Earlier this week, about 35 students from Ray Graham Training Center gathered in a rehearsal room at the Nederlander Theatre for a dance workshop led by Jesse Jones, dance captain of the nationally touring production of “The Wiz.” After some light warmups and stretching, Jones taught the students a sequence of steps, slides and turns from the choreography to “Ease on Down the Road,” a lively number that Dorothy performs with the Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion in the beloved 1970s retelling of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel.
A Chicago Public School located on the Near South Side, Ray Graham Training Center offers students with disabilities from ages 18 to 22 individualized instruction, with an emphasis on transitional planning. Last December, the school staged its own production of “The Wiz,” directed by special education and theater teacher Sharon Toi Overton. Student actors from that production were among the participants in the workshop at the Nederlander, which was hosted by Broadway in Chicago. Afterward, the entire group attended a matinee performance of “The Wiz.”
Raised in Hyde Park, Overton pursued an entertainment career in Los Angeles before returning to Chicago and becoming a resident actor at Black Ensemble Theater, an Uptown-based company founded by Jackie Taylor 50 years ago. Overton discovered a passion for special education through working with Black Ensemble’s program for women with disabilities at Ada S. McKinley Community Services, a local nonprofit, and went on to earn a master’s degree in special education from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
“Theater is a confidence builder. That’s what the arts are all about,” Overton said in a Tribune interview. When they began rehearsals for “The Wiz,” some of her students initially felt nervous about memorizing the script, but with her encouragement, they learned it in just a few weeks. “They brought me to tears a lot of times in rehearsal, because they were so dedicated,” she shared.
Ronald Thomas, who played the Lion in Ray Graham’s production, enthusiastically participated in the dance workshop at the Nederlander. Thomas has been onstage several times before, including at summer camp and in a school production of “The Lion King.” He said, “I feel like I want to be a singer, rapper and actor, because I feel like it’s my dream, and it’s fun.”
Another student actor, Kenari Jones, enjoyed seeing professional actor Elijah Ahmad Lewis’ take on the Scarecrow, the same role he played at Ray Graham. After the matinee, he said, “I feel really inspired. The Scarecrow, he’s really good at his acting. He’s a great dancer and a great singer.”
César Torruella, executive director of arts education for Chicago Public Schools, accompanied the students to the workshop and matinee. He told the Tribune that the school district is doubling down on its commitment to “emphasizing the arts as a core component of every child’s instruction.” Torruella said, “Research has proven that employers in the 21st century are looking for the skills that only arts can teach — creativity, leadership.” Opportunities like a field trip to “The Wiz” serve as “a bridge from what students have been doing and learning in their production to what professional industry standards are.”
“The Wiz,” which won seven Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway in 1975, reimagines Dorothy’s Ozian adventures with an all-Black cast and a score that blends soul, gospel, rock and funk. In 1978, the hit musical was adapted into a film starring Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. The current national tour, based on the 2024 Broadway revival, includes several creative team members who similarly bridge the worlds of pop music and theater, such as choreographer JaQuel Knight and associate choreographer Ashley Seldon.
Knight, who created the iconic choreography for Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” at just 18 years of age, has since worked with artists such as Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. Seldon is a classically trained dancer who has toured with Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion, among other stars, and recently co-choreographed Mariah Carey’s Las Vegas residency and Christmas tour.
In his capacity as dance captain, Jesse Jones worked with Knight and Seldon during rehearsals to help teach choreography to new cast members. On the road, he’s responsible for overseeing the quality of the dance performances and troubleshooting any issues that arise. He also wears two additional hats: performing as a swing and as the understudy for the character of the Wiz.
Knight and Seldon’s choreography incorporates modern techniques pioneered by Lester Horton, as well as old-school jazz, ballet, African and hip-hop dance styles. “Their goal was to make sure that we hit every style of the African diaspora,” said Jones.
Before he came to Chicago with “The Wiz,” Jones had led student workshops in other cities on the tour, and he always appreciates the “energy and life” that young people bring to these experiences. “Just to see them happy brings me joy, because this is the next generation, so you want to build them up to succeed.”
Emily McClanathan is a freelance writer.
If you go
“The Wiz” plays through April 5 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.; tickets $43-$121 at 312-977-1700 and broadwayinchicago.com
