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When people talk about the 1970s, they usually get stuck on disco or bell-bottoms. But if you were in New York in 1975, the real earthquake wasn't at a club—it was at the Majestic Theatre. That’s where the original Broadway cast from The Wiz turned a struggling production into a cultural juggernaut that basically rewrote the rules for what a musical could be.
It almost didn’t happen. Honestly, the early previews were a mess. Critics were sharpening their knives, and the show was bleeding money. Then, something shifted. It wasn’t just the "Ease on Down the Road" rhythm; it was the specific, electric chemistry of a group of actors who knew they were making history. You’ve got to remember that before this, "The Wizard of Oz" was seen as this untouchable, porcelain-white piece of Americana. This cast shattered that.
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The Teenage Phenomenon: Stephanie Mills
Stephanie Mills was just 17 years old when she stepped into Dorothy’s silver slippers. Imagine that pressure. She wasn't some polished Hollywood product; she was a powerhouse from Brooklyn with a voice that sounded like it had been seasoned by decades of gospel and soul.
When Mills sang "Home," the show stopped. Literally.
People weren't just clapping; they were crying. It’s one of those rare moments in theater history where the performer and the role become inseparable. While Diana Ross eventually took the role in the 1978 film version—a move that remains controversial among theater purists to this day—Mills was the heartbeat of the original stage production. She stayed with the show for years and eventually became an R&B icon, but for many, she will always be the girl who made a fantasy world feel like the corner of the street.
Why the Supporting Cast from The Wiz Changed Everything
The brilliance of this production wasn't just in the lead. It was in the weird, wonderful energy of the three friends Dorothy picks up along the way.
Tiger Haynes played the Tin Man. He brought this stiff, metallic vulnerability that was surprisingly heart-wrenching. He wasn't just a guy in a suit; he was a jazz drummer who understood rhythm. Then you had Ted Ross as the Lion. He won a Tony for this role, and he deserved it. He played the Lion with this "tough guy with a secret" vibe that was hilarious and deeply human. He actually reprised the role in the movie later on, being one of the few to bridge the gap between the two versions.
The Scarecrow Factor
Hinton Battle. If you don't know the name, you should.
He was only 18 when he was cast as the Scarecrow. He replaced another actor during the pre-Broadway tour and ended up winning a Tony for it. His movement was fluid, almost boneless. He didn't just walk; he oozed across the stage. This was the start of a legendary career that saw him winning three Tonys. He passed away in early 2024, leaving behind a legacy that most Broadway dancers still try to emulate but rarely catch.
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The Villains and the Visionaries
We can't talk about the cast from The Wiz without mentioning the powerhouse women who played the witches.
Mabel King as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, was a force of nature. Her rendition of "No Bad News" is a masterclass in stage presence. She commanded the room with a terrifying, hilarious authority. On the flip side, you had Dee Dee Bridgewater as Glinda. She brought this shimmering, ethereal jazz sensibility to the role. Bridgewater eventually became one of the greatest jazz vocalists of her generation, but in 1975, she was the golden goddess who told Dorothy she had the power all along.
And then, the man behind the curtain. Andre De Shields played the Wiz.
De Shields is a god of the theater. Even back then, he had this slick, pimp-adjacent, charismatic energy that made the Wiz feel like a high-stakes con man you couldn't help but love. He’s still performing today—winning a Tony for Hadestown decades later—proving that the talent in this original cast wasn't a flash in the pan. It was a concentrated burst of excellence.
The 1978 Film: A Different Kind of Magic
Look, we have to address the elephant in the room. The movie version of the cast from The Wiz is what most people know, and it’s a totally different animal.
Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film moved the setting to a decaying, surrealist version of New York City. You had Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. This was arguably his best acting work ever. He was obsessed with the role, reportedly staying in his makeup for hours just to feel the character. He had this innocent, twitchy energy that perfectly complemented Diana Ross.
Ross was 33 playing a character usually portrayed as a teenager. That’s a weird choice. Critics hated it at the time. They thought she was too old, too glamorous. But looking back, her Dorothy feels more like a woman going through a mid-life crisis or a mental breakdown, which gives the film a darker, more adult layer that the stage play lacks.
Richard Pryor and Lena Horne
The movie also gave us Richard Pryor as the Wiz.
Pryor was at the height of his fame, and seeing him play a scared, lonely man hiding behind a giant mechanical head was genius casting. It stripped away his comedic armor. And Lena Horne as Glinda? Forget about it. When she sings "Believe in Yourself" at the end of the movie, she’s not just singing to Dorothy; she’s singing to every person who ever felt like they weren't enough. It’s a spiritual experience.
The 2024 Revival: Passing the Torch
The legacy of the original cast from The Wiz is so strong that the 2024 Broadway revival had massive shoes to fill. Nichelle Lewis stepped into the Dorothy role after being discovered on TikTok, which is a very 21st-century way to get to Oz.
The revival brought in Wayne Brady as the Wiz. Brady has that same "showman with a secret" energy that De Shields pioneered. This version proved that the material is timeless. It doesn't matter if it's 1975 or 2024; the story of a Black girl finding her way home through a world of weirdness and wonder still resonates.
Why the Casting Matters
The reason this matters—the reason we're still talking about these actors—is because they broke a barrier. Before The Wiz, Black actors were often relegated to very specific, often subservient roles in musical theater. This show let them be heroes, villains, icons, and gods.
It used soul, funk, and gospel to tell a universal story.
When you look at the original cast from The Wiz, you're looking at a blueprint. Every diverse casting choice on Broadway today, from Hamilton to Hell's Kitchen, owes a debt to what happened at the Majestic Theatre in 1975.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers
If you want to truly appreciate the depth of this cast, don't just stick to the movie.
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- Listen to the 1975 Original Broadway Cast Recording. You need to hear Stephanie Mills' "Home" in its original context. The tempo is different, and the raw hunger in her voice is undeniable.
- Watch the 1978 film for Michael Jackson’s performance. Regardless of how you feel about the rest of the movie, Jackson’s physical comedy and vocal choices are legendary.
- Track the careers of the original "Friends." Look up Hinton Battle’s later work in Sophisticated Ladies or Andre De Shields in Hadestown to see how the "Wiz" DNA evolved over fifty years of American theater.
- Compare the orchestrations. The way Charlie Smalls wrote the music for the stage is much more "theatrical soul," while Quincy Jones' work on the film soundtrack turns it into a high-gloss, epic R&B masterpiece.
The "Wiz" isn't just a show. It's a lineage of talent that changed the face of American entertainment by proving that "Home" isn't just a place—it's the community you build along the way.