Peter Santilli, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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NEW YORK - As it turns out, Ashanti has a lot in common with the iconic heroine she portrays in the new, ambitious revival of "The Wiz" that opened Thursday at off-Broadway's New York City Center.

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Helene Davis Public Relations,Robert J. Saferstein

This photo released by Helene Davis Public Relations shows Ashanti,left and James Monroe Iglehart in a scene from "The Wiz" which is at New York City Center.

Although she is hardly a newcomer to the stage, the recording star is a neophyte within the world of musical theatre. And like Dorothy, aided by a cast of cohorts with an impressive array of complementary talents, she wastes no time adapting to her new surroundings.

With wide-eyed charm and a can't-miss voice, Ashanti makes the role her own while distinguishing herself among a skilled troupe of singers and dancers.

This lavish, well-balanced production revives the soulful adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic children's story, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

The landmark musical garnered seven Tony Awards in 1975, including best musical. It was later made into a movie starring Diana Ross.

In the roles of Aunt Em and the good witch Glinda, LaChanze displays the magnificent voice and unique presence that earned her a 2006 Tony Award for her performance in "The Color Purple." Teasingly, she appears only in the show's opening and closing scenes, but makes the most of her limited time on stage, particularly in Glinda's "Believe in Yourself," which brings down the house.

Tichina Arnold, best known for her roles in the TV sitcoms "Martin" and "Everybody Hates Chris," brings to the table considerable comedic chops in the role of Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West.

As a singer, she may not quite possess the robust voice of Mabel King, who originated the role on Broadway and reprised it in the 1978 film. But Arnold more than holds her own in the show-stopping opening song of the second act, "No Bad News," a decadently fun number that pleases eyes and ears.

In the scene, Paul Tazewell's resplendent costumes and a beautiful, flowing backdrop by David Korins conspire to create a devilishly radiant vision in red of Evillene's lair.

Like the original musical (score by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown), the Scarecrow's scene in the current revival features the sweet gospel hymn "I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday," with an inspired performance by an eminently likable Christian Dante White.

Dorothy's other companions - Joshua Henry's Tinman and James Monroe Iglehart's Lion - are also particularly memorable vocalists.

Among this large-scale production's many treats is the elevated, visible orchestra, propped high above the stage on an angular, spiral scaffold meant to represent a funnel cloud, dramatically unveiled early in the program.

Under the direction of Thomas Kail and with choreography by Andy Blackenbuehler, this spectacle of colour and sound aims high in many regards, and succeeds in most.

As ambitious as the production is - with its large cast, sophisticated choreography and constant movement - it would benefit from some fine-tuning, such as the water-dousing of Evillene, a clunky sequence that is anything but fluid. Likewise, the tornado that sweeps Dorothy away from Kansas - depicted in a frenetic, abstract dance number - entertains but seems to fall short of the intended effect of creating an onstage tempest.

One can only hope this "Encores! Summer Stars" production of "The Wiz," which is on display through July 5, has farther to go before it comes to the end of its yellow brick road.