Wayne Brady to depart 'The Wiz' on Broadway; Alan Mingo Jr. to join

Mingo, who is currently part of the musical's ensemble and played Brady's part on the national tour, will step into the title role full-time beginning in June.

Alan Mingo Jr. will step into the title role of The Wiz on Broadway this summer, replacing original cast member Wayne Brady in the title role. Brady plays his final performance in the show at the Marquis Theatre on June 12.

"The Wiz is more than a Broadway show, it’s a legacy," Brady said in a statement. "Growing up, I’ve always loved musicals, but seeing The Wiz was the first time I saw a cast with people who looked like us. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work on such an exciting revival with this creative team and cast, and I’m grateful to return to the Broadway community."

Mingo first played The Wiz in multiple cities of the production's pre-Broadway national tour in 2023-24, and he currently performs in the show's ensemble.

"I’m thrilled to return to playing The Wiz," Mingo Jr. said in a statement. "My mother took me to see this musical when I was a child, and there aren’t many shows you can say that about."

Back on Broadway for its second revival, the Tony Award-winning 1974 musical The Wiz is an all-Black retelling of The Wizard of Oz. The show infuses the classic story with a celebration of Black music, dance, and culture.

The Wiz features a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award-winning score by Charlie Smalls. Tony Award nominee Amber Ruffin contributed new material for this revival, which is directed by Schele Williams and choreographed by JaQuel Knight.

The Broadway cast also includes Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda, Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em/Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as Tinman, and Avery Wilson as Scarecrow.

Photo credit: Wayne Brady and Alan Mingo Jr. in The Wiz. (Photos by Jeremy Daniel)