Ease on Down to Miami: The Arsht celebrates 50 Years of THE WIZ with South Florida premiere starring hometown talent.

The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical that took the world by storm is back!  The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and Broadway Across America are proud to launch the 2025-26 Broadway in Miami series with the South Florida premiere of THE WIZ, for a limited engagement this fall from October 7-12, 2025 in the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House. Celebrating 50 years since the beloved musical first opened on Broadway in 1975, this new revival features hometown talent including Miami native Amitria Fanae’ (Addaperle), along with Florida-natives Kameren Whigham (Ensemble) from Fort Lauderdale and Sai Anthony (Ensemble / US scarecrow) from Jacksonville.

Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” THE WIZ takes one of the world’s most enduring American fantasies and transforms it into an all-Black musical extravaganza for the ages.

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 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!”

Tickets to THE WIZ are $48-$177* and may be purchased now at ArshtCenter.org or at the Arsht box office by calling (305) 949-6722.

All Broadway in Miami ticket holders have access to Arsht Plus, a series of interactive pre-performance experiences such as artist conversations, dance lessons, cooking demos, live music and family fun offered on select performances. For THE WIZ, Arsht Plus takes place on opening night, October 7, beginning at 6:30 p.m. For guests with accessibility needs, the Arsht provides accessible seating and complimentary assistive listening devices for all performances, along with sign language interpretation, open captioning and audio description at select shows to ensure an inclusive experience for all guests.

THE WIZ opens the 2025-26 Broadway in Miami season presented by Florida Theatrical Association in association with the Adrienne Arsht Center, with generous support from presenting sponsor Bank of America.

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 are Sheherazade as Glinda, 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 is produced by Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker and NETworks Presentations.

Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook), award-winning choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black is King), additional material by Tony-nominated and Emmy-nominated writer and TV host Amber Ruffin (“The Amber Ruffin Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers”), Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements), Allen René Louis (vocal arrangements, music arrangements) and Emmy Award-winning music director and Grammy Award-winning writer, Adam Blackstone and Terence Vaughn (Dance Music Arrangers) conjure up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before.  A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz and modern pop bring a whole new groove to easing on down the road.

THE WIZ design team includes scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyoncé’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man), sound design by Jon Weston (Parade), video and projection design by Daniel Brodie (Motown the Musical), wig design by Charles LaPointe (MJ the Musical) and make-up design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche (The Piano Lesson). Casting is by TRC Casting Company.

The production also includes ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.

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 break-out 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.

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Ticket prices include fees. Visit ArshtCenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

About the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

The Arsht proudly serves as the cultural pulse of Miami – the heart of magical live arts experiences that spark the imagination and connect people to one another. Whether on our stages or in your neighborhood, the Arsht is alive year-round with international artists , innovative programming from resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and more than 100 culturally diverse and impactful learning experiences for 80,000 children every year.

Since opening in 2006 in the heart of downtown, the Arsht, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been recognized as a leader in the city’s cultural transformation, a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development and a host venue for historic events. The 300+ annual Arsht events include a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, star-studded jazz and classical music concerts curated for South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, Gospel Fest Miami, Art + Mind Day, Heritage Fest and our LGBTQ+ Pride celebration are among dozens of free events that bring people from all corners of our community together. For more information, visit ArshtCenter.Org.

The John Gore Organization is a leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 25-time Tony-winner and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in over 45 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk, and Olivier Awards. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office, and Broadway Brands. Led by 25-time Tony Award winner John Gore (Owner & CEO), Broadway Across America pioneered the Broadway subscription touring model and is a leading presenter of the first-class productions across more than 45 North American markets. Since inception, Broadway Across America has produced and/or invested in hundreds of Broadway, touring Broadway, and international productions that have won countless Tony awards and introduced millions of fans to the power of live theater.