It is rare when actors double as scenery and special effects. But the lights go down, and in the first 10 minutes, dancers dressed in black ninja gear are literally inserting themselves in clothing, and destroying scenery to create the famous tornado that blows a young girl away and over the rainbow. Soon after, these dancers become the yellow brick road with yellow shoes and gloves, painted suitcases, and dangling lights. These were the workings of a fresh take on the classic story The Wizard of Oz, called The Wiz.

What made Encores! Summer Star’s The Wiz at New York City Center special was that the cast was entirely African American, and the songs were certainly different than those in the movie version of The Wizard of Oz. The songs were soulful, the dance included modern elements, hip-hop, and a little break-dance, and the costumes were playful and elaborate.

The Wizard of Oz is said to be the most watched movie in history, and I found the unexpected twists in The Wiz refreshing. The main plot involves a young girl named Dorothy being swept away from her house and family in Kansas to an unknown and magical world. Here, she meets new friends, and makes a journey to meet the Wiz, so she can find a way to get back home. Ashanti, who played Dorothy, was perfect for the role because of her innocent nature, and her beautiful and strong voice.

Addaperle, the Lion, and Evillene (the Wicked Witch of the West), were all scene stealers, and entertaining because of the outgoing portrayal of their characters. The innovative set and costume design kept the show exciting and comical. For instance, I was wondering how they were going to turn actors into munchkins; their solution was for people to sit on wheely chairs, as a big colorful umbrella covered their whole bodies, so just their head, arms, and feet stuck out, and they could wheel themselves along.

There were many differences between The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz, and I had to keep reminding myself that The Wiz was its own separate thing. Many of the differences were because of the limitations of a live stage version versus a movie, but the set designers were inventive is coming up with solutions. I was a little bit disappointed by how rushed the ending was, but I understood the technical reason of why they wouldn’t want to go through another set change. The Wiz was two and a half hours of fun, and I would recommend this bubbly show because of its originality and creativity.