The Queen of Halloween took the Tam Fam on a journey to Oz with the cast of the Broadway revival of “The Wiz” on today’s“Tamron Hall” Hall-O-Ween extravaganza! Guided by the beloved dog Toto, Tamron transformed into Dorothy, played by the iconic Diana Ross in the 1978 film adaptation, and kicked off the special show with a performance of “Ease On Down the Road” led by cast members Kyle Ramar Freeman (Lion), Phillip Johnson Richardson (Tinman), Avery Wilson (Scarecrow) and Nichelle Lewis (Dorothy).

Award-winning singer and actress Deborah Cox then joined her castmates to discuss the timely themes in “The Wiz,” and treated the Tam Fam to a performance of “Believe In Yourself.” Plus, the cast was surprised by a video message from Wayne Brady, who will be taking on the titular role when the show opens on Broadway in March 2024. More inside and video clip…

Deborah Cox on the universal message behind “The Wiz”:

“This show captures the essence of the story of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ And I think every single person in the show brings their spirit and energy to the roles – that makes it very, very special. It’s our stories, but all of our stories are unanimous. We all share the same fears, the same insecurities. And this show, we’re able to bring some light and some joy to every single audience, you know, telling this story.”

Wayne Brady’s message to the cast:

“Hey Tamron, Happy Halloween! Greetings from sunny Los Angeles, sending you lots of love from the west coast. And speaking of sending love, I wanted to send love to my ‘Wiz’ family. You guys are killing it on tour right now. And I can’t wait to join you in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And then we’re going to take it to Broadway. I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to see the show. I can’t wait to be in the show. And I can’t wait to put on that costume.”