Costume cape for the Wizard in The Wiz on Broadway: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This cream and green cape decorated with silver sequin stars and rhinestones is part of a costume worn by André De Shields as The Wizard in "The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz'" on Broadway. The exterior of the cape is made of a cream satin synthetic fiber with thirty-two (32) small silver sequin stars hand-sewn to the fabric with fishing line in a random pattern. One (1) larger silver sequin star is attached at the center back just below the collar. The cape has an oversized stand-up collar, with squared tips made of a stiff plastic or paper and covered in cream satin synthetic fabric. At the proper left and proper right fronts of the collar, one (1) sequin silver star is glued to the fabric and surrounded by silver rhinestones that also are affixed to the collar with glue. The cape is lined with an emerald green satin synthetic fiber. The exterior edge of the cape is trimmed with cream fur. The cape attaches with a harness around the wearer's back, through the arms, and with a hook-and-eye closure at the center front chest. The portion of the harness that goes at the wearer's back is made of elastic, while the front is made of cream satin faced with grosgrain ribbon. The harness is attached to the cape at the proper right and proper left sides just below the collar. Green rhinestones are sewn in a decorative design where the harness closes at the center front.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1975
• Designed by: Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian American, 1930 - 2014
• Created by: Grace Costumes Inc., American, founded 1961
• Worn by: André De Shields, American, born 1946
• Subject of: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
• Type: capes (outerwear)
• Medium: synthetic fiber, fur, sequins, rhinestones, and elastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D (flat): 92 3/4 × 57 1/2 × 9 3/4 in. (235.6 × 146.1 × 24.8 cm)
• Place used: New York City, Manhattan, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Costume design
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Musical Theatre
• Object number: 2007.3.8.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.