Young Elijah Ahmad Lewis first took the stage in eighth grade with a middle school production of “The Wiz.” He played The Scarecrow, and from that moment on, he was hooked.
“That’s when I was bit by the theater bug,” Lewis admitted. “I won an award for that part, and that’s how all this started.”
Now, more awards, a couple of decades and multiple songwriting credits later, Lewis returns to the role of The Scarecrow, carrying with him the same love of the theater he had as an eighth grader, as well as a deeper insight into what continues to make the character so relatable.
“The thing about Scarecrow is that somewhere along the storyline, [he] believed what someone said to him rather than listening to himself and hearing his own intuition. That’s the lesson to be learned with The Scarecrow. Believe in yourself.”
Famously in search of a brain, Scarecrow proves himself to be the cleverest and most logical among the characters on the journey to Oz, proving that he only needed to believe in his own abilities to make his wish come true.
Lewis took this message to heart to find the way to his dreams. It’s this trust in himself that guided him as a performer and songwriter, lending him insight into the universality of music.
Lewis infuses his present-day Scarecrow with this knowledge, believing that every aspect of performing — from musicians to the stage crew to hair and makeup to costumes — are part of the grander art of storytelling.
“It’s all conveying a message,” Lewis said. “It’s all relaying a happening to people. Even the musicians, the crew, it’s all an arc. It all tells a story and conveys a message to the audience.”
It’s what makes “The Wiz” and all of its iterations — including the original “Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked” — so relevant.
“‘The Wiz’ is a universal story,” Lewis said. “It’s a story of finding home. On a daily basis, we are trying to find where we fit in and getting back to where we belong. And you’re always able to connect with one of the characters because of the journey they’re on.”
“The Wiz” originally premiered on Broadway in 1975, expanding the original L. Frank Baum classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with an all-Black cast and a score packed with soul, gospel, rock and 70s funk. As with the original “Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” centers on the tale of Dorothy as she and her companions journey to find a place in the world.
Since this year marks the 50th anniversary, the stage production combines elements of the original play with the motion picture version, which starred Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor and Diana Ross.
So whether you’re a fan of the movie, the original version of “The Wiz,” or simply a fan of all stories related to Oz, the show will have something you will enjoy.
“Everyone has their own version of “The Wiz” that is dear to them,” Lewis said. “Come with an open heart and open mind. Forget what’s happening in the world and go into the land of Oz for two hours.”
For Lewis, returning to the role of The Scarecrow is very much like returning home, and as the story goes, he doesn’t arrive empty-handed, nor does he get there alone.
“I always say you’re your best project,” Lewis said. “As long as you are your true self, your community will find you. People will always be able to see themselves in this art, and I think, with everything going on in the world, this is a great show for a reset and a restart.”
“The Wiz” will run at Bass Concert Hall from May 12-17, Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $42 and are available at TexasPerformingArts.org and BroadwayinAustin.com, by phone at (512) 471-1444 or from the Texas Performing Arts ticket office at Bass Concert Hall.
