Justin Guarini and Mary Testa join Broadway's WICKED

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 4:29pm

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/174211/welcome-new-ozians-christine-dwyer-jenni-barber-justin-guarini-mary-testa-will-fly-into-broadways-wicked/

Any new blood in that show is a good thing. Guarini is a bit old, but I'm sure he'll be solid. Testa will be wasted in that role.

[Blackbird3]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 4:54pm

This should be fun! Any idea as to how long their contracts are for?

[backtotheskies]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 5:19pm

Jenni as Glinda is something I've been dreaming of forever!

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:08pm

Oh, how refreshing!

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:23pm

I love Jenni Barber.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:26pm

Jenni Barber should be hilarious!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:33pm

Always glad when Mary Testa books a job, but God, she deserves to be a headliner like Audra McDonald and Donna Murphy. A shame she doesn't get those roles on Broadway; by the way, she'd have killed it as Hannigan in the recent revival of ANNIE, I assume if (as Riedel reported) the creative team did not want the role played for laughs, they didn't even see her for it. Oh well. Testa was the highlight in the ill-conceived revival of GUYS & DOLLS and she barely had a couple lines; she'll probably do a great job with Morrible.

Updated On: 2/3/14 at 06:33 PM

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:44pm

I love Jenni Barber. Great young comedic actress. All the best for Christine Dwyer, as she is a great Elphaba and hard working individual. I heard the new stand by will Anne Brummel, a long time tour Elphaba.

I personally love Mary Testa (she was the best part of the Guys and Dolls revival!), but I want to see her in something new again. She kills me in everything she does.

In related news, Laurel Harris left the national tour this past weekend and Emmy Raver-Lampman is the new stand by Elphie. Matt Shingledecker is also the new Fiyero on the 2NT.

[girlonbroadway]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 6:46pm

Thrilled for Christine, I just hope she doesn't lose her voice a la Eden Espinosa & Julia Murney.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 7:19pm

Christine was my Elphaba and she was excellent! So happy for her

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 7:19pm

Barber is the first Broadway Glinda to never play the role since Jennifer Laura Thompson. Not a big Justin Guarini fan, but I think he will good.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 7:24pm

And Barber deserves it. She is glorious. I urge everyone on here to revisit it for her take on Glinda.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 8:04pm

glad Testa will be back on Broadway. I've wondered if she's ever played Mama in Chicago??

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 8:05pm

Girlonbroadway, Christine won't have any vocal problems. She played the role for a year on tour after being the standby for a year. She knows what she is capable of singing

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 8:13pm

. I've wondered if she's ever played Mama in Chicago??

Performer: Mary Testa
Matron - Replacement (Apr 25, 2005 - Jul 17, 2005)

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 9:11pm

Has wicked ever cleaned house like this before? 5 new principals coming in the same day.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 9:26pm

^ They had a pretty big cast change in November 2008.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:04pm

"Guarini is a bit old"

First I was shocked that someone would call him too old.

Then I was shocked to find out he's 35.

And now I feel old.

[misto625]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:12pm

Sure he might be a bit older than some other Fiyeros, but this casting seems pretty solid. I love Mary Testa and Jenni Barber! This seems like good choices by Wicked's creative team.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:42pm

considering Norbert was pushing 40 and wearing a wig to originate Fiyero, Mr. Guarini will be fine

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:16pm

Many Fiyeros have been around the same age as Guarini (or older, like Norbert when he originated it). He's far from the oldest to play the role.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:54pm

Yes, which is why so many people found it refreshing to see Aaron Tveit and Kyle Dean Massey play the role, because they actually looked age appropriate. Norbert, Kevin Kern, Andy Karl, etc looked fairly ridiculous.
Regardless, I think Guarini will be quite good. This production needed new blood. Updated On: 2/3/14 at 11:54 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 12:02am

I really didn't think anyone could ever get me to go back to this show. But Jenni Barber? HELL YES.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 3:00pm

Maybe the producers think that audiences don't mind 35 to 39 year old actors since Fiyero has been kicked out of so many schools over the years. After all, he told his driver, "I'm sure I won't last longer at this school than any of the others."

Updated On: 2/4/14 at 03:00 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 3:13pm

Will there be any scenery left after Mary Testa finishes chewing her way through it?