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23Theatre

A sold-out Oz for grief and glitter

Graduate students and New York high schoolers made THE WIZZIE together in a June run at Steinhardt’s Black Box Theatre. It reimagined The Wiz as Afrofuturist devised theatre.

Alumni Digest desk · from NYU Steinhardt

The cast of THE WIZZIE huddled on stage in front of projections
Black Box TheatreThe cast of THE WIZZIE in front of projected imagery.Photo: NYU Steinhardt

THE WIZZIE: A Journey of Grief, Growth + Glitter was a devised therapeutic theatre piece made by graduate students from two Steinhardt departments, music and performing arts professions and art, working with New York City high schoolers. It ran June 4 to 7 at the school’s Black Box Theatre and sold out, according to Steinhardt.

The CollideOscope Repertory Theatre Company, led by artistic director Adam D–F Stevens, an adjunct faculty member and doctoral student in educational theatre with a focus on drama therapy, used The Wiz as scaffolding. Devised theatre means the performers write the work themselves, drawing on their own experiences. The young people explored grief, identity, belonging and resilience through storytelling, movement, visual art, music and performance.

Stevens said the aim was never to teach anyone to follow the yellow brick road but to make room to question who built it. Together with their young artists and graduate interns, they built a world “where grief could have rhythm”.

Two cast members in costume share a scene on stage
On stageTwo cast members in costume share a scene.Photo: NYU Steinhardt
The main cast of THE WIZZIE seated and standing around a couch
The couchThe main cast gathered around a couch on set.Photo: NYU Steinhardt

At a glance

  • Run: June 4 to 7, 2026
  • Steinhardt reported it Sep 11, 2026
Sources 1
  1. NYU Steinhardt: Afrofuturist Production Brings Youth Voices, Grief, and Imagination to the Stage (Sep 11, 2026)
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This story is from the September 2026 issue of Alumni Digest for New York University graduates. It’s free, monthly and independent.

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