Some interviews feel like work. And then there are the ones that feel like a gift. My conversation with Kyla Jade was the latter—full of joy, honesty, laughter, and the kind of quiet reverence you feel when you’re speaking with someone who is standing exactly where they are meant to be. The excitement around the Broadway national tour of The Wiz, currently sweeping the nation and arriving at The Paramount Theatre February 10th–15th, already feels electric. After speaking with Kyla, that excitement somehow deepened, softened, and became more meaningful all at once.
In 2025, Kyla officially made her Broadway National Tour debut in The Wiz, opening at the Hobby Center in downtown Houston. When she told me about the moment she found out she’d been cast, her reaction was beautifully human. “I was shook,” she laughed. She didn’t fully believe it until her agent sent the contract. That feeling—of awe mixed with disbelief—is something many dream of, but few ever truly experience. Kyla is experiencing it in real time.
Preparation, she shared, can only take you so far. “It really doesn’t matter how much you try to prepare. You will be challenged day one.” And yet, she embraced that challenge fully. From the very first rehearsal, the cast jumped right in. The pace was fast, intentional, and guided by a director with a clear and powerful vision. There’s something special about walking into a room and immediately feeling held by leadership and trust—and Kyla felt that from the start.
In The Wiz, Kyla takes on roles that carry both tenderness and intensity. She connects deeply to Aunt Em, drawing warmth directly from her own mother—making the character feel instinctive and grounded. Evillene, however, required time, exploration, and emotional excavation. “She has a lot of depth,” Kyla explained. “We had to go on a journey together.” That willingness to sit with complexity is part of what makes her performance resonate so strongly.
Night after night, the most demanding challenge has been vocal fatigue—a reality many audiences never consider. Yet even in moments when she’s not onstage, Kyla finds herself moved. The end of Act One still gives her chills every time. That speaks volumes about the power of the show itself—and the shared energy between cast, music, and audience.
Being part of The Wiz has expanded Kyla’s artistry. She talked about gaining new tools, taking risks, and allowing herself to have fun onstage in ways she hadn’t before. By the end of this tour, she knows she will walk away not only more confident, but a stronger vocalist and performer overall.
Backstage, as you might imagine, is a mix of chaos and joy—tight spaces, fast transitions, and a whole lot of laughter. What stood out most was how deeply the cast supports one another. On good days and hard ones, encouragement flows freely. That sense of family is real—and it shows.
Audience reactions have already left lasting impressions. Every standing ovation humbles her. Those moments, she said, never fade. To sustain herself through such a demanding run, Kyla leans into discipline: rest, hydration, isolation when needed, and honoring her body and voice with care.
At its heart, The Wiz carries a message Kyla hopes every audience member takes with them—that we are all searching for home in some way, and that joy can be found in the journey. When asked to describe the soul of the show in just three words, her answer was perfect and powerful: Joyful. Black. Family.
For those dreaming of Broadway stages and bright lights, Kyla’s advice is simple and unwavering: Never give up.
Watching Kyla Jade step into this moment feels like witnessing something sacred—a culmination of talent, resilience, faith, and timing. The Wiz is a celebration, yes. But so is she. And when the curtain rises at The Paramount this February, audiences won’t just be watching a Broadway hit—they’ll be witnessing a woman fully living in her calling.
