Caldwell will play the title character, described as "the first freeborn child of emancipated slaves, [who] had a mind for business and an aching for success. When her miracle hair salve not only won over the hearts and heads of African Americans in the United States, but also the heart of an astute businessman, Madam C.J. Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower took flight. Following Madam's financial gains with her company and emotional losses with her family, the story of the first self-made female millionaire transformed the way African-Americans were seen in the early 1900s." Caldwell won her Tony for her work in August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. More recently, she received an Obie Award for her performance in Lee Blessing's Going to St. Ives Off-Broadway.

Also in the cast are Cheryl Lynn Bruce (as Nola), Rolando Boyce (Freeman), Libya Pugh (Mae), Keith Randolph Smith (C.J. Walker) and Nikki E. Walker (A'lelia).

The design team for The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove includes Scott Bradley (set design); Jacqueline Firkins (costume design); Scott Zielinski (lighting design) and Richard Woodbury (sound design).