Elijah Ahmad Lewis talks ‘The Wiz’ 50th anniversary tour
Music runs in Elijah Ahmad Lewis’ family.
“I started in the industry when I was 7 years old,” Lewis said. “My dad is a music producer and musician, my mother works in …
Music runs in Elijah Ahmad Lewis’ family.
“I started in the industry when I was 7 years old,” Lewis said. “My dad is a music producer and musician, my mother works in marketing and sales and was also an actress, and my uncle (James Warren Taylor) was the lead singer of Kool & the Gang. So, coming up in the industry was my life.”
Since 2014, Lewis has performed in a variety of Broadway shows and tours, including “Motown: The Musical” and “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.” He’s now starring as Scarecrow in the North American tour of “The Wiz,” which eases on down to the Wharton Center Tuesday (Dec. 9) through Dec. 14.
A retelling of “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” debuted on Broadway in 1975 and was adapted into a 1978 film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. It was revived in a brand-new touring production from fall 2023 to spring 2024, which paused for a limited engagement on Broadway from April through August 2024 before resuming in February.
Lewis originally auditioned for the roles of Scarecrow and Tinman in the Broadway show. Although the Scarecrow part initially went to his good friend Avery Wilson, he was summoned back to lead the national tour.
“A lot of us grew up on the movie,” Lewis said. “The great thing about this version of the show is how our creative team (director Schele Williams, writer Amber Ruffin, choreographer JaQuel Knight and music supervisor Joseph Joubert) came together to combine the original Broadway show and the movie.”
For instance, they included Scarecrow’s memorable solo “You Can’t Win,” which was written for the film. Since it wasn’t in the original show, Lewis is thrilled to be performing it.
“People always ask me if I’m intimidated by playing (Scarecrow), being that Michael was the last one to make it iconic. I’m not intimidated by it. I’m honored to step into the shoes and pay homage to what he did — and to what Hinton Battle did, who originated it on Broadway,” he said. “To be able to sing the song that was created for Michael is also pretty amazing. I think he’d be proud of how I honor him.”
Lewis also loves tapping into his comedic side for Scarecrow’s funnier moments. However, his favorite part about playing the character is the special bond he shares with Dorothy, Tinman and Lion.
“In the show, Scarecrow is Dorothy’s best friend,” he said. “It’s the first person she meets. I wouldn’t say he’s the group leader, because Dorothy is the group leader, but because he is acquainted with Oz and Dorothy is not, it’s that partnership between the two of them that brings the rest of the heroes together.”
He went on to praise his fellow cast members Dana Cimone (Dorothy), D. Jerome (Tinman), Cal Mitchell (Lion), Sheherazade (Glinda), Kyla Jade (Evillene/Aunt Em) and Alan Mingo Jr. (The Wiz), and how much fun they had creating their own version of Oz.
“You have to bring yourself to these roles because they’re not actual people,” he said. “We all bring something to it, and our vibrations are so great together. We find new things, and we keep certain elements that were in the original production for the revival.”
Although he loves performing the whole show, his favorite number is “Be A Lion.” It begins as what he describes as a “solo-et” (solo and duet) between Dorothy and Lion before gradually becoming a quartet of all four heroes.
“It’s such a powerful arrangement in how it encapsulates the end of Act I with trying to get to the land of Oz and see the Wiz,” he said. “That arrangement blows the audience away every night.”
“The Wiz” has marked a defining moment in Black culture since it first hit the stage. As the show celebrates 50 years, Lewis said he and the rest of the cast are very aware of how significant it has become.
“This is such an iconic show for our African American culture and community,” he said. “Everything in the show is a delight to tap into every night. It is a show of joy, liberation and happiness.”
Lewis said fans of “The Wiz” will appreciate how the tour pays tribute to past iterations of the story, but even first-time viewers are bound to enjoy it.
“Musical theater is that medium that lifts your spirits and takes your mind off reality for two-and-a-half hours,” he said. “Come have a good time, sing the songs and join us in Oz!”
December theater productions:
Climate Change Theatre Action
Noon and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3
LCC Black Box Theatre
411 N. Grand Ave., Lansing
“Frozen Jr.”
Thursday, Dec. 4-Saturday, Dec. 6
7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
3 p.m. Saturday
Dwight Rich School of the Arts
2600 Hampden Drive, Lansing
“MSU UnScripted”
Thursday, Dec. 4-Sunday, Dec. 7
7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Studio 60 Theatre
542 Auditorium Road, East Lansing
“Holiday at Lebowsky”
Friday, Dec. 5-Sunday, Dec. 7 and Dec. 12-14
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
6:30 p.m. Sunday
Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts
122 E. Main St., Owosso
Improv Showcase
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9
LCC Black Box Theatre
411 N. Grand Ave., Lansing
“The Wiz”
Tuesday, Dec. 9- Dec. 14
7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
2 p.m. Saturday
1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Wharton Center Cobb Great Hall
750 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing
“The Nutcracker”
7 p.m. Dec. 12
Hannah Community Center
819 Abbot Road, East Lansing
10-Minute Fall Play Festival
3 and 7 p.m. Dec 14
LCC Black Box Theatre
411 N. Grand Ave., Lansing
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