Sheherazade sparkles as Glinda in ‘The Wiz’

(News4usonline) – The singer Sheherazade makes the most of her opportunities to perform in the hit musical The Wiz. 

In playing Glinda in The Wiz, Sheherazade has been given the simple but tough task to bring good energy as well as to lend a memorable singing voice to her character as the Good Witch.  

Sheherazade has two noted appearances in The Wiz in which she is expected to flaunt majestic singing as well as to project the spirit of serenity and goodwill as Glinda. During her limited time on stage, Sheherazade makes her time count. 

We first see Glinda near the beginning of Act One of The Wiz belting out the uptempo “He’s the Wiz” with the ensemble cast (Townspeople). 

We do not see Glinda again until near the conclusion of Act Two as Sheherazade enters the stage in spectacular fashion as she delivers the strikingly beautiful and encouraging “Believe in Yourself.” 

Both numbers that Sheherazade has been requested to sing in The Wiz have basically the same vibe to them: positive and uplifting. In a nutshell that fits the narrative that Sheherazade herself likes to project onto audiences and to people in general. 

Music has created that space for her, Sheherazade said during a phone interview with News4usOnline Editor Dennis J. Freeman.   

“It gives me life,” Sheherazade said. “It gives me joy to be able to add the gift of song, because literally, music is a universal language. We may have differences in language. We may not be able to speak the same language. We may not work in the same profession or what have you.” 

“But when people hear a song, it has the ability to transport you to a place where you were in your life, whether you were sad, you know, joyous, you know, whatever emotion it can invoke, music has that power. And so for me, music, everytime I listen to it, everytime I get to sing a song, be on the stage or just being able to share my gift, it’s a blessing, because when I see the look on people’s faces. I see how it impacts them. It gives them hope,” Sheherazade added. 

Giving the Townspeople hope in The Wiz is something that Glinda does with authentic polish. Glinda is unquestionably the goodwill ambassador who brings an angelic voice and presence to the stage with her. 

That wouldn’t have been the case for Sheherazade had she been given the role of Evilene, a character in The Wiz that she originally auditioned for. Kyla Jade was eventually awarded the role of the thunder-voiced Evilene for the national tour of The Wiz. 

The development of getting ready to play Evilene actually helped her to land the Glinda gig, Sheherazade said.  

“I was glad that I was prepared,” Sheherazade remarked. “When I went in, I prepared for my lines and the song…I didn’t think, I didn’t see myself as Evilene because she is completely different from what I am, even though, you know, we’re challenged to be a character that’s not necessarily you…To make a long story shot, I went in as Aunt/ Evilene. The casting director saw something completely different after I did my line.” 

Still, the fruit didn’t fall too far from the tree in that both the roles of Glinda and Evilene require personalities who have a boombox of a singing voice and bring a dash of flavor to their characters. 

Sheherazade more than meets that challenge and does the role of Glinda justice. She sings every note with absoluteness. The power and delicateness in her voice causes you to sit up straight and listen with intent clarity. 

Sheherazade delivers such an unbridled version of her singing influences into a ball of excellence that it makes you wonder what would the world have missed had she opted to vacate her dreams of singing in order to continue to work at Chipotle and other unassuming 9-to-5 jobs.     

“It’s been in me since I was a little girl,” Sheherazade said. “And I already knew from fourth-grade I was singing, no matter what platform I got. It was music for me. Of course, you’re going to do what you have to do and you can do what you want to do…

The same thing that stood the test of time is my purpose and desire and the passion for music. Here I am today, because this is what I’m born to do.” 

The Wiz officially came to life in 1975 when it made its debut on Broadway. The musical, which was the debut of music icon Stephanie Mills, would go on to win seven Tony Awards and generated such buzz that a movie of the same name with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson hit theaters. 

Now, some five decades later, thanks to magnificent performances from talented thespians like Sheherazade, The Wiz is in good hands as it makes its rounds touring across the country. 

During an opening night performance at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, Sheherazade and the rest of the cast of The Wiz left no donut about what has allowed the musical to have a lasting impact some 50 years later.

“I think it’s the timeless story that is told…it’s relatable,” Sheherazade said. “It’s the journey of life. It’s Dorothy coming, you know, not feeling at home in Kansas, going into this immersive world where she’s kind of forced to kind of come out of of her comfort zone and find friendship and people along the way to help her, but metaphorically, she’s really forced to find herself; find her own courage, find her heart, find her mind. That’s the story of life.” 

Cover Art/Photo: Sheherazade as Glinda, Dana Cimone as Dorothy, and Amitria Fanae as Addaperle in the North American Tour of THE WIZ. Photo by Jeremy Daniel