The Wiz at Buell Theatre

A sensational classic is making its phenomenal return and it’s bound to bring in some of the most passionate fantasy musical lovers from far and wide! The Wiz is a 1975 Broadway classic that had audiences going through a fantastic journey to far away lands – in this case, it’s the Land of Oz where there reside the Good Witch of the North, the Wicked Witch of the West, and the powerful Wizard of Oz! Get set as the brilliant storyline by William F. Brown is given a great new update! After its riveting Broadway revival in 2024, the musical is now hitting the road and will be dropping by 18 major cities, including a limited run in Denver’s Buell Theatre! Based on the classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz is a beloved Broadway masterpiece that has won seven Tony Awards! Meanwhile, the last revival was held way back over four decades ago, so it’s defnitely about time to join Dorothy on this remarkable journey through a magical land far far away! Hurry and secure your tickets now before it’s too late!

The Wiz Tickets

“Every moment bursts with color and humor!” – Vogue

Young Dorothy Gale is awfully bored. Being stuck in farm life with her dog Toto, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry had her wishing that she could travel to a far away land. Aunt Em doesn’t like Dorothy’s daydreaming habit and believes this hinders her niece from living happily as a farm girl. During a storm, Dorothy hides in the farmhouse cellar with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. The powerful storm turns out to be a tornado and hits Dorothy’s house causing the house and everyone to fly high up in the air. The house finally landed but the place was unfamiliar. Dorothy meets the Good Witch of the North and discovers that she is in the Land of Oz. Is this finally the adventure that Dorothy has been wishing for? Or does the teenage girl long for home? 

This fantasy epic is based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Tony Award-winning playwright William F. Brown adapted this masterpiece for the stage for the 1974 production. The musical also features music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, George Faison, Timothy Graphenreed, and Luther Vandross. With tryouts in Detroit and Philadelphia, it was clear to producers that The Wiz was going to be an amazing hit. In 1974, the musical opened on Broadway with direction by Geoffrey Holder and choreography by Faison. The Broadway run lasted about four years. In 1975, the production was followed by a massive U.S. tour. In 1984, The Wiz’s Broadway revival came to life but that run wasn’t followed by a U.S. tour, not until 2023. 

The following year, another Broadway revival was mounted with a revised book by Amber Ruffin, with new direction by Schele Williams, choreography by Jaquel Knight, music supervision and arrangement by Joseph Joubert, and musical direction by Paul Byssainthe Jr. This new production also features a remarkable, updated design and stagecraft by Hannah Beachler on scenic, Sharen Davis on costume, Ryan J. O’Gara on lighting, Jon Weston on sound, and Daniel Brodie on video and projection design.

The original production was highly received by theater lovers, as well as Broadway authorities. The production didn’t just gain worldwide fame but also a slew of prestigious accolades, including nine Tony Awards (including Best Musical) out of a whopping five nominations and five Drama Desk Awards out of ten nominations.

The Wiz not only bagged some magnificent awards but also secured a ton of rave reviews from professional critics. Vogue profusely praised the musical for its vivid palette and groundbreaking visuals, “The effect of all that creative cross-pollination is awesome; every moment bursts with color, texture, humor, movement.” Meanwhile, the New York Post wrote a glowing review, “There’s a lot to enjoy in the revival of The Wiz.” The article continued to praise the epic for its inclusivity, remarkable storyline, and stellar cast, “The ensemble bounce off one another with ease and infuse their characters with personality and humor.”

“A groundbreaking classic!” New York Magazine

“A cause for celebration!” – Chicago Tribune

The New York Sun mentioned, “Part of what makes this ‘Wiz’ appealing, especially right now, is that it doesn’t ask you to admire its social relevance — which was considerable when it had its premiere five decades ago.” Meanwhile, Queerty absolutely adored the musical’s mind blowing scenic design, “The House of Dorothy never looked better. The troubled teen realizes her life can only be as beautiful as she’s willing to make it.” The review ended with the statement that The Wiz “stands tall in the crowd, proving that fantasy never goes out of style.” Lastly, The Village Voice’s writer mentioned how he didn’t care much for the past renditions of The Wiz, however “this Wiz mounts in appeal and becomes so alternately giddy and moving.”

Officially a phenomenal comeback of a riveting classic, The Wiz is hitting up major cities, including Denver, Colorado! Lucky theater fanatics will get to witness this fantastic production when it takes over the iconic Buell Theatre! Get ready for an amazing theater experience at one of Denver’s most impressive venues. The theater provides a unique and memorable occasion and you’re sure to leave the venue in high spirits. For starters, Buell Theatre boasts excellent modern architecture and easy accessibility. The theater also provides ample space – with each seat has a great view of the stage and the audio is crisp and clear thanks to superb sound and lights technology. Lastly, the trailblazing stage configuration allows more major productions to come in and bring gigantic sets and props – for this reason, the Buell Theatre has become a favorite among major touring Broadway productions. 

Don’t miss out on this terrific revival! It has exactly been four decades since The Wiz took over Broadway. Now, the revival is slated to bring audiences back to the magical world of the Land of Oz! It’s definitely a must-see for all theater lovers and seeing it at a grand theatrical destination like the Buell Theatre is icing on the cake! If you want to be one of the first ones to witness the phenomenal return of The Wiz, you should hurry and secure your tickets as early as now! With the staggering amount of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz fans, the spectacle is bound to be jam-packed! So hit that Get Tickets link before you miss out!

“There’s plenty of gold along this yellow brick road!” – The New York Times