE VENUE

This groundbreaking Broadway classic comes to a legendary venue for its Seattle, Washington stop. The Paramount Theatre Seattle is a historical landmark that has entertained countless fans since 1928. Originally a movie theater, the Paramount Theatre was configured to host live performances as well, being home to many vaudeville acts back in the day. Today, the theater is a favorite among traveling Broadway shows. Paramount Theatre Seattle is a terrific venue that can accommodate large scale productions and concerts. Fans can also look forward to its awesome features, including state of the art sound and lights, comfortable plush seating, easy accessibility and great customer service. If you want to experience The Wiz at a superb venue, then you should hurry and check it out at the Paramount Theatre Seattle. 

Don’t miss the outstanding revival of The Wiz! Experience soul, jazz, hip-hop and more at this breathtaking epic that has captivated Broadway! Hurry and secure your access now to The Wiz at the Paramount Theatre Seattle!