Nessarose Staging with Jenna Bainbridge

[Leisie93]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 10:16am

Jenna Bainbridge, who is a wheelchair-bound actress, will perform as Nessarose in Wicked starting tonight. Can someone who sees the show tell me how they stage the Nessarose scene where she used to start walking? I'm thrilled to see this very overdue change, but I'm curious how they will rewrite the scene. I saw Jenna in Suffs. She was great, as was the rest of the cast.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 10:20am

I seem to recall it was mentioned Jenna is an ambulatory wheelchair user? (I think I’m using that term right). So, she can walk just not for long periods of time. I don’t think the staging will be all too different. 

[Leisie93]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 10:22am

Oh, I didn't know that. I guess we'll out tonight. :)

[willep]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 10:26am

Yeah, she had some scenes in Suffs where she walked briefly.

[Leisie93]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 10:57am

Oh, yeah. I'm rewatching Emily Skinner sing Letter from Harry's Mother on youtube and I'm realizing that Jenna is standing while playing Harry Burns. I hadn't realized that was Jenna. I also found it incredibly moving during one of the musical numbers when the women sit in chairs in a circle and most of them physically move chairs while Jenna slides her wheelchair into place.

[THDavis]

Posted: 3/4/25 at 3:27pm

I saw Jenna on as Doris Stevens in Suffs (after seeing Nadia) and I couldn’t tell you what (if any) of the staging or choreo was different. Excited for her as Nessarose!