The Wiz revival to be streamed this month

Exclusive: The hit revival of The Wiz at the Hope Mill Theatre will be streamed for online audiences, it's been announced.

To make up for the 15 performances that were cancelled for Covid reasons, rights holders for the musical have agreed for the piece to be released for a strictly limited number of UK-only audiences (limited by the number of seats in the Manchester venue).

The streams will take place from 22 to 30 January, after the show's run ends later this week. Audiences can book via the Hope Mill Theatre website now.

Appearing are Cherelle Wiliams (she/her, The Lion King) as Dorothy, Tarik Frimpong (he/him, Aladdin) as Scarecrow, Llewellyn Graham (he/him, making his professional debut) as Tin Man, Jonathan Andre (he/him, The Lion King) as Lion, Cameron Bernard Jones (he/him, South Pacific) as The Wiz, Anelisa Lamola (she/her, The Color Purple) as Addaperle, Bree Smith (she/her, West Side Story) as Aunt Em and Glinda, Kofi Dennis (he/him, Romeo and Juliet) as Lord High and Ashh Blackwood (she/her, Horrible Histories) as Evillene.

The ensemble features Andile Mabhena (he/him), Shayna McPherson (she/her), Dylan Gordon-Jones (he/him), Samantha Shuma (she/her), Marisha Morgan (she/her).

Joining director Matthew Xia on the creative team are musical director Ehsaan Shivarani, musical supervisor and orchestrator Sean Green, choreographer Leah Hill, designer Simon Kenny, associate costume designer Maybelle Laye, projection designer George Reeve, associate projection designer Kira O'Brien, lighting designer Simisola Majekodunmi, sound designer Tony Gayle, casting director Ryan Carter and casting support Anne Vosser.

Greeted with out-and-out raves when it premiered late last month, the piece is a twist on the multi-Tony Award-winning '70s musical, which is penned by Charlie Smalls and William F Brown and is based on L Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz.