While the revival of The Wiz continues at the Marquis Theatre, the musical's original star, Stephanie Mills, is heading back to Broadway.
Grammy winner Mills, who created the role of Dorothy in The Wiz in 1975, will step into the role of Hermes in the Tony-winning Hadestown beginning July 2 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
“After nearly 50 years in the entertainment business, which is all I’ve ever known, every fiber of my professional being I owe to the discipline of my Broadway training as a child at the beginning of my career,” Mills said in a statement. “The joy of life’s full circle moment for me is returning to my roots—only this time as Hermes in Hadestown. Power!”
In addition to her recording career, Mills has toured in productions of Ragtime and David Talbert. She was seen as Aunt Em in NBC’s The Wiz: Live and starred in Lifetime's Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story as Birdie Moore.
The production also announced that a new block of tickets is now on sale through April 27, 2025.
Purchase Hadestown memorabilia in the Playbill Store.
Hadestown currently stars Ani DiFranco as Persephone, Jordan Fisher as Orpheus, Jon Jon Briones as Hermes, Phillip Boykin as Hades, and Isa Briones as Eurydice. They are joined by Jessie Shelton, Kay Trinidad, and Brit West as the Fates. The chorus of Workers is played by Emily Afton, Malcolm Armwood, Sayo Oni, Alex Puette, and Grace Yoo. The cast also includes swings Sojourner Brown, Brandon Cameron, Tara Jackson, Max Kumangai, Yael "YaYa" Reich, and Tanner Ray Wilson.
Jon Jon Briones, Isa Briones, and DiFranco will all play their final performances June 30. As previously announced, Maia Reficco and Yola will join the production as Eurydice and Persephone, respectively, July 2.
Singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell’s folk- and jazz-infused musical layers the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with that of Hades and Persephone, intertwining the actions—and consequences—of gods and mortals. Hadestown originally began as a theatrical concert performed by Mitchell.
The creative team features Tony-winning set designer Rachel Hauck, Tony-nominated costume designer Michael Krass, Tony-winning lighting designer Bradley King, Tony-winning sound designers Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, choreographer David Neumann, and dramaturg Ken Cerniglia. Musical supervision and vocal arrangements are by Liam Robinson, with arrangements and orchestrations by Tony winners Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose.
The show, featuring a book and score by Mitchell, won eight 2019 Tony Awards: Best Director of a Musical (Rachel Chavkin), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (André De Shields), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Bradley King), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Rachel Hauck), Best Sound Design of a Musical (Jessica Paz and Nevin Steinberg), Best Orchestrations (Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose), Best Original Score (Mitchell), and Best Musical.
