The Wiz revival – inside the rehearsal room

Staged by Hope Mill Theatre (where it runs from November), Ameena Hamid Productions and Chuchu Nwagu Productions, the piece is a new 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.

Director Matthew Xia leads a creative team alongside musical director Ehsaan Shivarani, musical supervisor and orchestrator Sean Green, choreographer Leah Hill, designer Simon Kenny, associate costume designer Maybelle Laye, projection by George Reeve, lighting designer Simisola Majekodunmi, sound designer Tony Gayle, casting director Ryan Carter and casting mentor Anne Vosser.

Appearing will be Wiliams (she/her) as Dorothy, Tarik Frimpong (he/him) as Scarecrow, Llewellyn Graham (he/him) as Tin Man, Jonathan Andre (he/him) as Lion, Cameron Bernard Jones (he/him) as The Wiz, Anelisa Lamola (she/her) as Addaperle, Bree Smith (she/her) as Aunt Em and Glinda, Kofi Dennis (he/him) as Lord High and Ashh Blackwood (she/her) as Evillene.

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