Chandra Lee Schwartz and Jackie Burns in “Wicked.” (Photo: Joan Marcus)
Wicked is returning, and hopefully for good! The Broadway smash flies back into the Gershwin Theater on Tuesday, September 14. Leading the cast are Lindsay Pearce as Elphaba and Ginna Claire Mason as Glinda.
The production will also feature returning stars Sam Gravitte as Fiyero, Michael McCormick as The Wizard, Riley Costello as Boq, and Michael X. Martin as Doctor Dillamond. Mili Diaz will make her Broadway debut as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose. Broadway character actress Kathy Fitzgerald will play Madame Morrible September 14 through September 26; the role will then be played by Transparent star Alexandra Billings, who had played Morrible pre-pandemic, starting September 28.
The company also features Elphaba standby Jennifer DiNoia, Glinda standby Brittney Johnson, and ensemble members Ioana Alfonso, Alex Aquilino, Larkin Bogan, Randy Castillo, Antonette Cohen, Meg Doherty, Teneise Mitchell Ellis, Hannah Florence, Jenny Florkowski, Dan Gleason, Josh Daniel Green, Jeff Heimbrock, Celia Hottenstein, Courtney Iventosch, Colby Q. Lindeman, Chase Madigan, Micaela Martinez, Kevin Massey, Sterling Masters, Matt Meigs, Jo’Nathan Michael, Dashi Mitchell, Lindsay K. Northen, Emily Rogers, William Ryall, Travis Taber, Jeremy Thompson and Christianne Tisdale.
The Broadway Company of “Wicked”. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Wicked is based on the Gregory Maguire novel of the same name and explores what happened in Oz before Dorothy dropped in. Tracking two witches — one green and misunderstood, one frilly and popular — this Broadway blockbuster explores themes of friendship, female empowerment, and prejudice. Masks and vaccines will be required to see this musical, which features a book by Winnie Holzman, score by Stephen Schwartz, and direction by Joe Mantello. The original production starred Idina Menzel (who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West) and Kristin Chenoweth, catapulting both to international fame. That production opened the day before Halloween in 2003 and went on to earn 10 Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. A long-anticipated film adaptation helmed by In the Heights and Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu is currently in the works.
