New York City Center Encores will present The Wiz as its 2009 Summer Stars production, June 12-July 3, with an opening on June 18. Thomas Kail will direct, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler. No casting has been announced.

The Wiz is an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz told from the African-American perspective. It has a book by William F. Brown, music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, and and orchestrations by Harold Wheeler. Encores! Summer Stars is an expanded version of City Center's acclaimed Encores! series, and is dedicated to presenting Broadway classics in staged, limited-run productions.

Kail received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his direction of In the Heights, while Blankenbuehler won the Tony, Lortel, Outer Critics, and Drama Desk awards for his choreography of In the Heights, and is the choreographer of the upcoming Broadway production of 9 to 5.

For more information, visit www.nycitycenter.org.