The Wiz starring Clive Rowe and X -Factor's Treyc Cohen opens next month

X Factor finalist Treyc Cohen (pictured) is to star as Dorothy in The Wiz musical which is a retelling of L Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture.

The Wiz will run at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham from June 10th-18th and the West Yorkshire Playhouse from June 24th-July 16th.

Cohen lost out to Katie Waissel who went into the final 9 causing much controversy as many felt she was by far the superior performer and she can certainly belt out a number and should be fabulous as Dorothy. Further casting includes Allyson Ava-Brown as Glinda, Melanie La Barrie as Aunt Em, Horace Oliver as The Tin Man, Wayne Robinson as The Scarecrow, Clive Rowe as The Lion and Peter Straker as The Wizard. The production will be directed by Josette Bushell-Mingo.

Despite the fact that Andrew Lloyd Webber has his production of The Wizard of Oz starring Michael Crawford as the Wizard currently running at the London Palladium, the Ambassadors Theatre Group think London can cope with two wizards and are apparently interested in transferring this show (which is very different) to one of its West End theatres in September 2011. The 1975 Broadway production won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.

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