D. Jerome may “Ease on Down the Road” in The Wiz, but he’s doing it with an added 30 pounds each night. He gains the extra weight when he slips into his costume as the Tin Man in the Tony Award Winning Broadway touring production, which plays Altria Theater April 21 – 26.
In order to give a convincing performance, Jerome has to continually train while wearing his costume so he can stay in shape with the extra added weight, and that can create quite a challenge.
“My neck and torso are short, and you have to make sure you are in the costume correctly,” says Jerome, who wears a cooling vest underneath because the outfit gets extremely hot. “Also, it’s difficult to showcase all of the isolations from the choreography (by choreographer JaQuel Knight) when wearing the costume.”
It usually takes him about 30 minutes to get ready for each show. Seventeen of those minutes are devoted to his makeup, which is enhanced by stencils and an air brush.
Jerome first saw the iconic Wizard of Oz in Greensboro, N.C. when he was 11 years old and attending a magnet arts and entertainment school in Winston-Salem. He fell in love with the show and with dance.
Richmond Was a Stop on the Road to Broadway
He booked his first professional gig while he was still attending University of North Carolina in Greensboro. That show happened to be The Color Purple for Virginia Repertory Theatre in Richmond.
Jerome has booked other shows in Richmond as well, including Dreamgirls for Virginia Rep. His performance garnered him the Best Supporting Actor in a Musical award from the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle in 2016.
Once he moved to New York City, Jerome started working consistently first in Hamilton, the first national tour, and then on Broadway, where he understudied the Jacksons in MJ the Musical.
He says he is really leaning into his role as the Tin Man and everything the character offers.
“The Tin Man has humanity in a way that audiences can connect to him more deeply and can feel that he does have a heart through his acts of service and kindness and in the way he defends his friends,” Jerome says.
One of the first elements of The Wiz that grabbed him the first time he saw the show was the music.
“Good music can change how someone feels,” he says, adding the music in the production has a jazz swing feel to it. “It tells the story in a way that makes the audience understand the meaning behind the story, even if only conveyed through music.”
Jerome enjoys the fact that he gets to do hip hop in the show because it “allow me to showcase all of my skills at once and that is what I enjoy,” he says.
He is excited about coming to Richmond with the tour. “I have been able to work with a lot of folks in Richmond,” he says. “I really can’t wait.”
The Enduring Power of The Wiz
He’s been noticing throughout the tour that audiences really do love this story.
“It’s the 50th anniversary, and there is something about it that rings true like love and resilience,” he says. “Dorothy goes on this journey, feels out of place and that no one understands her obstacles. But this story allows her to know what life is about, letting her see the beauty of the things right in front of her. It’s really a beautiful show for the entire family.”
The Wiz is on stage at Altria Theater April 21-26. Tickets are available at BroadwayInRichmond.com, by phone at 1-800-514-3849(ETIX), or at Altria Theater box office.
