1 of 4
Jeremy Daniel
2 of 4
Jeremy Daniel
3 of 4
4 of 4
Jeremy Daniel
This month, Nashville welcomes the Tony Award-winning musical The Wiz to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center from September 24 to 28. The first national tour in 40 years brings a fresh creative team and a vibrant new energy to a beloved classic. For Cal Mitchell, who plays The Lion, the stop is personal. He grew up in Murfreesboro, studied at Middle Tennessee State University, and was a finalist for TPAC’s inaugural Spotlight Awards in 2017.
We had the privilege of sitting down with Mitchell to talk about the tour, his MTSU journey, and what it means to come home. Mitchell's road to the yellow brick wasn’t linear — it was local, personal, and unabashedly bold.
Nashville Lifestyles: What it is like touring with the show?
Cal Mitchell: “This is my first national tour. I’ve been working within the musical theater framework for five to six years now. For it being my first tour, there’s a lot of things I didn’t know that I’ve had to catch my feet as we’re working. Obviously, you know, there’s a whole lot of traveling and that can also play a huge effect on your voice, your body. Doing this show consistently, like eight shows a week, it does take an effect on the voice and the body and all that good stuff. You have to have a routine to keep your body in check.”
NL: Can you tell us more about your time at MTSU?
CM: “When I first got there, I went for mainly vocal performance. I went to become an opera singer or to teach at least, and then I realized that the whole framing of classical singing wasn’t really the framework that I wanted to be in anymore. So once I realized that, I ended up switching second semester of my first year to theater, and then I adapted on a musical theater minor.”
NL: How did you transition from MTSU into pursuing musical theater full time?
CM: “So I actually never graduated. I’m planning on going back, maybe next year, to finish out. What ended up happening, I had planned on staying to finish. I think I was in the fall semester of 2022. But that same year I had found myself flying out to New York City every week or every two to three weeks, whether it was for a gig, a callback, or an audition. I also worked on my first movie during that six month run. It didn’t make sense for me to stay if I was already working. I wanted to see how does it look like to work in the field you’re studying in. If anybody who was younger than me is in college right now and has been running back and forth with school and everything, I would tell them to take a break and work. I really think it’s the best course to really get your hands in it and start as early as possible.”
NL: What is your favorite thing about Nashville?
CM: “I am a foodie, I love to eat. So whenever I can be back home I am literally going to every spot I possibly can. Whether that’s Prince Hot Chicken, a good hole in the wall for fried fish, a barbecue spot. You’re likely to find me there.”
About the production
The Wiz remains a groundbreaking reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, celebrated for its soul, gospel, rock, and 1970s funk. This new tour is directed by Schele Williams (The Notebook, the upcoming revival of Disney’s Aida), with choreography by JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” Black Is King) and additional material by Tony and Emmy nominee Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers). Critics have praised the revival for its powerhouse performances, stunning choreography, and visionary design. The result is a contemporary, joy-filled experience that invites audiences to ease on down the road once again.
For Cal, returning to TPAC closes a meaningful circle. The Lion may be on a quest for courage, but his path from Murfreesboro to the Broadway stage shows the heart, hustle, and hometown pride that Nashville audiences will recognize the moment he steps into the spotlight.
The Wiz plays TPAC from September 23 to 28.