Review: MUSE/IQUE’s ‘Back to Oz’ at Mark Taper Forum
- Dondre Tuck
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
Local orchestral ensemble MUSE/IQUE — whose goal is to produce accessible, live, immersive music for all — has achieved that mission with “Back to Oz” at the Mark Taper Forum.
“Back to Oz” offers a polished showcase of the enduring cultural impact of “The Wizard of Oz” — from L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 novel to the 1939 MGM musical film starring Judy Garland to “The Wiz” in 1974, which transposes the story to Harlem and features Black characters and gospel, soul and R&B music.
And then, of course, Gregory Maguire's popular 1995 novel “Wicked” — telling the friendship-to-breakup backstory of Oz’s two witches — was adapted by Stephen Schwartz in 2003 to become a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, leading to John Chu’s recent hit films “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” 20 years later, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
As with previous versions of the Oz story, the films resonate with those who feel “othered,” with its music and story reaching new generations through empowering ballads like “Gravity.”
Erivo has said she felt an immediate connection to her character Elphaba, the witch who is bullied for being green.
“I think everyone who’s played Elphaba has an understanding of what it means to be an outsider,” Erivo said. “There’s an even more direct line when part of her outsideness is the color of her skin. I know what it feels like to walk into a room and be the only one, much like most Black women know in big spaces where they’re the only one.”
Blending orchestral music with theatrical storytelling, the production moves fluidly across the story’s many interpretations while examining themes of identity, community and hope, through classic and newer songs including “We're Off to See the Wizard,” “Home,” and “For Good.”
Vocalists LaVance Colley, Carmen Cusack and Nathan Granner deliver strong lead performances, supported by the DC6 Singers Collective, whose presence adds energy and texture throughout. The result is a dynamic and electric experience that feels both immersive and accessible.
Led by MUSE/IQUE’s artistic and music director Rachael Worby, the production balances nostalgia with reflection, offering a program that is as engaging as it is informative, and leaves the audience wanting more by the end.
MUSE/IQUE’s “Back to Oz” continues through April 26 at the Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, with shows Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. For tickets and information, visit Muse-ique.com or CenterTheatreGroup.org. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.
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