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Christian Thompson takes on the role of Fiyero in the national tour of ‘Wicked’

ABOVE PHOTO: Christian Thompson. (Photo by Joan Marcus)

By Kharisma McIlwaine

“Wicked” is the 4th longest running Broadway musical of all time. The three-time Tony award winning musical is a beautiful reimagining of a story so many of us are familiar with – “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Based on the novel by Gregory McGuire, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, “Wicked” tells a very different story about the Land of Oz. 

In “Wicked,” the story isn’t told from Dorothy’s perspective. Instead, it is told from the perspective of a misunderstood woman named Elphaba with green skin, dubbed evil solely because of her appearance. Under the direction of Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, “Wicked” continues “Defying Gravity” as it returns to Philadelphia for a one month-long engagement. Florida native Christian Thompson takes on the role of Fiyero in  in the production. Thompson spoke with the SUN about his dream role and what it means to play the role of Fiyero as a Black man.

Thompson was bitten by the acting bug at a young age, which immediately sparked his desire to dive headfirst into the world of musical theater.

“I decided I wanted to be an actor at eight years old,” he said. “My mom moved me to a district where the elementary school there was an arts school, so I was shown the arts at a very young age. I remember seeing a touring production of “Cats the Musical.” It was kind of like ‘Oh, it’s a cat.’ Then it was like ‘No, that’s a human, playing a cat and they get paid to do that… that what I’m gonna do!’ Then there was this really weird laser focus on making that happen.”

Thompson participated in musicals from elementary school on. He continued his studies at a performing arts middle school and earned a scholarship to attend American Heritage School where he studied musical theater. He continued pursing his dream in undergrad at Penn State where he received his BFA in musical theater. After graduating, Thompson began working in theater right away.

“I was very fortunate,” he said. “I strung along a lot of jobs, kind of one after the other. The first thing I did was a regional gig in North Carolina, then I hopped on a cruise ship and did that for five and a half months. Then I came back and was in New York for a little bit. It was a total of three months when I booked the 20th Anniversary national tour of “Rent.” I did that for about nine months, and had two weeks between that and my next job, where I started with the world premiere of “Ain’t Too Proud-The Life and Times of The Temptations.” That was my life for six years.”

In truly kismet-like fashion, Thompson and his mother’s lifelong love for “Wicked” gifted him a beautiful full circle moment.  

“My family is a massive “Wizard of Oz” family — they love “The Wizard of Oz”! My mom’s favorite character was always the Wicked Witch of the West,” he said. “When the show came out, I was about 11, and I was firm in my wanting to be an actor. My mom heard that they were making a musical out of this book about the Wicked Witch of the West and what really happened. She immediately brought it to my attention and bought us both a copy of the book and I loved it. I was in New York, and we played the lottery to see “Wicked” at The Gershwin. We didn’t get it. We tried again another day and didn’t get it. Then we had to leave, but she pushed back our flights to try just one more time. We won the lottery and that was the first time I got to see it. We saw it about 8 or 9 times — we were super fans. I grew up with two posters above my bed — “Phantom of The Opera” and “Wicked.” I’ve loved this show since it started!” 

After auditioning several times for the show, Thompson finally landed the role of Fiyero  —  his dream role.

“I was thrilled when they called,” he said. “I put in tapes for “Wicked” before and never heard back. Then almost a year ago, I got a call — they asked me to come in, and I did about an hour and a half audition where I was working with some of our creatives. Then about two weeks later, I got the call from my agent that I booked it.”

Fiyero, the love interest of both Elphaba and Galinda, brings humor, charm and lots of rule breaking to “Wicked.” 

“Fiyero is a prince and a transfer student,” Thompson said. “I would describe him as a fun-loving, troublemaker. He doesn’t necessarily abide by the rules of the establishment. He enters into the world of Shiz University and decides that he wants to shake things up. He is immediately taken in by Galinda, but then has an interaction with Elphaba that kind of turns their worlds on their heads. I love Fiyero because he has such an amazing character arch. At first, he’s carefree, self-centered and focused on what he needs and wants. He goes from that to someone who deeply cares and would sacrifice everything for the ones he loves. That’s an amazing journey to inhabit every night.” 

“Wicked” makes a strong statement through Fiyero and Elphaba, that we are all more than what meets the eye. As a Black man in the role of Fiyero, Thompson felt the parallel of what it means to be judged solely by appearance is amplified even more in the show. 

“Fiyero is a complex human,” he said. “Maybe all he really needed was for someone to see him for him, instead of the “princeliness” of it all. I think Elphaba gets to the core of who he is, and that’s super special. I also think it’s super special being a mixed Black man. When I do this show, it is a person of color love story. It is green and black and there’s something incredible about that. I think the audience has to confront just how ostracized they are for what they look like and that’s highlighted by me inhabiting this role. I love that… it is such a privilege and honor that I don’t take lightly.” 

“The impact that this show has is amazing,” Thompson continued. “The diversity from background, race, age — every demographic loves this show. That’s so incredible to be a part of and to feel in the theater! “Wicked” lives up to all the magic even 20 years later. It holds a very space in the theater world. I hope that after people see the show, they walk out of the theater with joy and we can help put some more of that out in this world.”

To continue supporting Thompson on his journey, follow him on IG @christianthompsonactor. “Wicked” will be at The Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus November 1-26. For more information on tickets and showtimes, visit: www.kimmelculturalcampus.org .

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Q&A with “WICKED” Tour’s Fiyero, Bradley Jaden

Are you counting down the days before Wicked flies back to Manila? If not, then our interview with the gorgeous and talented Bradley Jaden should psych you up! Before his Fiyero makes you swoon in your seats come February, read what he has to say about what it’s like joining the show, touring the world, and what he loves about “Wicked”.

Bradley Jaden (photo c/o Concertus Manila)

Is it true you only saw “Wicked” recently?

A couple of months ago, actually! (as of September 2016)

Oh wow, and now you’re doing it!

Yeah, I know! It’s amazing.

How’s the experience like so far? Is it intimidating to step into those shoes?

Of course! You know, to be part of this “Wicked” umbrella is an immensely scary opportunity but it’s also an opportunity that can’t be missed. I’m very, very lucky and very, very grateful.

The reason I haven’t seen the show is not for lack of wanting to, because I’ve heard it so much. I’ve heard all the songs, but I also didn’t want to go into– once I got the role, I didn’t want to go and steal any of the little bits or see anyone else, or be inspired by any other actor. I kinda wanted to read the book and make my own journey as Fiyero.

Have you met any of the other Fiyeros?

I know [Oliver Savile], the guy who plays it on the West End.

You guys ever talk about—

No! We haven’t spoken about the role at all. I know that he does a very, very different version. He’s a very, very good looking guy so I know I have to step up to the mark if I have to follow in his shoes in any way. He does an incredible job on the West End, so to then play a role alongside that guy and tour around the world is quite incredible.

Which parts of the show do you absolutely love as an audience member as well as someone who is part of the show?

My favorite bit is Elphaba’s Dance. I love that bit. I just love the pure simplicity of it, and just that emotional connection that anyone can have of just kind of letting go and just, you know… I think everyone’s been in that situation where they’ve felt completely out of their comfort zone, that someone just brought you in and then you just feel that release of anxiety and happiness and all these different emotions and everything’s just flowing in the moment. I love that bit.

Do you have a favorite song from the musical?

My favorite song to listen to I would say is “No Good Deed”. I think it’s just, you know, everything that everyone wants to listen to in a song. But then obviously, you’ve got incredible songs such as “Defying Gravity” and “Popular” which just brings the light in. With the ensemble, “One Short Day” is just, you know— each song has their own— it’s one of those shows that you can just listen to on and on and on because it has little different genres, so the songs are all great.

If you can play any other character in the show, male or female, which one would you want to play?

Oh, you know what? If I wasn’t Fiyero, I’d love to be one of the monkeys! (laughs) I’d love to be Chistery or someone like that. Just flying around, you know? They’ve got their own little journey, which is great. Chistery goes on such a great journey, so I think if I was anyone else, I’d probably be one of the monkeys– just having a swing around and running up and down the stage.

If I was a girl, I’d probably be Glinda. I’d go Glinda. You see such a range of emotions from her–as well as Elphaba, of course. She’s the protagonist of the show. She gets great songs– but Glinda goes on such a huge journey from beginning to end. It’s quite spectacular to watch.

What about your own personality do you bring to Fiyero, and what about Fiyero’s personality do you love?

I love Fiyero’s carefree approach. I feel like I’m quite a relaxed person, so I do bring that ‘step back’ approach and just kind of go with the flow. I relate very much to Fiyero in his honesty and truth, his approach to kind of just going with his gut and even if it’s not right in that particular moment for someone else, it’s right for him. I think that does cause some problems with Glinda and other characters but at the end of the day, he has to be happy. I do relate to that kind of “live everyday like it’s your last” bit. I like that.

How different is the experience of being on the West End to going around the world, taking the show to different audiences across the globe?

It doesn’t change too much on stage and backstage, but the opportunity to see this beautiful world is beyond people’s wildest dreams. I get to do what I love and come into places like Singapore, and then other places in Asia. Most people don’t get those kinds of opportunities, and it’s wonderful to see what makes people laugh in Singapore that didn’t make people laugh in London. The audience react completely differently and we learn as a cast what’s right and what’s wrong and how to adjust.

I think that’s what’s exciting about touring the world, because the show never becomes stale, which it never would anyway because people’s emotions change every night. We just get even more opportunities to see different audiences take in the story as well.

Bradley Jaden with Jacqueline Hughes who plays Elphaba (photo c/o Concertus Manila)

What do you do to keep the show fresh every night?

Obviously it’s all the same structure. You have to hit the same marks every night, but the emotions change daily. Everyone can have a 9 to 5 job but sometimes they love it, sometimes they hate it. With “Wicked”, you can’t not but love it. You never get bored. It’s a beautiful show, you don’t have time to be bored. It’s so fast-paced. You have to give everything to the show because if you don’t give everything in every scene, the audience aren’t gonna come on that journey.

What I’ve learned about “Wicked” is that everyone cares about it. From the artistic team to the technical, to the lighting, to the ensemble and the principals, everyone cares so much about it that if you didn’t care and didn’t invest yourself, then you would look out of place. You can’t drop the ball.

Finally, describe Fiyero in one word.

Oh… one word? Can I say ‘exchange student’? (laughs) He’s an exchange student— carefree! Carefree. I go with carefree.

You can purchase tickets here .

About the Author / Nikki Francisco

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• Shiz Students
• Rulers in Oz
• Emerald City

Fiyero Tiggular

• View history

What are you looking for?

Fiyero Tiggular is a Winkie prince and Elphaba 's love interest in the Broadway musical, Wicked . He is also the man who would become the Scarecrow .

• 2.1 Solos (In A Duet)
• 2.2 Solos (In A Group Number)
• 4.1 Broadway Production
• 4.2 Broadway Understudies
• 4.3 1st National Tour
• 4.4 Chicago Production
• 4.5 West End (London) Production
• 4.6 Los Angeles Production
• 4.7 Stuttgart Production
• 4.8 Melbourne Production
• 4.9 San Francisco Production
• 4.10 2nd National Tour
• 4.11 UK/Ireland Tour
• 4.12 International Tour
• 4.13.1 Australian Tour Production
• 4.14.1 Oberhausen Understudy
• 4.15.1 Scheveningen Alternate (Standby)
• 4.15.2 Scheveningen Understudies
• 4.16 Helsinki Production
• 4.17 1st Asian Tour
• 4.18 Mexico City
• 4.19 Copenhagen
• 4.20 Brazilian Production
• 5 External Links

History [ ]

Fiyero arrives at Shiz in the middle of the year. He immediately impresses his own brand of cavalier, carefree living on the students, organizing a party at The Ozdust Ballroom. He is the only one not to be horrid to Elphaba when he first meets her, he does make a sarcastic comment, but he was never actually horrid to her.

One day, Ozian officials take Doctor Dillamond away. The new history teacher arrives with a frightened lion cub in a cage, revealing that Animals that are kept in cages will never learn to speak. Outraged, Elphaba accidentally casts a spell that causes everyone (except for Fiyero) to go into involuntary gyrations. Together, Elphaba and Fiyero steal the Cub and set it free in the woods. Even though the two argue about Elphaba's habit of talking a lot, there is a hint of romance between the two. Eventually, Fiyero leaves, embarrassed. It begins raining, and Elphaba takes refuge under a bridge and believes that it would be impossible for someone like Fiyero to love someone like her.

At the train station, Galinda and Fiyero see Elphaba off to the Emerald City once she gets her summons from the Wizard, where he gives her a bouquet of poppies. Galinda complains to Elphaba that Fiyero's affections toward her seem to be waning. In an attempt to impress him, Galinda announces that she will change her name to "Glinda" in honor of Doctor Dillamond's persistent mispronunciation. Fiyero does not appear to notice and, feeling bad for Glinda, Elphaba invites her along to see the Wizard.

Oliver Tompsett in the London Production

After some time, Fiyero is Captain of the Guard. Glinda and Madame Morrible hold a press conference to announce Glinda's surprise engagement to Fiyero. After listening to the Ozians rumors that water will melt Elphaba, Fiyero storms off but reluctantly agrees to marry Glinda saying, "If it makes you happy."

Elphaba returns to the Wizard's palace to free the rest of the winged monkeys. The Wizard attempts to regain her favor by agreeing to set them free. Upon discovering a now-speechless Doctor Dillamond among the monkeys, Elphaba rejects his offer and attempts to escape, running into Fiyero, who by now is the head guard of the palace, in the process. Confirming his true love for Elphaba, he runs off with her. In a dark forest, Fiyero and Elphaba express their mutual and passionate love but are interrupted when Elphaba senses that her sister is in danger. She flies off to help but is too late, arriving just after Dorothy's house has landed on Nessa, killing her. Elphaba becomes frustrated and confronts Glinda for giving Nessa's shoes to Dorothy, and a fight ensues. The palace guards arrive and ambush Elphaba, but Fiyero intervenes and tells them to "Let the green girl go!"

Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero with Idina Menzel as Elphaba in the OBC

allowing Elphaba to escape before surrendering himself. The guards take him to a nearby cornfield to be tortured until he tells them where Elphaba has fled. In an act of desperation, Elphaba recites a spell from the Grimmerie to try and save Fiyero. She stops, thinking she messed up the spell, and that he died. She declares herself to be wicked, like the people of Oz say she is. (" No Good Deed "). Elphaba then flies back to Kiamo Ko castle.

Later, at the castle, Glinda shows up unexpectedly, and an unnamed monkey shows up with a message. When Glinda asks what it says, Elphaba tells her, "We have seen his [Fiyero's] face for the last time." After singing " For Good ", and bequeathing the Grimmerie to Glinda, the ladies hear footsteps. Glinda hides, and then she watches her friend supposedly melt at the hands of Dorothy . After Glinda and everyone else clears out, Fiyero, whom Elphaba had turned into the Scarecrow, opens a trap door in the castle; Elphaba, very much alive, emerges, and the two are reunited. The two agree to leave Oz, both of them knowing that they can never return, and Elphaba insists that they tell Glinda. However, Fiyero tells Elphaba that if the two of them want to be safe, no one must ever know that they are alive. Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz , without telling anyone, as Glinda celebrates (and secretly mourns) with the citizens of Oz.

Musical Numbers [ ]

Nobert Leo Butz in the San Francisco Try-Outs

Solos (In A Duet) [ ]

• As Long As You're Mine (Elphaba)

Solos (In A Group Number) [ ]

• Dancing Through Life (Glinda, Boq, Nessarose, Elphaba, and Students of Shiz)
• Thank Goodness (Glinda, Madame Morrible, and Citizens of Oz)
• The actor that plays Fiyero is one of the people who turns the bed in No One Mourns the Wicked.
• Fiyero and the other Guards wear buttons on their costumes that read "OZ" in tiny print. These buttons cost about $100 each.
• Susan Hilferty debated about using Fiyero's novel version of diamonds during the San Francisco try-outs, but eventually ruled against it because they wouldn't translate well on stage.
• Fiyero's 'Tight White Johdpurrs' aren't really white. They're actually a light tan color.
• Fiyero's outfit in As Long As You're Mine is what he wore under his Captain of the Guard uniform.

Portrayers [ ]

Derek Klena as Fiyero

Broadway Production [ ]

• Norbert Leo Butz (2003-2004)
• Kristoffer Cusick (2003; temporary)
• Taye Diggs (2003-2004; temporary)
• Joey McIntyre (2004-2005)
• David Ayers (2005-2006)
• Derrick Williams (2006-2007, 2007-2008)
• Sebastian Arcelus (2007)
• David Burnham (2008)
• Aaron Tveit (2008,2009)
• Kevin Kern (2008-2009, 2009-2010)
• Andy Karl (2010-2011)
• Kyle McDaniel (2011; temporary)
• Kyle Dean Massey (2011)
• Richard H. Blake (2011-2012)
• Kyle Dean Massey (2012-2013; 2013-2014)
• Derek Klena (2013)
• Justin Guarini (2014)
• Matt Shingledecker (2014-2015)
• Jonah Platt (2015-2016)
• Michael Campanyo (2016-2017)
• Ashley Parker Angel (2017-2018)
• Curt Hansen (2018; temp)
• Ryan McCartan (2018-2019)
• Jake Boyd (2019-2020)
• Sam Gravitte (2020-2022)
• James D. Gish (2022-2023)
• Jordan Litz (2023-Current)

Broadway Understudies [ ]

• Derrick Williams (Original)
• Kristoffer Cusick (Original)
• Jerad Bortz
• Kyle Dean Massey
• Kyle Brown (2014)
• Timothy A. Fitzgerald (2014)
• Dan Gleason (Current)
• Curt Hansen (2014-2018)

1st National Tour [ ]

• Derrick Williams (2005)
• Sebastian Arcelus (2005-2006)
• Cliffton Hall (2006-2008)
• Richard H. Blake (2008-2011)
• Colin Hanlon (2011)
• Kyle Dean Massey (2011-2012)
• Andy Kelso (2012)
• Cliffton Hall (2012-2013)
• Curt Hansen (2013-2014)
• Nick Adams (2014-2015)

Chicago Production [ ]

• Kristoffer Cusick (2005-2006, 2008-2009)
• Brad Bass (2006-2007)
• Derrick Williams (2007)

West End (London) Production [ ]

• Adam Garcia (2006-2007)
• Oliver Tompsett (2007-2010)
• Lewis Bradley (2010; temporary)
• Lee Mead (2010-2011)
• Mark Evans (2011)
• Matt Willis (2011-2012)
• Ben Freeman (2012-2013)
• Jeremy Taylor (2013-2015)
• Oliver Savile (2015-2017)
• Bradley Jaden (2017-2018)
• David Witts (2018-2019)
• Alistair Brammer (2019-2022)
• Ryan Reid (2022-Current)

Los Angeles Production [ ]

• Kristoffer Cusick (2007-2008)
• Michael Seelbach (2007)
• Derrick Williams (2008-2009)

Stuttgart Production [ ]

• Mark Seibert (2007-2008)
• Mathias Edenborn (2008-2010)

Melbourne Production [ ]

• Rob Mills (2008-2009)
• Liam Head (2024)

San Francisco Production [ ]

• Nicolas Dromard (2009-2010)
• Cliffton Hall (2010)

2nd National Tour [ ]

• Colin Donnell (2009-2010)
• Chris Peluso (2010)
• David Nathan Perlow (2010-2012)
• Billy Harrigan Tighe (2012-2013)
• David Nathan Perlow (2013-2014)
• Matt Shingledecker (2014)
• Ashley Parker Angel (2014-2015)
• Jake Boyd (2015-2016)
• Jeremy Woodard (2016-2017)
• Jon Robert Hall (2017, 2018-2019)
• Michael Campayno (2018)
• Curt Hansen (2019-2021)
• Jordan Litz (2021-2023)
• Christian Thompson (2023-2024)
• James D. Gish (2024-Current)
• Xavier McKinnon (2024)

UK/Ireland Tour [ ]

• Richard Carson (understudy)
• Will Knights (understudy)
• Samuel Edwards
• Ben Carruthers (understudy)
• Danny Whitehead (understudy)
• Aaron Sidwell
• Benjamin Yates (understudy)
• Charlie Karlsen (understudy)
• Russell Dickson (understudy)
• Frazer Woolcott (understudy)

International Tour [ ]

• Bradley Jaden
• Alex Jordan-Mills (understudy)
• Joshua St Clair (understudy)

Australia/New Zealand Tour [ ]

• Steve Danielsen

Australian Tour Production [ ]

• Rob Mills (2009-2010)
• Tim Campbell (2010)
• David Harris (Final)

Oberhausen Production [ ]

• Mathias Edenborn (2010)
• Anton Zetterholm (2010-2011)

Oberhausen Understudy [ ]

• Bero Antunovic (2010)
• Carl van Wegberg (2010-2011)
• Jonas Wåhlin (2010-2011)

Schevenigen Production [ ]

• Jim Bakkum (2011-2013)

Scheveningen Alternate (Standby) [ ]

• F erry Doedens (2012-2013)

Scheveningen Understudies [ ]

David Nathan Perlow

• Dieter Spileers (2011-2013)

Helsinki Production [ ]

• Tuukka Leppänen (2010-2011)

1st Asian Tour [ ]

• David Harris (2011-2012)
• Richard H. Blake (2012)

Mexico City [ ]

• Jorge Lau (Original)
• Rodrigo de Urquidi (Understudy)

Copenhagen [ ]

• John Martin Bengtsson

Brazilian Production [ ]

• Jonatas Faro
• Andre Loddi
• Rodrigo Negrini (Understudy)
• Diego Montez (Understudy)

External Links [ ]

• Fiyero - Wikipedia
• Fiyero - Oz Wiki
• 1 Elphaba Thropp
• 2 Fiyero Tigelaar
• 3 Fiyero Tiggular/Musical

Tours To You

Your home for information about the touring broadway productions in north america, ‘wicked’ national tour announces new cast members.

The National Tour of the Broadway sensation Wicked will welcome new cast members beginning performances Tuesday, May 7 at  The Bushnell  in Hartford, CT.

Biographies

Lauren Samuels  is delighted to be making her North American debut in the role of Elphaba.  She is an English actress and singer who rose to prominence on the BBC TV series “Over the Rainbow.” On the West End, she has starred in  Grease  (Sandy),  We Will Rock You  (Scaramouche),  Bend it Like Beckham  (Jules – WhatsOnStage “Best Actress” nomination) and  Vanities  (Mary).  Her regional credits include  The Last 5 Years ,  The Wizard of Oz ,  The Water Babies ,  Henry V  and  Groan Ups . Lauren can be seen in the upcoming short film  Key of Genius .  Fans can download her album  Chasing Rainbows  on all streaming platforms. @laurensamuels88

Blake Hammond  (The Wizard) is also new to the  WICKED family. On Broadway, he has had leading roles in  Hairspray , Disney’s  The Lion King ,  First Date ,  Billy Elliott ,  Elf ,  The Music Man ,  Living on Love ,  Sister Act ,  Kiss Me, Kate  and  On the Town . On tour, he has played Nostradamus in Something Rotten , Uncle Fester in  The Addams Family , Sebastian in  Cinderella  and Rudolph in  Hello, Dolly!   Blake is the recipient of the LA Critics Award for his role in  When Pigs Fly  and the Carbonell and Chicago After Dark Award for  At Wit’s End .

Aymee Garcia  will be joining the National Tour of  WICKED  as Madame Morrible.  Her Broadway credits include Jack’s Mother in  Into the Woods , Mama Bear in  Shrek the Musical , and Madame Thénardier in  Les Misérables .  Her television and film credits include “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” “Slumberkins,” “Sesame Street” and  Dear Evan Hansen .

Erica Ito  (Nessarose) can be heard as Clara on the  My Heart Says Go  Studio Cast Recording and as the co-host of  Seaweed Brain: A Percy Jackson Podcast . She attended the University of Michigan where she received her BFA in Musical Theatre. @seaweedbrainpodcast

Kingsley Leggs  (Doctor Dillamond) has numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway credits, including  Pretty Woman ,  Sister Act ,  The Color Purple ,  Miss Saigon  and  Little Shop of Horrors , to name a few. On tour, he has appeared in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess ,  Sister Act ,  Miss Saigon ,  Ragtime ,  It Ain’t Nothing but the Blues  and  Forbidden Hollywood .  Kingsley’s film and television credits include  Hello Again , “The Americans,” “The Good Wife,” “Law and Order: SVU” “One Life to Live” and “City of Angels.”

Xavier McKinnon will assume the role of Fiyero. He has toured in Disney’s  Aladdin ,  Rent  and  Kinky Boots . His regional credits include  Aida ,  Once on This Island ,  Jersey Boys ,  Rock of Ages  and  Hairspray . @xmckinnon

Alex Vinh  (Boq) is currently on Broadway in  Kimberly Akimbo . His Off-Broadway and Regional credits include  Snow in Midsummer  at Classic Stage Company,  Kimberly Akimbo  at Atlantic Theater Company and  Spring Awakening at TUTS. Alex attended Texas Christian University. @alexhvinh

Carly Augenstein  will be the Elphaba Standby.

They join a cast which includes Joe Beauregard, Jennifer Mariela Bermeo, Remmie Bourgeois, Anthony Lee Bryant, Sean Burns, Matt Densky, Jenny Florkowski, Kayla Goldsberry, Rose Iannaccone, David Kaverman, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Lauren Leach, Colin Lemoine, Adelina Mitchell, Madison Claire Parks, Jackie Raye, Kat Rodriguez, Anthony Santos, Derek Schiesel, Wayne Schroder, Tregoney Shepherd, Brett Stoelker, Ben Susak, Mitchell Tobin and Justin Wirick.

The Broadway sensation Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade,” and by Time Magazine as “a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage.” NBC Nightly News calls the hit musical “the most successful Broadway show ever.”

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

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Wicked National Tour Welcomes West End's Lauren Samuels as Elphaba and More

The national tour of Wicked will welcome several new cast members to Oz, all beginning their run on May 7 at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT. Lauren Samuels, whose West End credits include Grease and We Will Rock You , will make her North American debut in the role of Elphaba. Austen Danielle Bohmer, who appeared in Broadway’s Diana , plays Glinda.

Also new to the cast are Blake Hammond ( Hairspray ) as The Wizard, Aymee Garcia ( Into the Woods ) as Madame Morrible, Kingsley Leggs ( Pretty Woman ) as Doctor Dillamond, Xavier McKinnon ( Aladdin and Rent national tours) as Fiyero and Alex Vinh ( Kimberly Akimbo ) as Boq.

They join a company which includes Joe Beauregard, Jennifer Mariela Bermeo, Remmie Bourgeois, Anthony Lee Bryant, Sean Burns, Matt Densky, Jenny Florkowski, Kayla Goldsberry, Rose Iannaccone, David Kaverman, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Lauren Leach, Colin Lemoine, Adelina Mitchell, Madison Claire Parks, Jackie Raye, Kat Rodriguez, Anthony Santos, Derek Schiesel, Wayne Schroder, Tregoney Shepherd, Brett Stoelker, Ben Susak, Mitchell Tobin and Justin Wirick.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire,  Wicked  has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Now the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked celebrated its 20th anniversary on Broadway in October. The musical's current national tour, its second, kicked off in 2009. 

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Wicked tour to reunite Carl Man’s Fiyero with Laura Pick’s Elphaba

Man ( & Juliet , Shaftesbury Theatre, Starlight Express , The Other Palace) will return to the role of Fiyero alongside his West End co-star Pick who will reprise her performance as Elphaba ( Anyone Can Whistle , Union Theatre, The Sound of Music , Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). Further casting will be announced at a later date.

Commenting on his return to the role, Man said: “When I first got to play Fiyero in the West End, it was opposite Laura Pick, so I’m incredibly excited to be reuniting with Laura, and with this phenomenal show. To be given the opportunity to play Fiyero at ten of the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious theatres is a great honour and I can’t wait to get started.”

The 2023/2025 tour will open at the Edinburgh Playhouse from 7 December 2023 until 14 January 2024. The tour will then visit the Bristol Hippodrome (23 January-25 February 2024), the Birmingham Hippodrome (5 March-7 April 2024), Bradford Alhambra (16 April-19 May 2024), Southampton Mayflower (23 May-16 June 2024), Liverpool Empire (20 June-14 July 2024), the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin (23 July-15 September 2024), Sunderland Empire (24 September-20 October 2024), the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (24 October-23 November 2024) and Manchester Palace Theatre (3 December 2024-12 January 2025).

Over 100 people (including an additional 20 people who will be employed in each city visited) will be involved both on stage and behind the scenes in bringing the magic of OZ to ten venues.

Announcing the tour last year, McCabe said: “We’re delighted to be embarking on this third tour of the UK and Ireland and taking Wicked back to 10 incredible theatres in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland where sold-out audiences previously greeted us so ecstatically. We’re excited to have this opportunity to share once again the spectacle, magic and emotion that has created unforgettable memories for audiences everywhere.”

The West End production continues to pull in the crowds at the Apollo Victoria Theatre with performances currently booking up to 26 November. Now in its 17th year at the Apollo Victoria, Wicked is the 12th longest-running production in West End history. The multi-award-winning tale of the Witches of Oz has won over 100 major international awards including three Tonys, two Oliviers and ten WhatsOnStage awards. The musical has been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the show’s Broadway premiere.

Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel which takes its inspiration from the creations of L Frank Baum brought to life in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz , Wicked has music and lyrics by multi-Grammy and Academy award winner Stephen Schwartz (Disney’s Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame ).

Adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (cult TV series My So-Called Life ), the show features musical staging by Tony award winner Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by double Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello. Music arrangements are by Tony Award-winners Alex Lacamoire ( Hamilton ) and Stephen Oremus (Disney’s Frozen ).

Schwartz and Holzman are currently collaborating on the two-part Universal Pictures film version of Wicked , directed by Jon M Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.

Angela Thomas

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Peter Dinklage Joins 'Wicked' as Dr. Dillamond the Goat: Everything We Know About the Films

'wicked's cynthia erivo on ariana grande and what she's most excited for fans to see in the film, christina hendricks gets married to george bianchini with new orleans celebration, gwen stefani’s family night at coachella: watch sweet moment with son apollo, why mila kunis won't appear in season 2 of ‘that 90s show’ (exclusive), 'abigail' directors on 7,000 gallons of blood and 'ready or not' sequel plans (exclusive), jodie foster on being honored by jamie lee curtis at 'surreal' hand and footprint ceremony, shemar moore gushes over 'miracle' daughter frankie's sign language skills (exclusive), jodie foster gets cemented into hollywood history at tcl chinese theater, taylor swift's 'tortured poets department': easter eggs decoded, john travolta gushes over daughter ella bleu at ‘pulp fiction’ 30th anniversary celebration, ‘s.w.a.t’s shemar moore says ‘grown men were crying’ after show's un-cancellation (exclusive), alex pettyfer recalls henry cavill saving him from nearly drowning (exclusive), dwayne johnson stars in chris janson's 'whatcha see is whatcha get' music video (exclusive), 'the fall guy': ryan gosling and emily blunt on their characters' chemistry (exclusive), 'abigail': william catlett and kevin durand explain new vampire rules (exclusive), tori spelling surprised by ian ziering's 'offensive' post-split dating question, priyanka chopra opens up about being a protective mom and having a great support system (exclusive), mandisa, 'american idol' contestant and grammy winner, dead at 47, blake shelton gives tour of his new las vegas bar (exclusive), taylor swift fans think 'the alchemy' is about travis kelce, why fans think taylor swift’s 'thank you aimee' is a diss track about kim kardashian, the jon m. chu-directed adaptation will be released in two parts in november 2024 and 2025..

The Wicked  film adaptation has added even more star power to its roster, this time in the form of Peter Dinklage who will voice Dr. Dillamond. 

Director Jon M. Chu is bringing the beloved musical to the big screen in a two-part adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's beloved Broadway musical. The show is a prequel story to The Wizard of Oz , with the plot following the early years of the Wicked Witch of the West, named Elphaba, and Glinda the Good Witch, aka Galinda.

As it turns out, Elphaba wasn't always so wicked, and Galinda wasn't always so good. Before the twister brought Dorothy into their lives, the pair were unlikely roommates-turned-friends at school -- but heartbreak, opportunity and circumstance ultimately pulled them apart and set them on the adversarial paths.

The adaptation stars Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, opposite Ariana Grande as Galinda. Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero, the himbo love interest who finds himself caught between the two, recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh plays their reigning headmistress, Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 

The Wicked adaptation is scheduled to be released in two parts. Wicked: Part One hits theaters on Nov. 27, 2024, while  Wicked: Part Two  will be released on Nov. 26, 2025.

Here's everything we know so far about the upcoming films.

Wicked is based on the Wicked musical, which takes its story from the 1995 novel  Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West  by Gregory Maguire. The plot is based on the 1900 novel  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  by L. Frank Baum and its 1939 film adaptation, but focuses on the story of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Elphaba, born with green skin that most see as a curse, is a reserved new student at Shiz University, who is fiercely protective of her wheelchair-using sister, Nessarose. Upon moving into her dorm, she finds herself rooming with the bubbly, popular Galinda, who quickly embraces her as a friend and social project, though the pair could not be more different.

However, the new friends find themself at odds over Fiyero, a Winkie prince who ends up besotted with Elphaba, despite the fact that he and Galinda are the epitome of "class couple" and seemingly destined to be together -- if Galinda gets her way. Elphaba also dreams of working alongside the magical Wizard of Oz, and works to prove her skills.

When the Wizard is proven to be a fraud who is suppressing the animals of Oz in order to grow his own power, Elphaba turns against him, and is forced to go on the run from his loyal followers who are trying to hunt her down. 

Throughout a series of magical mishaps, the characters of the Wizard of Oz come into play as Elphaba tries her best to protect those she loves -- though her efforts are often in vain. Ultimately, she embraces her reputation as the Wicked Witch, faking her own death and bidding a tearful farewell to her friend Galinda as she departs Oz, never to return.

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba

The Broadway star and Tony winner plays Elphaba, a young woman born with green skin, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

Ariana Grande as Galinda/Glinda, the Good Witch

Grande is perfectly cast as Galinda, the bubbly, popular, people-pleasing counterpart to Elphaba, who is revealed to have much more depth that she initially shows on the surface.

Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero

Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey laces up his dancing shoes to play Fiyero, the carefree Winkie prince who finds himself in a love triangle with Elphaba and Galinda. Through Elphaba's efforts to protect him, he ultimately becomes the Scarecrow that befriends Dorothy.

Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Goldblum plays the Wizard, who is revealed to be not quite as "wonderful" as advertised, prompting Elphaba to go rogue in an attempt to save the animals of Oz.

Ethan Slater as Boq

Grande's real-life beau plays the besotted Boq, a fellow Shiz student who pines after Galinda. When Elphaba's sister, Nessarose, miscasts a spell to try and make him fall in love with her instead, Elphaba's solution is to turn him into a creature that doesn't need a heart to live -- leading to his ultimate fate as the Tin Man.

Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University, who initially sees promise in Elphaba. However, when the citizens of Oz turns against the "wicked" witch, Morrible helps lead the charge to try and tear her down.

Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond

Emmy winner Peter Dinklage is set to voice the character Dr. Dillamond, ET can confirm. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news on April 10, reporting that Universal closed out its CinemaCon presentation by sharing new footage of Wicked with the reveal. According to the outlet, Dr. Dillamond, a goat, is a professor of history at Shiz University who warns Elphaba about rising dark forces that threaten the speaking animals of Oz, including himself.  

Marissa Bode as Nessarose

Hollywood newcomer Marissa Bode makes her feature film debut in Wicked as Nessarose, Elphaba's wheelchair-using younger sister. After her ill-fated attempt to make Boq fall in love with her ends with him becoming the Tin Man, Nessa turns cold, blaming her sister for her broken heart and ultimately becoming the Wicked Witch of the East.

Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Pfannee and ShenShen

Yang and James play Pfannee and ShenShen, college friends of Galinda's. The characters were created for the movie and do not appear in the stage show, so not much is known about them yet.

The Wicked films also star  The Greatest Showman star Keala Settle, Aaron Teoh, Colin Michael Carmichael, Adam James and more.

THE TRAILER

During  Super Bowl LVIII , Universal Pictures finally shared a first look at the film adaptation of the Broadway musical which has taken more than a decade to bring to the big screen. 

In the new promo, fans get their first peek at Emerald City as audio of Grande and Erivo singing "Defying Gravity" plays in the background.

THE FIRST LOOKS

The official Wicked Instagram account shared two photos -- one each of Erivo and Grande's character -- from a distance, giving just a small glimpse of the magic to come.

The film is set to include plenty of songs from the Tony-winning musical, which Erivo told ET were some of her favorite parts of filming.

"I want to say 'For Good' is one of the most... like it's really special to us," she shared. "It just -- it was a really special day. We filmed it over a week [and] we felt like it was a lot for the both of us, in our hearts, you know?"

"And I'm really, really excited for 'The Wizard and I' 'cause, like, it's a full epic moment," the actress added. "There's so much in there that feels good... There are all really special moments within this movie and even the numbers without songs are really special as well."

THE RELEASE

The Wicked adaptation is scheduled to be released in two parts. Wicked: Part One  is scheduled for release on Nov. 27, 2024, while  Wicked: Part Two  will be released on Nov. 26, 2025.

Updates on Celebrity News, TV, Fashion and More!

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Screen Rant

8 ways the wicked movie can improve on the original musical.

While the Broadway musical Wicked is amazing, the two-part movie adaptation can use additional runtime to make the story and characters even better.

Warning: This list contains spoilers for the Broadway musical Wicked.

• In the Wicked movie(s), Elphaba and Fiyero's romance needs more development to justify their betrayal of Glinda.
• Glinda should say more about the Wizard to deepen the depiction of her loyalty and internal struggles.
• Dr. Dillamond, Madame Morrible, Nessarose, and Dorothy's trio should have stronger character arcs.

The Broadway musical Wicked is a near-perfect masterpiece, but there are still ways the upcoming movie can improve upon the story. Like the musical it is based upon, the two-part movie adaptation of Wicked follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young woman born with green skin destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Along the way, she becomes close friends with Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) and discovers the secrets of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). With the Wicked movie's cast of unrivaled talent, there are ample opportunities to organically expand the characters and plot.

Wicked is a complex exploration of the politics of perception and fabricated public personas. The best way for the movie to improve the story is to further delve into these themes. Wicked on stage is already nearly three hours long, with much of that time taken up by the musical numbers. However, even then, time constraints mean that some characters' arcs have to be summarized rather than fleshed out to give Elphaba and Glinda's friendship and individual arcs their due. With Wicked being split into two full-length movies, there is time for other characters to be given complete stories.

8 Elphaba & Fiyero Should Have More Scenes Together

Elphaba and fiyero's romance should be further developed to justify the events of the second act..

Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) attends Shiz University with Elphaba and Glinda, beginning a relationship with Glinda almost as soon as he arrives. Yet as he and Elphaba get to know one another, they end up falling in love with each other, with Elphaba bringing out Fiyero’s more thoughtful side. Fiyero and Glinda are together while Elphaba is on the run, and when the story picks up some time later in the second act, they announce their engagement. However, Fiyero then runs away with Elphaba for one romantic musical number in the forest before he is captured.

More scenes of Elphaba and Fiyero’s budding romance while they are still at school would improve the story, and better justify them both betraying Glinda after not having seen each other for presumably years. Elphaba also accidentally turns Fiyero into the Scarecrow; he finds her after her supposed death, and they leave Oz together. Just one line where Fiyero mentions traveling with Dorothy to get back to Elphaba, and a more developed relationship as the foundation of their running away together forever, would make this a much better storyline.

5 Minutes Of Wicked Footage Highlight Glinda & Elphaba's Relationship & Oz In Crisis At CinemaCon

7 glinda should say more about the wizard, glinda's loyalty to the wizard of oz could be further explored..

Glinda only confronts the Wizard and banishes him from Oz after Elphaba’s “death” — Elphaba is the one who truly opposes him.

After Elphaba is labeled as the “Wicked Witch,” the Wizard and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) frame Glinda as the opposite. She becomes a spokesperson for the Wizard and is positioned as the counterpart to the Wicked Witch of the West. Throughout Wicked , it seems as though Glinda thinks that the Wizard’s actions can be justified because the people in Oz believe in the idea of him. Glinda only confronts the Wizard and banishes him from Oz after Elphaba’s “death” — Elphaba is the one who truly opposes him.

Glinda touches upon the show’s themes of public vs. private personas when she sings “Popular,” telling Elphaba: “[…] think of / Celebrated heads of state / Or specially great communicators / Did they have brains or knowledge? / Don't make me laugh! / They were popular!” However, she is forced to eat her own words when she becomes embroiled in the conflict between Elphaba and the Wizard where the lives of her loved ones are threatened.

Elphaba and Glinda have a confrontation that is overshadowed by Glinda’s anger about the situation with Fiyero. One direct comment from Glinda during this scene about what she actually thinks of the Wizard would be an effective way to drive the movie’s discourse. It would also make Glinda’s later decisions more poignant when she realizes that Morrible sent the tornado that killed Nessarose "Nessa" (Marissa Bode) and decides the Wizard cannot rule Oz any longer.

6 Dr. Dillamond's Character Should Be Reinvented

Dr. dillamond could rise above his broadway role in the wicked movie..

Peter Dinklage’s Wicked role of Dr. Dillamond is somewhat notorious in the Broadway fanbase. A humanoid goat (created with prosthetics onstage) whose song “Something Bad” is the slowest moment of the show, he inspires Elphaba’s dedication to empowering the animals of Oz, who are mysteriously losing their ability to speak. However, Dillamond still stands as a goofy part of the show that most people choose to ignore. This is unfortunate when the storyline he represents is important to Elphaba’s arc, and he could be a much more effective character.

Like Fiyero, Dillamond should get more scenes with Elphaba to establish how important their relationship is in her life. Additionally, he should be played as less of a joke and a more serious and wiser character — something that Dinklage excels at portraying. Elphaba also discovers that the Wizard is behind what is happening to the animals in an effort to subjugate them. Laying the foundation for this revelation, which motivates Elphaba for years, with a better version of Dillamond’s character will make this subplot stronger.

5 Madame Morrible Should Have A Real Backstory

Madame morrible's history could have interesting implications for elphaba and glinda's arcs..

Madame Morrible has the potential to be an interesting character in Wicked , but also because of time constraints, her primary purpose is to be a straightforward villain in Elphaba and Glinda’s story. First the headmistress of Shiz and later the Wizard’s press secretary, Morrible plays a key role in tarnishing Elphaba’s reputation. However, her reasons for siding with the Wizard are never explored. Presumably, she does it to increase her own status and social power. Unlike the Wizard, she has real magical ability and is powerful enough to summon a tornado that brings Dorothy’s house to Oz and kills Nessa.

If the movie shows some scenes of Morrible teaching Elphaba sorcery it could lead to a conversation between them, which could shed some more light on Morrible’s rise to power. The story of Wicked revolves around two women with contrasting personalities set against each other as the two major forces of good and evil in Oz; further developing the stories of the other female characters around them will make this even more nuanced. Additionally, with an actress like Yeoh playing Morrible, a backstory of how she climbed Oz’s hierarchy with cunning schemes is in order.

"So Much More To Explore": Wicked Movie Producer Defends Decision To Release In Two Parts

4 dorothy's trio should have stronger storylines, the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion are mere easter eggs in wicked..

The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are more token nods to The Wizard of Oz than strong plot points in Wicked . When Nessa casts a spell to make the Munchkin Boq (Ethan Slater) fall in love with her and almost kills him, Elphaba manages to save his life by turning him into the Tin Man. Elphaba frees the Lion from a cruel teacher when he is a cub, and he grows up to become a coward because she did not “let him fight his own battles.”

Boq becomes a fervent witch hunter, which more or less makes sense because Nessa blames his tin state on her sister. The Lion could be given a better backstory because acting as though saving a lion cub is evidence of Elphaba’s wickedness is a bit of a stretch, and somewhat confusing in the context of the Wizard’s oppression of the animals. With all three members of Dorothy’s trio, there is a disconnect between their cameos in Wicked and their roles in Wizard of Oz . Why they help Dorothy in the context of Wicked’s plot could be better explained.

3 Nessarose's Character Should Be More Developed

Nessa could play an important part in expressing the main themes of wicked..

Among the Wizard of Oz characters who appear in Wicked is Nessa, Elphaba’s younger sister and the Wicked Witch of the East. Wicked’s two-part release can fix Nessa’s character by giving her more screen time and therefore more character development. Like many of the supporting characters in Wicked , Nessa exists primarily as a prop in a story that is about Elphaba and Glinda. Her death pushes Elphaba further toward villainy, leading to her relentless mission to reclaim Nessa’s ruby slippers. However, Nessa’s storyline of becoming the Wicked Witch of the East could be expanded, creating an interesting parallel to Elphaba.

Nessa is spoiled by her and Elphaba’s father, who neglects his older daughter because of her green skin. Nessa is frustrated by needing to use a wheelchair and becomes an entitled, tyrannical leader when she inherits her father’s position as governor of Munchkinland. Wicked skips over how Nessa got to the point of being such an awful ruler that the Munchkins would break into song and dance at the news of her death. If Wicked is an exploration of how one is given true and false labels of wickedness, they have another potentially poignant character in Nessa.

2 The Wizard's Connection To Elphaba Should Be More Important (Or Cut)

The wizard plays a role in elphaba's backstory, but it does not affect wicked's story that much..

Wicked implies that the Wizard is Elphaba’s biological father and the reason for her green skin is that when he and Elphaba’s mother had their affair, he gave her a green elixir to drink. This is a plot point that likely only made it into Wicked as a tribute to Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name upon which it is based. Elphaba never finds out about this in the show, and it therefore has no impact on her emotions or how she confronts the Wizard. He only realizes the truth at the very end, when Elphaba is allegedly dead.

Essentially, the plot point does not affect the outcome of Wicked . If it is kept in the movie(s), it should either be expanded — with Elphaba and/or the Wizard discovering it earlier, so it can further complicate their dynamic — or it should be cut out of the story entirely. This is an element of Wicked that the cinematic adaptation might look to the original novel for inspiration of how it can elaborate upon this part of the story.

New Wicked Movie Photo Hints The Wizard Is Not What You're Expecting

1 dorothy gale should have a bigger role in the story, the wicked movies will probably feature dorothy more..

The first Wicked trailer suggests a change for Dorothy , in that she will actually appear rather than only being hinted at. In the Wicked musical, Dorothy is only heard crying offstage and seen as a silhouette when she "melts" Elphaba. However, Dorothy also poses some interesting possibilities in how she is used to comment upon the character arcs of the many witches of Oz.

Elphaba has the best of intentions but has "wickedness thrust upon her;" Glinda is kind at heart but accepts injustices rather than fighting them; Madame Morrible uses her power only to her own benefit; and Nessa becomes wicked through initially inconsequential, selfish behavioral habits. In contrast to all of them, Dorothy is the picture of innocence who views Oz as a wonderland. Just giving her a bigger presence will emphasize these comparisons. Dorothy might also directly say something about what is happening in Oz, representing one possibility of how the movie adaptation of Wicked can make the story even more profound.

Based on the famous play that stemmed from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked is a fantasy musical that sees an all-new cast take on the modern tale. The film explores the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West, a woman scorned by society due to her green skin, with even the Wizard of Oz framing her for a crime she didn't commit. 

Wicked: Part Two

Wicked: Part Two is the sequel to the 2024 film adaptation of the popular Broadway stage musical. The film explores the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West, known as Elphaba, as the world of Oz is told from a brand new perspective.

WICKED (Tour) - (Role of Fiyero Understudy - Tenor 2) Equity Actors - Munchkinland Productions LP Auditions

Wicked (tour) - (role of fiyero understudy - tenor 2) - munchkinland productions lp.

WICKED (Tour) - (Role of Fiyero Understudy - Tenor 2) Equity Video Submissions

Munchkinland Productions LP | New York, NY

Notice: Submission

Production (League)

$2311 weekly minimum

Equity actors for the role of Fiyero Understudy - Tenor 2 in the current tour of WICKED. (See breakdown).

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

SEE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS IN

Deadline: 05/01/2023

Producers: Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone Director: Joe Mantello

Choreographer: Wayne Cilento

Music & Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz

Book: Winnie Holzman

Music Supervisor: Stephen Oremus Associate Director: Lisa Leguillou

Associate Choreographer: Corinne McFadden Herrera

General Manager: 321 Theatrical Management Casting: The Telsey Office

Viewing submissions:

From The Telsey Office:

Ally Kiley (Casting Associate)

Jimmy Larkin (Casting Assistant)

OTHER DATES

First Rehearsal: Tuesday, June 20, 2023 (Houston, TX)

First Performance: Wednesday, July 6, 2023 (Atlanta, GA)

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Using the FIYERO Packet: Please read the first side, using a reader offstage. Please sing the two songs, using the accompaniment tracks provided. There are also plunk tracks to help you learn the material.

Using the ENSEMBLE Packet: Please sing the TENOR 1 and TENOR 2 line (“No one mourns the wicked, wicked, wicked”) in full chest voice in two separate takes. Please use the accompaniment track provided. There are also plunk tracks to help you learn the material. (Please note: This track primarily sings Tenor 2 and also covers Tenor 1, so we are looking for actors who are able to sing this high material in a full voice.)

The audition material can be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/024j2owxwo4tvsg/AADXK63rKHKGVoYVX-OWJECqa?dl=0

TAPING INSTRUCTIONS:

If you are using an iPhone to videotape, please be sure to film horizontally and in a well-lit space (not backlit). Please slate your name, height, and where you are currently based in a full body shot. It's best to wear jeans and T-shirt.

[FIYERO UNDERSTUDY - TENOR 2] Characters are male (cis, transgender, or nonbinary), 20s, height of 5’11” or taller, any ethnicity. Fantastic Tenor 2 singing voice and strong movement ability. To appear in the onstage ensemble and understudy the principal role of FIYERO (A striking prince with a philosophy of “Dancing Through Life.” A wealthy, dangerous party boy who at first is attracted to GLINDA, the “good” witch. Initially he is shallow and self-absorbed; however, his growing relationship with ELPHABA, the “wicked” witch, prompts him to reexamine his way of thinking) and the featured ensemble track of WITCH’S FATHER/OZIAN OFFICIAL.

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