'The Wiz' Hits The Yellow Brick Road

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Broadway Show: Uncut – Episode: 'The Wiz' Hits The Yellow Brick Road

Introduction and Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of "The Broadway Show: Uncut," host Tamsen Fadal introduces the upcoming North American tour of "The Wiz," commemorating its 50th anniversary since its original Broadway debut. The production boasts an extraordinary set designed by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beechler, known for her work on "Black Panther." The episode primarily features in-depth conversations with the show's director, Shelley Williams, and production designer, Hannah Beechler, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the revival's creative process and its cultural significance.

Interview with Director Shelley Williams

Revitalizing a Classic

Paul Wontorek initiates the discussion by delving into the historical impact of "The Wiz." He remarks, "I don't know if people really understand the initial impact when this show landed on Broadway. It was big." (00:35). Director Shelley Williams echoes this sentiment, describing the original run as "seismic." (00:59). She elaborates on the initial skepticism surrounding the show's longevity, which was swiftly dispelled by its infectious music and captivating performances.

Cultural Representation and Legacy

Shelley highlights the show's pivotal role in providing authentic Black representation on Broadway. She shares, "It's also, you know, a show where black people were like, oh, this is us." (02:08), emphasizing the importance of seeing oneself reflected authentically on stage. She praises George Faison's choreography for showcasing the versatility and artistry of Black performers, noting it was a revelation, especially for young Black audiences like herself who sought representation.

Vision for the New Production

When discussing the vision for the new tour, Shelley reveals a personal connection, stating, "My entry point are my two girls. I have a 13 year old and a 12 year old." (04:56). She aims to portray Dorothy not just as a solitary figure but alongside peers—the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man—as friends navigating their journey together. This shift underscores the importance of finding one's tribe and celebrating individuality within a supportive community.

Casting and Auditions

Shelley recounts the overwhelming interest in casting the revival, mentioning, "The amount of emails, Instagram posts, videos from high school productions. I mean, in every way." (12:34). She reflects on the rarity and significance of assembling an all-Black creative team, noting the emotional impact it has on performers who see themselves represented and celebrated. Shelley shares, "We are honoring the legends that created the opportunities for us to be here." (12:17), underscoring the deep respect and responsibility the team feels in bringing this story to life.

Conversation with Production Designer Hannah Beechler

Personal Connection and Inspiration

Hannah Beechler joins the conversation to discuss her role as the production designer. She speaks fondly of her roots in Dayton, Ohio, and her connection with director Shelley Williams, stating, "We are from the same small town in Ohio, Dayton, Ohio." (15:42). Hannah reveals that her decision to work on "The Wiz" was deeply personal, driven by memories of attending theater with her late father and a desire to honor his legacy.

Design Philosophy and Research

Hannah delves into her research process, explaining how she immersed herself in the original musical and movie adaptations to understand their foundational elements. She emphasizes the integration of Black American culture into the set design, aiming to celebrate Black excellence and its profound influence on broader culture. Hannah shares, "I wanted this to be like a celebration of black excellence. And I wanted the show to look timeless." (08:24).

Integrating Cultural Symbols

A significant aspect of Hannah's design is the incorporation of Adinkra symbols—Western African icons that convey deeper meanings. She explains how these symbols are embedded within the set to represent Dorothy's journey and the broader narrative of the human experience. For instance, she details the quilt patches in the French Quarter Oz, which blend historical significance with artistic flair: "The patches are from quilts from about mid 18th century, before the Civil War, that a lot of the Quakers would put outside their houses on the Underground Railroad." (31:58).

Balancing Technology and Tradition

Hannah discusses the delicate balance between modern technology and theatrical tradition in her design approach. Coming from a film background with extensive experience in large-scale productions, she brings a fresh perspective to Broadway by incorporating digital design elements and innovative techniques. However, she remains committed to preserving the traditional aspects of theater that foster a unique sense of community and connection. Hannah states, "I never want to see that change. Because for me, theater has this... tradition." (37:05).

Set Design Highlights

The production's set is a blend of magical elements and cultural homage, featuring moving scenery that symbolizes Dorothy's ever-evolving journey. Hannah enthusiastically describes the integration of glitter and unique textures to create an enchanting and immersive environment: "Everything is glitter everywhere in the show. I was like, glitter everything." (33:58). This choice not only adds visual appeal but also serves as a metaphor for the magic and wonder inherent in the story.

Insights on Representation and Cultural Impact

Both Shelley Williams and Hannah Beechler emphasize the importance of cultural representation and the enduring impact of "The Wiz." Shelley reflects on how the original production taught her about her Black identity at a young age, stating, "I saw myself... it's the first time I saw me on stage. And that was exciting." (02:15). Hannah extends this by expressing her desire to inspire future generations through design, aiming to leave a legacy of kindness, empowerment, and worthiness: "When I leave this world, I want to leave a legacy." (34:48).

Conclusion and Final Remarks

The episode concludes with a heartfelt endorsement of the upcoming "The Wiz" tour. Both Shelley and Hannah convey a deep sense of passion and responsibility in their roles, committed to honoring the original legacy while infusing it with contemporary relevance and cultural depth. Paul Wontorek expresses his excitement, "I love that. You gave me chills. I can't wait. I can't wait to see this." (07:32), highlighting the enthusiasm shared by the creative team.

Final Thoughts

This episode of "The Broadway Show: Uncut" offers a comprehensive exploration of the new "The Wiz" production, highlighting the collaborative efforts of director Shelley Williams and production designer Hannah Beechler. Through their conversations, listeners gain valuable insights into the creative process, the significance of authentic representation, and the fusion of tradition with innovation that defines this revival. The episode serves as both an informative and inspiring preview for theater enthusiasts eager to experience the magic of "The Wiz" on its renewed journey down the Yellow Brick Road.

Notable Quotes:

• "It was seismic." – Shelley Williams (00:59)
• "It's also, you know, a show where black people were like, oh, this is us." – Shelley Williams (02:08)
• "My entry point are my two girls." – Shelley Williams (04:56)
• "We are honoring the legends that created the opportunities for us to be here." – Shelley Williams (12:17)
• "This was based purely on emotion and my connection." – Hannah Beechler (17:41)
• "I wanted this to be like a celebration of black excellence." – Hannah Beechler (08:24)
• "Everything is glitter everywhere in the show." – Hannah Beechler (33:58)
• "We are honoring the legends that created the opportunities for us to be here." – Shelley Williams (12:17)
• "When I leave this world, I want to leave a legacy of kindness, empowerment and worthiness." – Hannah Beechler (34:48)
• "I can't wait to see this." – Paul Wontorek (07:32)

Transcript

[Tamsen Fadal]

Welcome to the Broadway show Uncut. I'm Tamsen Fadal. Well, a brand new day is here. 50 years since originally opening on Broadway. The North American tour of the Wiz is coming soon to a city near you. The magical musical has an incredible set brought to life by the Oscar winning production designer of Black Panther, Hannah Beechler. That conversation is coming up in just a few. But first, Paul Wontorek had a chance to chat with the director of the Wiz, Shelley Williams.

[Paul Wontorek]

Shelley, so happy to see you. Everyone knows what the Wiz is. It's obviously a musical that was a big hit on Broadway originally. There's a movie version that people know really well. It's produced all the time, regionally in schools. You know, it's a very popular title. It's a great score. I don't know if people really understand the initial impact when this show landed on Broadway. It was. It was big.

[Shelley Williams]

It was seismic.

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah, seismic.

[Shelley Williams]

It's interesting because when the show first opened, there wasn't a lot of confidence that it was going to be lasting.

[Hannah Beechler]

Right, right.

[Shelley Williams]

And then that commercial came out and that ba dum ba dummer came. It took two seconds for people to go, what was that? It was like. And then the tickets started selling and then they never stopped because the music is so infectious that you sit down in your seat and it is a joyful experience from the moment the lights go out. And that kind of joy is what I'm most excited about because we need it so badly. And what the theater can do when you have 1200 people in a room laughing together like, it's just, it's an emotional experience. Just doing a read through of the script. So I can't wait to bring it to audiences all over the.

[Paul Wontorek]

And a real word of mouth hit, you know what I mean? It's definitely one of those shows that the people decided they wanted this, which I love.

[Shelley Williams]

It's also, you know, a show where black people were like, oh, this is us.

[Paul Wontorek]

Uh huh.

[Shelley Williams]

So it brought a new audience representation.

[Paul Wontorek]

That they hadn't really seen much of at that point.

[Shelley Williams]

I mean, an authentic representation. Not just black people on stage.

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

But real, authentic representation. Stephanie Mills voice did not sound like it had come out of a conservatory. She sounded like she came out of church.

[Paul Wontorek]

Wow. Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

And that sound that, you know, what Geoffrey Holder did in his direction and his costumes, it's like, that's us. George Faison's choreography showed the world that black bodies can do all kinds of things. It was the first time, you know, I saw contemporary Dance on black bodies. A real elevation of what I had seen. I was so happy for Soul Train and like, seeing that growing up on tv, I knew that we could do that. I didn't know we could do that. So the Wiz taught me so much about my blackness at a young age when I saw it in Dayton, Ohio. And then I saw what looked to me like a little girl, although she was older than me. I mean, I was like, I don't know, six, seven years old when I saw it, but I saw myself. And although we went to go see all the touring shows, it's the first time I saw me on stage. And that was exciting.

[Paul Wontorek]

You know, I actually got to see the 90s tour. So I saw Stephanie Mills and Andre de Shields when they went back and did it. I saw it at the Beacon Theater.

[Shelley Williams]

Amazing.

[Paul Wontorek]

My friend Al said, you need to see this. I knew the movie. He's like, no, no, no, no, no, no. You need to see this. And we went. I have never seen a reaction from an audience. I still don't know if I genuinely have. I mean, literally standing on seats. When Stephanie Mills sang Home, I mean, it was.

[Shelley Williams]

I dare you not to. Right?

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

Like, I hear her sing that now and I'm like, what is happening?

[Paul Wontorek]

I know the score is incredible, but one thing that blew my mind about that production that I didn't realize is. Cause I knew the movie growing up, right? Yeah. So I was so surprised when it started. And it was in Kansas on a farm. And it was like the wizard of Oz, but the characters were black.

[Shelley Williams]

Yeah.

[Paul Wontorek]

Whereas. Cause you know, in the movie, it's very much. It's modern, it's the 70s. Diana Ross is in an apartment in Queens or something, you know, very different. And so it's interesting. The initial idea of it was very faithful to what the wizard of Oz is, but like you said, putting it on black bodies and a lot of black creatives behind the scenes. I'm curious about how you're sort of looking at it now. It's a beloved title. People know the wizard of Oz, obviously. They know the Wiz. Many years have passed. We're in a different point in the world. How are you sort of. What's your entry point for a vision for this new production?

[Shelley Williams]

My entry point are my two girls. I have a 13 year old and a 12 year old. And when I started the show a couple years ago, I kept thinking about, what are they looking to see when they see Dorothy? And when I read the script, you know, which is. It's so hard to read the script and not, like, hear all the music and get caught up. But I actually just really read the script, and what I saw was a girl who was seeking belonging, who felt like she didn't fit in where she was, and she gets put on an adventure where she has to go beyond her comfort zone and she finds her tribe. And every person that she finds is a little quirky. And they're all kind of seeking their own sense of belonging, and they have challenges that they face, and they have to face their fears and they have to overcome. And then they meet someone who's like, I can fix everything for you. Right?

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

But what they realize is they have to solve their own problems. They have to be brave. They have to learn how to rely on each other. And at the end of the story, she learns that she must believe in herself, and she is exactly where she needs to be, and she has exactly what she needs to have, and she has great purpose. And when I saw that in the story, I was like, oh, that's a gift to my daughters. This is a black girl who has to figure it out. And I'm excited to tell that story to her. And that was my way in. You know, one of the things that we've changed about the production in the way that it's traditionally been done is that the Scarecrow, lion, and Tin man, it was really important for me that they were her peers. Usually they're like her uncles. Right. But I wanted her to navigate the world with her friends because I feel like young people today really do have to find their tribe, especially when they're a little different in some way, and they have to find people that accept their differences and love them and celebrate them and grow with them. So I was really excited for them to all kind of be on a level playing field and for them to all grow on this adventure.

[Paul Wontorek]

I love that. You gave me chills. I can't wait. I can't wait to see this. You're gonna see me at every tour stop.

[Shelley Williams]

I'm gonna be a group of Paul. It's gonna be so much.

[Paul Wontorek]

Paul's here. I love it. I think when originally, wasn't the wizard originally called the Super Soul the Wizard of Oz? Was that, like, the subtitle? Right? It was literally the Super Soul. That was sort of the setup. It was like we're telling the wizard of Oz with funky music. Right. And jive. Right jokes. I mean, that's really what it was. It was very of the period.

[Hannah Beechler]

Yes.

[Paul Wontorek]

So it seems like there's probably an opportunity to do something that's a little broader than a very specific period.

[Shelley Williams]

It was 70s down right. 70s and 70s was a really incredible time in the black movement.

[Hannah Beechler]

Right.

[Shelley Williams]

There was, like, a lot of explosion of. Of 70s, like black music. And so it was entrenched in a time period that felt really good and really relevant. Now there's been so much influence over, you know, of blackness over culture that I really wanted this to be like a celebration of black excellence. And I wanted the show to look timeless, to feel timeless. I wanted every generation who comes to see it to see themselves inside it and to see the incredible, incredible impact that blackness has had on culture. So you're going to hear different musical styles. You're going to see fashion that kind of gleans from all of these different periods of time. And I'm really excited to show that broad, vast of impact, you know, that blackness has had on culture.

[Paul Wontorek]

So talk about some of the creatives that you're pulling into this new project.

[Shelley Williams]

Oh, my gosh. So the choreographer is Jaquel Knight. And Jaquel is extraordinary storyteller. He is a culture shifter. He has been doing work with Beyonce for years and Megan Thee Stallion, and, you know.

[Paul Wontorek]

Got it. Okay.

[Shelley Williams]

And there's just not, you know, when you think of someone who is really shifting culture from a dance perspective, it's him. He loves the Wiz.

[Paul Wontorek]

I was gonna ask you, like, do you find that people, when you reach out to people, have they been excited? I mean, I feel like most black creative people, this is part of their creative upbringing, right? The Wiz. Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

I mean, it's the reason why they're even in the business.

[Hannah Beechler]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

You know, if you're of a certain age.

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

That was the only way you saw yourselves. You know, I didn't see black movies, especially not black fantasy movies. I didn't know that black girls had dreams. It wasn't in my books. It wasn't in school. So the idea of the Wiz, the movie, had incredible impact on all of us. And then to have stars like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross just gave it more cachet and said, we belong. Right. But then that was kind of it. Right. It was not like something that followed that. It didn't start a wave of. So we've held on to that very tightly. Those of us who did get to see the show live had that experience of. Was interesting. When I sat down to talk with Jaquel, in my mind, my own bias of someone who's a superstar and works with all these superstars is that he was going to be like, yeah, yeah, yeah, theater, I'll fit it in. He was like, I will cancel everything. This show is everything to me. And I was like, you know, there's a little financial difference between, like, a Beyonce tour and a Broadway show. He was like, this is everything. And there is not a time, like, right now, he's in Europe, you know, doing a huge Starz production, and there is not a time that I call him that. He's not like, shell, what's up? You know, and 100% in it because he understands how important it is to our community. It is an incredible creative team. Amber Ruffin has given so much heart and authenticity to the words. And we get in a room and we just laugh. It is sheer joy. Everyone comes to this piece with humility and a great reverence because we all love it so much that when we want to do something to it, it has to be with great care.

[Paul Wontorek]

Right?

[Shelley Williams]

We are honoring the legends that created the opportunities for us to be here. We don't take that lightly.

[Paul Wontorek]

So what was it like assembling your new cast? I know this is a show everybody wants to be in. I'm sure there was a lot of interest.

[Shelley Williams]

Oh, my gosh. The amount of emails, Instagram posts, videos from high school productions. I mean, in every way. Cold phone calls that I would get, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, my number's on the Internet.

[Paul Wontorek]

The pressure.

[Shelley Williams]

But none of them were invasive. It was all from a desire of wanting to be a part of this. I mean, I'm gonna get emotional thinking about people saying, I've never been in a room like this. Me looking at the room and going, when I started auditioning 32 years ago, I was one of three in the room and knew all three of us weren't gonna get the job. You know, it is that. That I will never forget. I'll never forget Jaquel's first audition for, you know, auditioning dancers for a Broadway show and him going, the talent here, the people who flew in from all over the country. I'll never forget that.

[Paul Wontorek]

What about running an audition room with a black creative team? And this is an all black company. These are rare opportunities for performers to be a part of something like this.

[Shelley Williams]

I never had that. You know, I've been in this business for 32 years. I never had that. I never walked into a room and saw a creative team telling a story about my culture that looked like me. And that was not lost on anyone in that room. Those dance auditions were joyful. So Joyful. I took a picture of Jaquel outside the audition room just before it started, and he was looking into the room, and just. You could see the hope, the awesomeness about what we were about to do, that we were looking. You know, I always think about auditions as, you're gonna be my dream come true. Right?

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Shelley Williams]

I was an actor for so long, and all I wanted to do was be someone's dream come true. And people would come in and they would look at a room where everyone looked like them, and they knew that they weren't going for one slot, maybe two. They knew that they authentically had opportunities to fully be themselves in that space, and it would be respected, it would be cherished. It was wanted, fully wanted. You know, if I ever felt that way, I might still have been performing.

[Tamsen Fadal]

Now here's Academy Award winner Hannah Beachler talking about the incredible set of the W.

[Paul Wontorek]

I have to ask you, your career is kind of on fire. I mean, you win an Oscar, you're really big, doing amazing Hollywood projects, but you are committing time to the theater. What brought you to Oz and to the Wiz at this point in your career?

[Hannah Beechler]

The director Shelly Williams, who. We are from the same small town in Ohio, Dayton, Ohio. And we were kind of in the same circles. We never really knew each other. And she called me, like, a year ago, and she was like, we grew up together in Dayton. And she was like, your name has been on my board to work with you. And we just had this really great conversation and all the memories of hometown. And she's like, I would love for you to work. First of all, I'd love to work with you, and I'd love to work with you on this. And I was like, absolutely. I mean, there wasn't even a hesitation. I've not done Broadway. I've not done theater. But the name, the memory, the iconic, you know, show that this is. How can I say no? And I remember it from when I was little, so. Cause I did get to see it in the theater with Stephanie Mills, and it did have a huge impact. I mean, it's like, full circle for me. And I was like. My dad was an architect, and my mom and my dad took me to the theater a lot. We went to see the. The contemporary dance company, DCDC and the Dayton Ballet. And we would go to the theater all the time. The Nutcracker. We'd go to Cincinnati. And so it was there right when I was young, and I just thought my dad would be so happy. He passed away. When I was working on the first panther and never really got to see what I did. And so I knew, like, he would want this for me, and I want this for me. And so there was never any other answer but yes.

[Paul Wontorek]

That's the amazing thing. So many artists, when they attach to something like the Wiz, there's so many emotional connections to a property like this. It's not just a gig, is it?

[Hannah Beechler]

No, it's not. This wasn't just, like, another job or, I just want to try this, or, you know, oh, what's this about? This was based purely on emotion and my connection. What it did for me, seeing myself in Stephanie Mills, like, understanding worth and having a place and that things are possible and accessible. And so I want that for other people. I want that for young people for this. So it was. It felt like, in a way, a responsibility. I felt like a protector and nurturer of this. I wanted to get it right. I wanted to make sure that when people looked at it, they saw celebration and joy and happiness and walked away with a sense of pride and knowing that I could do this, too. This is accessible to me. So that's. It was just something that, you know, I had to do it. I had to do it.

[Paul Wontorek]

So you grew up in Dayton, Ohio, just like director Shelley Williams. And I know. She told me that she saw the Wiz when it came to town. You were maybe, like, a few seats over, or did you.

[Hannah Beechler]

I don't know if we were there at the same moment, but, I mean, we could have been. Cause I'm like, shelly, we were in the same room so many times, you know, when we were young and all the way up growing up. And she's like, I know.

[Paul Wontorek]

Wow.

[Hannah Beechler]

You know, and she's like, I think I knew your brother. And it was just fun to be like, talk about all the little places that we would hang out. And I'm like, oh, I know. We were, you know, there together at the Rocky Horror Picture show at the same time in high school, you know, throwing popcorn. And she's like, I know, I know. So, yeah, it was. It was something that. We were probably there together.

[Paul Wontorek]

So I read that your dad was an architect, your mom an interior decorator. So it seems like you sort of wound up in the perfect career, sort of combining all of that, right?

[Hannah Beechler]

I did. I fought it for so long. You know, when your parents are like, my dad was like, who is going to carry out my legacy? And all the kids there were, six of us are like, I don't. Not us. You know, And I thought it Was I was the one. There were six of us that he would take with him on his jobs. Like we'd go to work sites. I loved going to his office. I thought it was fabulous, you know, doing little chores and stuff like that. So he really kind of talk to me about design and help me see things in a framed out building that was half empty and learn how to visualize things from a really young age. And then of course, my mom with the interior design, the house would change. I come home from school and the house would be completely different. I'm like, so a new color, you know, oh, we have wallpaper now. Why is my room this color? So I was always around design. And it was just a weird upbringing of we lived on a horse farm. We lived in the middle of the woods. My dad designed this super modern house. It's his favorite architect was Frank Lloyd Wright, of course, and the brutalist and the Bauhaus movement. So like our dog house, he called the Bow Wow House. And he built it in the style of a bow house. Dog house. Right. Like, that's how I grew up.

[Paul Wontorek]

Wow.

[Hannah Beechler]

So that permeates with you. And I wanted to go into fashion design and I was determined. I went to my college for fashion design and I sort of fell into photography, and then I fell into film, and then I went back to film school and then I pursued the film career. So my mom and dad obviously had a huge impact on my imagination and my design world. They made sure to feed us culture and feed us our culture. Feed us. My mom would have art openings at the house with my aunt was an artist and her friends being Davis, who is a big artist in Dayton, Ohio, he would have his openings there. So I was always around. And our house was art. They called it the upside down modern house. It had a bridge to the front door, and it was a fairy tale. Like we had the bridge and, you know, it was built on the side of a hill. And it was just. You looked out at just woods and beauty and then the horses and, you know, my dad worked hard and we weren't wealthy or anything by any means, but through imagination, my mom built this world that the six of us, because there was no other kids around. You know, it's a rural area and we had to entertain ourselves. And she would always build these moments of imagination for us. So it just was in me. I knew I'd go there somewhere. I didn't know I'd be doing what my dad did. And I don't know if he thinks that what I do is what he did, because he was always like, now, is this permanent buildings or what is this? You know? But, yeah, it was just always in my life. It was always in my life. And that's part of. I think what helps me live, makes me breathe, is giving that same feeling that I had to other people.

[Paul Wontorek]

You got to grow up in this incredible environment, but you're able to, with your work, create environments for. For kids and anyone who don't have that. But you can sort of inspire people. Do you see it that way?

[Hannah Beechler]

I do.

[Paul Wontorek]

Yeah.

[Hannah Beechler]

I do. And I think that's the perfect way to explain it. It's the inspiration. I think a lot of it is. You don't have to be in that to understand it. You know, it's a sense of peace. It's a sense of knowing that you have the ability to set the parameters for your life through your imagination. Nothing should be off limits. Everything should be accessible. Dreamers built this. Everything we see. Dreamers, designers, innovators, These are the people that built the world that we live in, and the young people who are reimagining it. Right there's the original, and then you take the original, and you make it new, you make it unique, and you just keep building on that. And that's what I look to young designers to do. So as much as I can inspire them and help them and give them knowledge, because that's the most important thing about how to move forward in design and to believe in yourself and your confidence and your aesthetic, believe in your ideas. You can't please all the people all the time, but there is someone that you're going to impact, and that one person is so important to impact. So you can't doubt yourself. You know, designers and artists are always going to be struggling and a little dramatic, right? We were always a little over the top, and that's okay. You need that. You need your experiences, everything about your life. If you haven't laughed or cried or struggled or felt pain in the year you haven't had quite a year. All those things you take to your design and, you know, it's like what I put in, I hope people can feel that coming out. Like the love that I put into this. I want people to walk out the door feeling the love, feeling the intent, feeling the history and the pride and the joy. And that's really important to me.

[Paul Wontorek]

What's cool about theater is, obviously, with your films, it's a very escapist, immersive experience. People sit in the dark theater, and they just sort of can get completely lost in your worlds. But with theater, there's a lot more imagination involved and it's more tangible. It's right in front of people. And people interact so differently with design and theater. Is that exciting, the challenge of that?

[Hannah Beechler]

Oh, it's so exciting. And again, new to me. So I think I brought a little bit of my cinematic and filmic way of design and aesthetic design to this, which what really grabbed me was the fact that it can be a little abstract and you have to fill in the pieces. Like, we can fill in all the pieces with VFX and all the sets and all the time, but here you have to rely on people having the imagination and you helping them find what you're trying to do. And that's the beauty of it. I love the moving scenery. You don't get that in film that the scenery was moving. I'm like, we need to see it all. We need to see all the scenery move. Because I love sort of the meta of it, this idea that we're on this path that's constantly moving, this journey that Dorothy takes, and it's moving with her, and we can talk about the psychology of her journey through the environment. And I think that that's so cool. And I mean, I screamed, like, every time something new came out when we were teching, I would just stand up and scream. And, you know, these are, you know, people who have been in this business for a long time. They're like, we love your energy. And I'm like, I was so excited. I was just jumping out of my skin. Like, every new element was like, yes, yes. I couldn't contain myself. And so that, to me, is just like, there's a beauty in it that cannot be seen in film or really any place else. Like, this is. Is its own thing, and there is something about it. I wanted to feel traditional. I wanted. Because of the scenery, I didn't want to do a lot of, you know, video projection and stuff like that. So we worked with the designer, the video designer, to, like, come up with the aesthetic for what that's going to be. And I just wanted there to be textures. I wanted people to look at things and just be like, this is a different world. This is a whole nother. And I feel it and I know it, but it all works together.

[Paul Wontorek]

So I know you are a big fan of research. You do deep research for your projects. I've read about some of the research you've done for your films. How do you research Oz? And obviously, this is such an iconic world People have seen many visions of Oz in many different media. So how did you jump into this?

[Hannah Beechler]

Well, I first started with, you didn't.

[Paul Wontorek]

Take a trip to Oz, right?

[Shelley Williams]

I did.

[Paul Wontorek]

Or did you? That'd be amazing.

[Hannah Beechler]

I think I might have. I really immersed, right. I fell into the rabbit hole. And I started with the original Wiz musical, and I was just looking at images and reading about the designers and where their inspirations came from. That was very important to me, to know where this original piece came from and what was the thought behind it and what did they want to accomplish, you know, what did they feel they didn't accomplish? So I wanted to go through all that. Then I went to the movie. What are the difference between the musical and the movie, and what were they trying to say at the end of the day? What were the two sort of different ideas, and how are they also similar? And I studied those designers as well, and the music. And then a lot of it was also talking to Shelley about, like, what do you want for Dorothy in this piece? You know, I want to pay homage to everything. Lots of Easter eggs. Pay homage to everything. And then I started, okay, researching Black American culture throughout time, which I'm very familiar with because it's in almost everything that I do. But what are the pieces of that that then I want to bring to Oz as it pertains to this journey in this world specifically? And I specifically wanted it to be about black American culture. You know, the diaspora is also. There's pieces of that throughout. But I think there's a very distinct culture that had been created since the 1800s here, through food, through music, through fashion, just the history of the community, what they've been through. And how do I talk about that history without talking about the struggle and the pain, but the pieces of joy that came from that history that has made us today. So I did all that little bits of research and put that in the show. But with always in mind, what am I saying about black American culture?

[Paul Wontorek]

A lot of theatergoers would. Wouldn't think that that much work goes into creating a set design, right? They think like, okay, well, there's a very clear, we need it. We need a house, and we need. We need the. We need Kansas, and we need Oz, and we need Evileen's, you know, wherever she is. And, you know, there's very clear sort of. But. But you're putting so much emotional and historical work into. Into what might seem just, you know, I think people take for granted a lot of. And I don't know that every designer even takes that much. But I feel like this project sort of is asking for more from you.

[Hannah Beechler]

Absolutely. It's absolutely asking more. And I always do too much anyways, so it's like part of my personality. And I also wanted to pay homage to the original wonderful wizard of Oz, you know, the way we start the show and for people to see that aspect of the original film and the original story. So that was really important to have in there as well. But, yeah, there is a lot there. And I think that some people will recognize things. They'll be like, oh, okay, there's that little ditty right there that I'm not sure. Like, I think that's what it is. And the hope for that is that their curiosity gets the better of them and they can let me look this up real quick, you know, and then they're gonna learn something about where that came from. You know, we've got the quilt pieces. I'll tell this one little thing. In our French Quarter, Oz, which was formerly Munchkin Land, you know, it's a New Orleans celebration of the second line and how we celebrate, you know, life passing in New Orleans, which is a very old tradition throughout the Diaspora. And I wanted. And it's a joyful. It's a joyful thing. But the patches that are underneath the arch, which is representative of the Louis Armstrong Arch and the Armstrong park, where people. Where Second line kind of began and Mardi Gras Indian began, which people can look that up and know and come and enjoy that in New Orleans. And the patches are from quilts from about mid 18th century, before the Civil War, that a lot of the Quakers would put outside their houses on the Underground Railroad. And each symbol represented something different that a lot of the enslaved people escaping understood what those patches were. So the patch, the symbols that I put up represents Dorothy's journey. We have the symbol that's a wrench, basically. It looks like a four sided wrench. And that's talking about be careful because there's danger ahead. To me, that represents the Kalitas. So then there's the middle symbol of the patch, and that represents be careful on your journey and the path that you take through the woods. Well, her journey is through the woods in Oz. So I wanted to bring those little pieces. Those are the pieces of history that while I made it, you know, French Quarter and there's glitter on them and I've kind of, you know, made the symbols a little more fun, a little more maybe Tim Burton esque, they have meaning. You know, there's something there about our journey as the human race. Right. Let alone the black culture about how we need to proceed when we're on our path. The giant trees that come out, I had the thought like, well, if we're going to have a forest, it shouldn't look like a forest in the world. It should look like a forest in Oz. And what does that look like? So I wanted to make the trees have their own bark. They have a different type of bark. And so I started looking into symbols about nature and about creation. And I came upon Adinkra symbols, which are Western African symbol symbols. Symbols that are used in different patterns, are used in different storytelling that represent different meanings. And so the symbols that we used were the symbols for Mother Nature and the symbol for Creator. Because really, right now, I think relevant in time is these giant, beautiful trees represent not just life, not just us continuing, but they have sheltered us, they have towered over us and kept us dry. They have kept us alive. They're the oxygen that we breathe. So they're very important in the world. And I wanted them to have their own importance and their own look and feel and aesthetic. So we went in on that, but then also making it magical because we threw lots of glitter on them. I love glitter.

[Paul Wontorek]

I love glitter.

[Hannah Beechler]

There's glitter everywhere in the show. I was like, glitter everything. And okay, is that enough glitter? No more but those. So there's moments like that that you will see, but you can also look at it and it's just magical. You know, a five year old could look at it and they're just seeing something beautiful that they haven't seen. An older person who maybe is familiar with Adinkra will look at it and know. And somebody else might look at it and say, I wonder what that is and get curious knowledge. I want to keep in continuing people's curiosity, which then moves your imagination, which then makes you more creative, which then you pass that knowledge on to somebody and it keeps going and going and going. And that's how you change and shift. And to me, that's what's important. Because these things have power. The stage has power, film has power. And that power, like Peter Parker's uncle. With great power comes great responsibility. And what you're putting into the world will come back to you. And when I leave this world, I want to leave a legacy. And I want that legacy to be of kindness, empowerment and worthiness.

[Paul Wontorek]

What about technology? You used a lot of technology in your film work. And theater is very different. I mean, a lot of the things that make shows run are the same techniques that have been used for 100 years. Right. It's very, like, getting down to basics. That must be interesting for you.

[Hannah Beechler]

Oh, yes, it was. I was like, where's the. No. Oh, okay. But where's the team that's doing. Oh, no. Okay. Theater? And, I mean, you had a team.

[Paul Wontorek]

Of hundreds of people on the Black Panther films, right?

[Hannah Beechler]

My team alone was probably, you know, at any one point in time, because we were in three countries and I had three teams, and, you know, we were flying 747s full of scenery, places. But in Atlanta, where we filmed mostly, I probably had about 600, 800 people in several different departments under me. So that was just like art, you know, and then everybody else had those. That big a team, and then the shooting team was 400 people. So it's a lot different in that. And I think that I kind of brought some of that technology, especially in, like, the design work, as far as model making, doing that digitally, using newer software to do this, because it's a little bit faster that. Than what is previously being used on theater. I think that was new for a lot of people, like, oh, you know. But I also know how fast we can move doing it this way. So I think that's me bringing the film world here. But I think some of the interesting ways that we work on stage with the mechanics, you know, using the pulley systems that they use and how the backstage teams work together is so fabulous. I don't. I wouldn't want to see that change. I literally would never want to see that change. Because for me, theater has this. I say tradition, and maybe it's because. I can't think of a better word, but there's something about it that it brings up this feeling of, like, people were sitting in a theater hundreds of years ago. They definitely weren't sitting in movie theaters hundreds of years ago. This has been in our world since the beginning of time. Pretty much since there were people, there was theater. And there's something about that that I never want to see change. Because we can doesn't mean we should. And there's something very special about doing something the same way because it's traditional, that holds so much weight. And I think we need to do that more as a society. You know, I live in New Orleans, where they're very traditional. It's one of the oldest cities in the country, and they hold the tradition and the way that builds community and makes you feel like you are progressing. But there's preservation, and I think the reconciliation is finding how you do those two things together. How do you preserve as well as progress, and how do you stay right in that pocket? And every day I get to wake up. I live in a hundred year old house and I walk through my neighborhood of Creole homes and shotguns that I knew people were there in the 1800s and the late 1700s. It feels a different way. I feel more connected. And so to me, theater is that you feel connected in a way you never will in any other medium. And that should never change.

[Tamsen Fadal]

That's gonna do it for us. But get your tickets now to the North American tour of the Wiz. Until next time, I'm Tamsen Fadal, and this is the Broadway show Uncut.

[Hannah Beechler]

It.