Alan Mingo Jr. in the North American Tour of The Wiz. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
Ed. note: This story was first published on July 11 when the show first played at Bass Performance Hall. This has been edited for its current run in Dallas.
There was a moment when Alan Mingo Jr. didn’t think his show was ever going to make it to Broadway. With a number of changes and edits, he was sure The Wiz’s path was unsure.
But like the show’s song “We’re Gonna Make It” promises, The Wiz eventually landed on Broadway, and Mingo got his moment onstage as the titular all-powerful character.
Today he’s reprising the role on the road with the show’s first national tour of the revival.
“We took a lot of time figuring out how to keep the show constantly moving, and our version feels more contemporary and timeless than before so that this show can live on for another 50 years without retooling,” Mingo said. “We did a wonderful job of crafting this version.”
The Wiz is now playing through Sept. 21 at the Music Hall at Fair Park by Broadway Dallas.
According to Mingo, the show blends the original Broadway version with the movie, but it also updates the story by removing some dated language and refreshing the music with revitalizing original orchestrations.
Mixing in the movie elements benefits those in the audience who were introduced to the story by the 1978 film that starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor.
“I came to the story from the movie, and, really, it’s why I’m a performer today. For people like me who only know Michael Jackson was in this, we make those fans happy as well,” he said.
He added that this fresher version also has a dynamic energy that speaks to new audiences.
But boy, did The Wiz take its time easing on down the road.
“Time was not our friend. We had a 12-city tour pre-Broadway and were still changing things,” he said. “Performances were struggling because of new changes. I started that run but then handed it off to Wayne Brady, and he wanted changes to the show. It was so much pressure.”
There were moments Mingo wasn’t sure this was for him. Today, he’s proud of reprising the role that he has made his own, but he is also proud to perpetuate the accidental queer legacy the character has created.
On stage, the role was originated by gay Broadway legend Andre de Shields. Colman Domingo has performed the role in Encores, and pansexual Wayne Brady played the role prior to (as well as after) Mingo.
To further the legacy, Richard Pryor and Queen Latifah portrayed the screen versions. Just sayin’ ….
“I realize the shoulders I’m standing on,” Mingo said. “I love this character, and I play it unapologetically as a gay man.
“As a young actor, I’d always cloak or shift myself, but now I don’t worry about that,” he continued. “I can’t control what people think, so while they may feel the need to figure me out, I’m going to be me. And I’ve made a wonderful career from that.”
His stage career has included some of the most iconic of queer productions. Mingo may best be known for his Dora Award-winning performance as Lola in the Canadian and Broadway productions of Kinky Boots. On Broadway, he’s played Tom Collins in Rent and Seaweed in Hairspray, and regionally, he played Zaza/Albin in La Cage Aux Folles.
He’s creating quite a queer legacy of his own.
“I hadn’t ever thought about that,” he laughed. “I think that’s just the path God put me on.” ■
For tickets, visit BroadwayDallas.org.
You should have also mentioned in this article that this latest U.S.National Tour of “The Wiz” will return to the DFW Metroplex in September at the Music Hall at Fair Park.