As The Wiz makes its return to the Fabulous Fox, Legends’ Gallery presents a joint pop-up exhibition with a co-producer of the national tour honoring this timeless classic story. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published as a children’s story in 1900, L. Frank Baum gave us Oz and Dorothy’s journey to, through, and from Oz as a reflection of America at the turn of the century. The idea for The Wiz came in the early 1970s from Ken Harper, an Army veteran who was a DJ and the public affairs director at an NYC radio station. In an America coming out of the Civil Rights Movement and amidst the Vietnam War, Harper chose Oz and Dorothy’s journey as a vehicle to amplify and celebrate black style, wit, and fantasy.
What does the 2024 version of The Wiz invite us to consider, realize, see, and dream through its journey to, through, and home from Oz? And what does that journey invite us to consider, realize, see, and dream about in our individual and collective encounters with upheaval, the unexpected, and more than we think we can handle?
This exhibition presents items on view from various productions of The Wiz over the years including: A pair of silver slippers worn by Stephanie Mills in the original Broadway production; set models from the 2018 Muny production; programs from the 1975 and 1993 tours that came through St. Louis; and albums from the Original Broadway Cast, the 1978 film, and the 2024 Broadway production. The exhibition also includes reflections from community events hosted by exhibit partners 4TheVille and InvestSTL, as well as an invitation to contribute to the exhibit with visitors’ own reflections on the journey to, through, and from Oz.
“We are deeply grateful for the chance to work alongside co-producer Nicole Hudson to celebrate 50 years of The Wiz and to welcome St. Louis into this moment of reflection,” says Gina Grafos, KAF Chief Curator and Director of Visual & Literary Art. “As so many continue to navigate the impact of the May 16 tornado, this exhibition invites us, as the show reminds us, ‘to look inside our hearts’ for the courage and clarity to keep moving. Together, we consider how we travel ‘through’ upheaval toward a renewed sense of home, held up by a resilience that has long defined this city.”
St. Louis artist and new Kranzberg Artist in Residence Hayveyah McGowan has created a series of beautiful limited editioned prints available in three variations for this special exhibition that are for sale in the Legends’ Gallery and online. Sales of the poster will benefit 4theVille and InvestSTL. Legends’ Gallery is located at 3318 Washington and is open 12–5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
