The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Lyric Stage Company of Boston, through July 1. 617-585-5678 or lyricstage.com

Noir Hamlet, Centastage, Plaza Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, through June 30. 617-933-8600 or bostontheatrescene.com




African-American pride found a breakthrough new vehicle in the 1974 Broadway musical "The Wiz" (1975 Tony Award for best musical). Subtitled "The Super Soul Musical Wonderful Wizard of Oz," the funky adaptation-with book by William F. Brown and score by Charles Smalls (and others)-of the classic 1900 L. Frank Baum novel featured an all-black cast and gave the odyssey and transformation of Dorothy Gale, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion a lively new take on self-empowerment.

Now the Lyric Stage Company of Boston is giving that take impactful added feminist awareness in an engaging and high-energy revival under the guidance of African-American guest director Dawn M. Simmons.

With the robust conducting of music director Allyssa Jones, Simmons is giving the gospel and rock-rich score an intriguing addition of zydeco styling. One could contend that this riff of Louisiana ambiance does not really add anything integral to the musical, but Jones and her fellow musicians play throughout with impressive spirit.

Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, makes a lively entrance and significantly advises Dorothy to put on Evamine's magical silver slippers once the young woman's tornado-tossed home kills the Wicked Witch of the East. Deepening understanding marks the quartet as they bond. The friendship and solidarity of women takes on added importance here with an actress playing Scarecrow.

The Tinman has an unusual connection with a saxophone, and cowardly Lion takes on particular vulnerability in this staging. Until Dorothy actually reaches the Emerald City, however, the pacing seems to have its slow moments as her fellow travelers join her one by one. Things do go into higher gear after Eviline the Wicked Witch of the West begins to menace the quartet with the assistance of her Snow Monkeys.

There are high gear talents in the Lyric Stage ensemble. Salome Smith captures Dorothy's wide-eyed adventurousness as well as her empathy for her fellow Yellow Brick Road travelers. She sings her character's anthem-like "Home" with dramatic build-up. Davron S. Monroe has all of the Wiz's bravado and vulnerability and delivers his signature solo "Believe in Yourself" with great feeling.

Soneka Anderson, substituting for Elle Borders, displays good tenacity as Scarecrow. Steve Martin has the right insecurity as Tinman. Brandon G. Green is a standout as diffident Lion, especially on his vivid solo "Mean Old Lion." Yewande Odetoyinbo proves a true find doubling as warm Addaperle and cold Evilene. Designer Amber Voner turns the characters' very different costumes into a kind of silent commentary on their personalities.

Ease on down to the Lyric Stage. Some of the mic-less performers may be competing with the orchestra, but this revival of "The Wiz" deserves to be heard.
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Imagine Shakespeare's famed Danish prince as a Philip Marlowe-like sleuth with his own Elsinore Detective Agency. Now put Little H in 1949 Los Angeles with a street savvy assistant named Rae-who combines the love and loyalty of the secretary and the voice and vivaciousness of the vocalist in the hit Broadway musical "City of Angels."

Give the plot of the original tragedy a clever surprise and the dialogue an enjoyable blend of humor and wit. What you have is a "Noir Hamlet,'' a delightful Centastage world premiere at the Boston Center for the Arts' Plaza Black Box Theatre.

Company founder Joe Antoun keeps this 90-minute mystery by local playwright John Minigan as taut and engrossing as his earlier atmospheric production of Joe Byers' new play IRNE Award winner "The Fakus :A Noir." Curtained areas smoothly open and close as the play's 10 scenes-most at Little H's agency or his mother Gertrude and husband Claude (Shakespeare's Claudius)'s home-are staged.

At the same time, scene set changers dressed in black fedoras and trench coats in line with the detective's own attire move so expertly that their efforts do not distract from Minigan's re-imagining.

Never a carbon-copy adaptation, "Noir Hamlet" proves an inspired take-off that keeps key elements of Shakespeare's plotting, pays homage to 20th century film noir gems like "The Big Sleep" and "Chinatown" yet achieves a theatrical rhythm consistent with Minigan's own alternately sly and witty dialogue. Look for a song inside the play-"Send Me To the 'Lectric Chair" performed by Rae- during which Little H. tests Claude's reaction a la the play within the play to "catch the conscience of the king" in "Hamlet."

Watch for a funny and telling penultimate morgue scene with a gurney twist that calls to mind the skull of Yorick and graveyard comic relief in Shakespeare's play. A talkative rival detective named Paolo Niro somewhat resembles Claudius' buffoonish advisor Polonius. Shakespeare buffs will notice that there are no counterparts to Ophelia or her brother Laertes.

There is no Horatio either, though one could argue that Rae-like Horatio-has a key moment regarding a pivotal saxophone connected with the Ghost of Big H and a moving moment with Little H that could allude to his bromance-like camaraderie with his best friend.

Antoun's stellar cast captures all the demands of Minigan's take-off. Paul Melendy, also memorable in the Byers play, has the right inquisitive spirit and spunk in a performance that calls to mind Bogart and Nicholson. Cristhian Mancinas-Garcia gives a strong gender-bending performance as both trusting and enigmatic Rae. His rendition with fine accompaniment on piano by Jon Goldberg is a highlight. Robert D. Murphy-in a strong triple turn-has the vindictiveness of Ghost, the slithering geniality of Claude and the over- assuredness of Paolo Niro. Liz Adam catches Gertrude's tough love with Little H and displays a demeanor that calls to mind Bacall.

"Hamlet" fans and noir aficionados should embrace Minigan's light-hearted yet verbally rollicking take-off. Everyone is likely to re-explore the works of Raymond Chandler and Shakespeare's great tragic discourse on inner truth and integrity after seeing Centastage's captivating "Noir Hamlet."