Near West Theatre presents: THE WIZ February 10-19, 2017 Adapted from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum Book by William F. Brown Music & Lyrics by Charlie Smalls Join arms and "Ease On Down the Road" with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman & Lion! "Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully!" THE WIZ is an urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of the modern African-American experience. It stormed onto Broadway in 1978 with the energy of a Kansas twister and a score featuring rock, gospel and soul music. Winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical! Later came a film version starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross and recently THE WIZ was performed on NBC Live. This timeless tale of Dorothy's adventures in Oz is entertainment magic and meaningful for the whole family. A fantasy for today; mysterious, opulent and side-splittingly funny. Come 'Ease on Down the Road' with our large multi-racial youth cast of 9-15 year olds, and re-discover how leaving home can change our ideas of life and the world we live in forever...and for the better. Performances: February 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 & 19, 2017 (Fri. and Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.) Tickets can be purchased at www.nearwesttheatre.org<http://www.nearwesttheatre.org>, or by calling our Box Office at 216-961-6391 from 11am-4pm M-F. Accessibility notes: Near West Theatre's new home is fully accessible! Dedicated spaces will be available to view the performance from a wheelchair.