David Alan Grier has been cast in the title role of Tony Award winning ‘The Wiz.’
The funnyman, who is most memorably known as Blayne Edwards — his send-up of gay a TV personality on the groundbreaking sketch comedy show ‘In Living Color’ — received an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. He won the lead role in the Broadway musical ‘The First,’ portraying baseball icon Jackie Robinson, and went on to receive a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and win the 1982 Theatre World Award.
Directed by Des McAnuff, who helmed this year’s Tony Award winning Best Musical ‘Jersey Boys,’ the new version of ‘The Wiz’ will start previews at California’s La Jolla Playhouse Sep. 26. A Broadway announcement is said to be pending.
Emmy Award winner Wayne Brady is set to star as the Scarecrow, and Tony Award nominated Valarie Pettiford (most recently seen on UPN’s long-running sitcom ‘Half & Half’) will take on the dual role of Aunt Em and Glinda.
Nikki James, Tituss Burgess, Michael Benjamin Washington, E. Faye Butler and Heather Lee round out the principal cast.