On Thursday morning, Jefferson High School theater students worked to keep pace with a complex choreography routine fit for a Broadway stage. Dancing on vintage green carpet, they gathered in a large open space that has served many purposes over the years — first as the school’s gymnasium, later as a TV studio and, most recently, as home to the theater department.
The sequence came from “The Wiz,” the high-energy Broadway musical that reimagines “The Wizard of Oz” through an African American lens. Featuring a largely Black cast and a score rooted in soul, gospel, rock and 1970s funk, the show set the tone for a movement workshop led by Jesse Jones, dance captain for the Broadway touring production of “The Wiz” that opened Tuesday at Keller Auditorium.
“The Wiz” originally debuted on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre in 1975, where it ran for more than four years and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The workshop, by Broadway in Portland, brought “The Wiz” back onto Jefferson’s stage. It’s a move that carries historical significance for the school, whose theater program used to be known for its signature production of “The Wiz.” The school staged the musical in 1981, 1983 and 1990, when the school’s reputation as a performing arts magnet school was at its height.
“Because Jefferson has its own long history with ‘The Wiz,’ it just made sense to come out and give students here an opportunity to work with one of the cast members,” said Tracy Wenckus, general manager of Broadway in Portland.
Theater director, English and journalism teacher Dan Coffey hopes to restore “The Wiz” as a centerpiece of the theater department in the future.
“Digging into the historical fact that this is the ‘Black school,’ I definitely want to embrace that and grow that,” Coffey said.
Jefferson is in Albina, Portland’s historically Black neighborhood, and has a student body that is 43% Black. The school has long faced underfunding and the loss of students to other high schools. With redistricting plans for Jefferson High School moving forward, Coffey is hopeful that increased enrollment and funding could help restore the theater department to its former prominence.
The theater program, which was once highly competitive, has recently made a return, showing its first musical in 20 years with a 2025 production of “Cinderella” last spring. The department will stage a whodunit-style production, “Too Many Detectives in the Murder Mansion” from Feb. 13-21.
During the opening performances of “The Wiz” earlier this week, many students had the opportunity to watch the show. Taliyah Pratt, a Jefferson senior, said the production allowed her to see herself represented on a national stage.
“I was actually tearing up,” Pratt said. “I feel like Portland theater, to me, is a really white dominated space. So seeing a production that was 99% Black actors and cast and tech … it was really inspiring to me.”
During the hourlong workshop, Jones led students through the complex dance routine from the musical’s Emerald City scene before answering a couple of questions about “The Wiz” and what it takes to be successful in the theater industry.
“Sometimes when I come to a high school, I get nervous because I never know what technical levels I’ll get,” Jones said. “But they all stepped up and tried their hardest. They were smiling. They were giving full energy. And when we had a break, they were breathing heavy.”
Jones said the inspiration was mutual.
“They came here in their free time and said, ‘We want to do this,’” Jones said. “It fills my heart with so much happiness because the arts can be a dying craft, because it’s not always financially stable.”
Pratt, who played the titular role “Cinderella” last year, plans to attend Reed College in the fall and continue her theater education. The workshop gave her insight into the effort and hard work it takes to be successful in the industry.
“I thought that I could get away with just singing and acting and I wouldn’t have to put much effort into learning how to dance,” Pratt said. “Listening to Jesse speak on what professional theater looks like, I’m going to have to practice.”
“The Wiz” continues through Sunday at Keller Auditorium, 222 S.W. Clay St.; tickets start at $69. Find more information at BroadwayinPortland.com.
“Too Many Detectives in the Murder Mansion” will be showing at Jefferson High School from Feb. 13 to 21; tickets are $11. Purchase tickets in advance here.
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