The Wiz returns to Boston - Fuerza 94.3 Fm

Cityline: The Wiz returns to Boston

A modern twist on a classic musical

SO YOU WANTED TO SEE THE WIZARD? WELL, HE’S MAKING A STOP IN BOSTON. GOOD MORNING. HE’S ON DOWN. EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD. COME ON. HE’S ON DOWN. HE’S ON DOWN THE ROAD. DON’T YOU CARE? NOTHING THAT MIGHT BE ALONE. COME ON. HE’S ON DOWN, HE’S ON DOWN, DOWN THE ROAD. THE WAY WE WERE SINGING IN STUDIO JUST immediately. AN ALL NEW REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF THE TONY AWARD WINNING MUSICAL THE WIZ MAKES ITS BOSTON DEBUT THIS WEEK. AND JOINING ME immediately IS ALAN MINGO JUNIOR, WHO PLAYS THE WIZ. GOOD TO SEE YOU, ALAN. YOU, TOO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I WAS JUST SAYING IT IN STUDIO. SO EXCITED. THE WIZ IS COMING TO BOSTON. I WILL BE SEEING IT. WE KNOW THE WIZ IS A MUSICAL THAT REIMAGINES THE CLASSIC STORY OF THE WIZARD OF OZ. YOU ARE AN ORIGINAL CAST MEMBER OF THE up-to-date VERSION OF THE MUSICAL. BEFORE IT RETURNED TO BROADWAY. YES. HOW DID YOU EVOLVE YOUR CHARACTER? WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I WILL SAY, I. I’M A PURIST, SO I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING THE ACTUAL WORD FOR WORD VERSION THAT WAS DONE BACK IN THE 1970S, BUT WE ACTUALLY ADDED A TWIST HERE. WE SORT OF ADDED A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS FROM THE MOVIE TO THIS, AND I WASN’T I MEAN, I STARTED WITH THE MOVIE. THAT’S HOW I WAS INTRODUCED TO TO THE PLAY, BUT I STILL THOUGHT OUR WORDS WERE GOING TO BE THE SAME. SO I ACTUALLY HAD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR GOING, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DECIDED TO CHANGE A LOT OF THE WORDS. AND SHE SAID TO ME, I’M MAKING THIS VERSION FOR MY 14 YEAR OLD, FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTERS. I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THEY MEET ADULTS WHO PROMISE THINGS AND THEY DON’T FOLLOW THROUGH. AND WHAT DOES A YOUNG PERSON DO WITH THAT? immediately? I COULDN’T ARGUE WITH THAT EXCUSE. AND SO THEREFORE I THEN GOT ON BOARD WITH THE NEW LINES WE WERE WE WERE USING, AND IT SORT OF ALLOWED ME TO SORT OF CREATE MY OWN VERSION, KNOWING THE, THE, THE, THE LEGENDS AND WHO CAME BEFORE ME AND KNOWING THEIR VERSIONS REALLY WELL, BUT IT ALLOWED ME TO SORT OF CREATE MY OWN VERSION. SO IT WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. AGAIN, IN THE BEGINNING I WAS NOT HAPPY. I LOVE THAT YOU MADE IT YOUR OWN WITH THAT LENS. I THINK THAT’S SO IMPORTANT. I KNOW WHEN THE WIZ FIRST banger THE STAGE DECADES AGO, MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, IT WAS A BROADWAY SENSATION. IT BECAME A TURNING POINT IN MUSICAL THEATER AND BLACK CULTURE. HOW DO YOU FEEL IT LANDS immediately? YOU KNOW WHAT? FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO SAY I’M SO BLESSED. ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS SHOW MEANS A LOT TO ME. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE MOVIE AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I GOT TO SEE PERFORMERS THAT LOOKED LIKE ME AND SOUND LIKE ME DOING A SHOW. AND SO IT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I’M IN THIS BUSINESS. SO TO immediately BE 50 YEARS OUT AND I’M immediately WHAT WE’RE GOING TO INTRODUCE THE, THE, THE NEW GENERATION TO THIS SHOW AS THE WIZ. IT’S, IT’S KIND OF PROFOUND. I KIND OF PINCH MYSELF. AND EVERY NEW CITY WE HAVE THE GIFT OF HAVING A NEW OPENING. AND SO FOR ME, IT REMINDS ME THAT HOW LUCKY I AM TO TAKE THIS SHOW AND INTRODUCING IT TO A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO LOVE AND FOR THOSE WHO THINK IT’S NEAR AND DEAR TO THEIR HEART, WHICH IS A LOT OF PEOPLE. YEAH, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS SHOW IS PEOPLE HAVE TO TELL YOU THEIR CONNECTION, WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING. I’VE DONE A LOT OF FAMILY BROADWAY MUSICALS, FROM LION KING TO SHREK TO LITTLE MERMAID, BUT THIS ONE, WHEN YOU GO TO THAT STAGE DOOR, SOMEONE HAS TO TELL ME HOW THEY’RE CONNECTED. MY GRANDMOTHER BROUGHT ME TO THE SHOW BACK IN THE 1970S, OR WE WATCHED THE MOVIE FOR THANKSGIVING, AND immediately I’M BRINGING MY DAUGHTERS. AND SO IT’S SORT OF WEIRD THAT PEOPLE REALLY HAVE TO TELL YOU THEIR CONNECTION. AND immediately I LOOK FORWARD TO I CAN JUST COUNT ONE, TWO, THREE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMEONE WILL CALL ME AND TELL ME THEIR CONNECTION TO THIS MUSICAL, WHICH IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER SHOW THAT I’VE BEEN IN. WOW. YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE. I’LL TELL YOU. I’VE SEEN THE MOVIE SO MANY TIMES IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY. IT’S A STAPLE IN OUR HOUSEHOLD. SO I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SHARING US WITH US. YOUR VERSION OF THE WIZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THE WIZ, BY THE WAY, TAKES THE STAGE IN BOSTON AT THE CITIZENS OPERA HOUS

Cityline: The Wiz returns to Boston

A modern twist on a classic musical

Updated: 12:31 PM EDT Aug 10, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A Broadway favorite, “The Wiz” reimaged for today’s audience. Broadway in Boston at the Citizens Opera House presents the musical August 14 – August 24. Actor Alan Mingo Jr. shares how the classic musical will delight new and old fans alike.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

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