Amber Ruffin Returns to Oz and Revitalizes “The Wiz”

Amber Ruffin may currently hold a Tony nomination for co-writing Some Like It Hot and is celebrating the Broadway opening of The Wiz revival—for which she contributed "additional material"—but she often has to remind herself of her roots. "I always forget—oh yeah, I started in theatre," Ruffin noted in a recent interview. "It was a decade of eight shows a week."

While the wider public recognizes her distinct comedic voice from Late Night with Seth Meyers and her own program, The Amber Ruffin Show, Ruffin’s foundation was built on the stage. Her journey began in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, participating in school plays and community theater. She eventually moved into the world of improv at Chicago’s IO (ImprovOlympic) and Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. Later, during a stint in Los Angeles, she wrote and staged original musicals at various local venues.

Her flair for the theatrical remains undeniable. Meeting in the Blue Room at New York’s Civilian Hotel, surrounded by glass cases filled with Broadway design history, Ruffin entered the room with an infectious laugh, jokingly introducing herself as "The King" before sitting down to discuss her craft.

She recounted her early days in Omaha, including a time she was unexpectedly thrust into the role of church music minister. Following a scandal involving the previous minister, Ruffin had to take over despite having taken only a single piano lesson. "That’s another story," she added with a smile.

Ruffin is refreshingly pragmatic about her process, admitting she doesn't rely on elusive inspiration but rather works "because my work is due." She is equally quick to share credit. When adapting Some Like It Hot with Matthew López, the team tailored the exploration of gender specifically to the actors cast in the roles. She recalled that a powerful line delivered by the character Jerry/Daphne—“You can call me whatever you want, just do it with love and respect”—came directly from a conversation with actor J. Harrison Ghee, who went on to win a Tony for the role. For Ruffin, it was essential to give agency to "the person who has to repeat those lines every freaking night."

For The Wiz, the task was less about adaptation and more about refining William F. Brown’s book from the original 1975 production. When Mike Isaacson, a co-producer for the revival, approached her, she agreed immediately. She recognized that the show holds a special place in people's hearts as a culturally significant and futuristic experience.

However, she admitted that updating the material presented challenges. The creative choice was not to "modernize" it with fleeting trends, but to make it timeless. Ruffin believes this version could be performed 30 years from now without changing a word. Consequently, 1970s slang like "jive turkeys" has been excised, though observant fans might notice subtle holdovers. Ruffin pointed out the inclusion of a "trunk song" called "Wonder, Wonder Why," where Dorothy sings, "I wonder why the Wiz laid this trip on me," preserving a specific bit of '70s linguistic flavor.

The result is a show that balances the essence of the original with contemporary relevance. During a preview last week, Ruffin’s comedic signature was clearly audible, with new references to karaoke, self-care, and The Lion King inducing belly-aching laughter that certainly wasn't present in 1975.

As a significant figure in pop culture, Ruffin takes the responsibility of representation on Broadway seriously. She emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, noting how a committee of diverse talents—including director Schele Williams, vocal arranger Allen ReneﹶLouis, music supervisor Joseph Joubert, scenic designer Hannah Beachler, and choreographer JaQuel Knight—shaped the vision. Ruffin described the group as "the best artistic Black minds on the planet, and me," noting that they spent days discussing the "vibe" before drafting began.

Ruffin made her objective personal: "We wrote this for you," she said. Her goal with The Wiz is to ensure Black women feel celebrated and Black audiences feel seen, encouraging them to fill the theater seats. As she concluded, "It is dreamy to be a Black person who lives in a world where The Wiz exists. It’s the coolest shit on Earth."