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The Wiz: Tiny Desk Concert

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Published
Mitra I. Arthur | July 12, 2024
One afternoon the Tiny Desk traveled to Emerald City. Or rather, we got to meet the cast of the newest Broadway revival of The Wiz. Debuting in Baltimore, Md. in 1974, the musical unapologetically centered Black culture in its reenvisioning of The Wizard Of Oz and helped usher in a new era of Black theatrical storytelling. In its various stage productions and 1978 screen adaptation, audiences for The Wiz get to see a futuristic and fantastical depiction of the Black imagination. As an 8-year-old, seeing The Wiz ignited my love of musical theater. I have no doubt countless audiences will feel the same joy and awe I felt when this new imagining of The Wiz goes back on tour at the top of 2025.

The mystique in Alan Mingo, Jr.'s performance of “Meet the Wizard” as The Wiz illustrates that even when Broadway casts visit the Tiny Desk out of costume and away from their sets, they can’t help but channel the physicality of the characters they portray eight times a week. Melody A. Betts’ Aunt Em provides a loving but firm correction of Dorothy (Nichelle Lewis) in “The Feeling We Once Had” that is both warm and familiar. Avery Wilson’s voice elastically dances up and down the notes in “You Can’t Win,” mimicking the way his limbs move as the Scarecrow. Phillip Johnson Richardson’s gut-wrenching performance of “What Would I Do If I Could Feel” will have your heart bursting and make you want to offer it to his Tinman. And the charming Kyle Ramar Freeman gave us all the ultimate false bravado and bluster of the Lion in “Mean Ole Lion.”

The show’s finale, “Home,” was particularly special for Virginia native Nichelle Lewis. Her vulnerable performance had the audience, which included her mother, cheering her on. As Lewis’ fellow cast members enveloped her in hugs after her performance, we were reminded of the same lessons that Dorothy learns in the show: Home isn’t just a physical space, it’s the people who build you up and love you.

SET LIST
“The Feeling We Once Had”
“Meet The Wizard”
“You Can’t Win”
“What Would I Do If I Could Feel”
“Mean Ole Lion”
“Ease On Down the Road - Reprise”
“Home”

MUSICIANS
Nichelle Lewis: vocals, as Dorothy
Melody A. Betts: vocals as Aunt Em/Evillene
Alan Mingo, Jr.: vocals as The Wiz
Kyle Ramar Freeman: vocals as Lion
Phillip Johnson Richardson: vocals as Tinman
Avery Wilson: vocals as Scarecrow
Paul Byssainthe Jr.: piano, musical direction
Trevor Holder: drums
Michael Olatuja: bass

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Mitra. I Arthur
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #thewiz
Category
Jazz
Tags
NPR, NPR Music, National Public Radio
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