Murney, Cuervo, Benjamin, Freeman and Waldman Join Wicked Tour in March

JULIAAAAAAA.

Ugh, she's going to be f*cking phenomenal.

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holy crap! PJ Benjamin as the Wizard. Hopefully this means he won't be in CHICAGO for quite some time.. (his Amos is very boring nowadays.) I am happy to see him casted in something new.
Totallly unexpected casting for the Wizard, but I think PJ will be great.

I hope I can catch this when it comes to Philly. Would love to see Murney and PJ! Can't lie, I am SOOO tempted to see this.. (basically for the cast.)

Updated On: 1/23/06 at 05:10 PM

I love that I'm going to be in Cincinnati when the tour is, but that it's impossible to get tickets.

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BIOS FOR NEW CAST MEMBERS:

Julia Murney (Elphaba) received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party and was also seen in New York in A Class Act (both original cast albums available on RCA Victor), Lennon and Time and Again. She also starred in benefit concert performances of Hair, Chess, Funny Girl and Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden. A Syracuse University graduate, other credits include Cloud 9 (Perry Street), Mata Hari (York), Into the Woods (Pioneer) and Snapshots (Virginia State). She has appeared on TV in “Law & Order” and “Another World,” and her voice has been heard in countless commercials.

Alma Cuervo’s (Madame Morrible) many Broadway credits include Beauty and the Beast (as Mrs. Potts); Cabaret; Titanic (as the original Ida Straus); The Heidi Chronicles; Quilters; and Bedroom Farce. She received an OBIE for Uncommon Women and Others and a Barrymore Award for Beauty Queen of Leenane. Off-Broadway credits include: Christina Alberta’s Father; Isn’t It Romantic. Her recent regional credits include Midwives (Round House); Beyond Therapy (Old Globe). TV: Norman Lear’s “aka Pablo” (series regular); “Law & Order;” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”

P.J. Benjamin (The Wizard) has been working in show business for well over thirty years. Broadway credits include leading roles in Chicago (Amos Hart), Torch Song Trilogy, Bob Fosse’s Pippin, Charlie and Algernon, Sarava and Wind in the Willows and appearances in Ain’t Broadway Grand and the revival of The Pajama Game directed by George Abbott. Recently, Mr. Benjamin was featured in episodes of “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: SVU.” He is also the voice of Sergeant Dodo Bird in the animated feature Ice Age. Together with his wife, Louisa Flaningam, he is currently working on creating a television series titled “Living Treasures.”

Jennifer Waldman (Nessarose) has appeared on Broadway in Wicked and Titanic (and also appeared in that show’s national tour). Her Off-Broadway credits include Heat Lightning, and her regional credits include West End Horror (Bay Street), Fiddler on the Roof (North Shore), Jekyll & Hyde (TUTS) and Saturday Night (Weston Playhouse). Jennifer is also a director and choreographer.

Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero) recently appeared on Broadway as Jan in Good Vibrations and as Roger Davis in Rent. Other credits include The Full Monty, Hamlet - A Rock Opera, Caligula, Aida, Floyd Collins, and the world premiere of William Finn’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. His film and TV credits include Temptation and the voice of Papi on Nickelodeon’s “Go, Diego, Go!” He is a proud graduate of Williams College.

K. Todd Freeman (Dr. Dillamond) has appeared on Broadway in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Song of Jacob Zulu (Tony nomination for Best Actor). Off-Broadway, he has appeared in Uncle Tom's Cabin (Drama Dept.), Spunk (the Public), Freefall and Ubu. He has been a Steppenwolf company member since 1993 and has appeared there in A Clockwork Orange and Libra. His regional credits include Angels in America (Mark Taper). Television: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “NYPD Blue.” Film: A Gentleman’s Game, Cider House Rules, Grosse Point Blank and End of Violence.

While I'd be curious to Murney's take on Elphaba, I seriously couldn't sit through Kassebaum's Galinda ever again.

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Tell me about it. Enough fangirls came out of Lennon, lol.

is it weird that I think Murney deserves better than Wicked? She'll be bloody brilliant, I just wish she'd get a chance at some GOOD new stuff.

I sort of agree, BroadwayGirl, but I have to think that maybe this'll put her name out there in a way that it's not already. She's sort of like a secret weapon at this point. Maybe now that she'll have done Wicked, she'll get more Broadway work?

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I am a little upset because I absolutely LOVED David Garrison and Jenna Leigh Green in the Wicked Tour. I am sad to see them go. And I was hoping to catch Carole Shelly on the Tour when it came to San Diego.

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Updated On: 1/23/06 at 05:46 PM

dancingthrulife04, I posted the bios once.

I'm not familiar with Julia Murney's work, but I've heard so many positive things about her, so I am excited!

I am sad that Jenna Leigh Green is leaving, though. I saw her as Elphaba in Hartford -- AMAZING! Perhaps she'll be the new standby when/if Saycon Sengbloh leaves? I doubt it.

I actually liked Kendra Kassebaum. I thought she gave a stellar performance. I entered the theatre not expecting much from her. I admit that I do prefer Megan Hilty's vocals, but Kendra's overall performance was more than enough to win me over.

Tell me about it. Enough fangirls came out of Lennon, lol.

Excuse me, BroadwayGirl, I take offense to that.

You posted them once in this thread.

Exactly.