“De Goeas to Direct The Wiz in November” at Queen’s Hall

Newspaper: Sunday Guardian
Writer – Shivanee Ramlochan
Date Published: Sunday 14th September, 2014

Proscenium Theatre Co’s production of The Wiz opens on November 13 at Queen’s Hall, for a four-day run. Subtitled The Super Soul Musical Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz reimagines L Frank Baum’s children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African-American culture. Multiple Cacique Award winner Mervyn de Goeas will be directing The Wiz. A core member of Proscenium, de Goeas praised the “ridiculously talented performers” who turned up for open-call auditions on August 24. In an interview, de Goeas expounded on the multiple possibilities that staging this musical affords. The call of childhood nostalgia, and the throwback to a playful, energetic landscape, he said, would hold significant allure for theatre-savvy audiences. In an e-mail interview, founder and director of Proscenium Theatre Andrew Seepersad explained the significance of selecting The Wiz for the local stage. The play is “a classic tale retold in a modern way, utilising our culture and tradition,” Seepersad said.

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