New WICKED Cast Replacements this month and next?- Page 38

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 1/23/24 at 10:22am

Fingers crossed they cast a black actress finally 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/23/24 at 3:42pm

Quinn Wilson said: "Fingers crossed they cast a black actress finally"

After Britney Johnson sang "defying gravity" at- was it Broadwaycon? people were saying paint her green! Maybe.....

[Engineer Thuy]

Posted: 1/23/24 at 11:24pm

Kimber Elaine Sprawl mentioned in her episode in Sentimental Men podcast that she is also interested in Elphaba, so we’ll see.

[Globefan]

Posted: 1/23/24 at 11:28pm

Phylicia Pearl Mpasi from The Color Purple would be a great Elphaba. 

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 1/24/24 at 12:37pm

I’d love to see Taylor Iman Jones

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 11:06am

Just announced:

Mary Kate Morrissey as Elphaba
Alexandra Socha as Glinda
Natalie Ortega as Nessa
with
Brad Oscar as the Wizard (!)
and
Donna McKechnie as Madame Morrible (!!!!!!!!!)

The current cast will depart on March 3. Jordan Litz as Fiyero, Jake Pedersen as Boq, and William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond will continue on.

Updated On: 1/31/24 at 11:06 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 11:11am

Wasn’t planning on seeing this again anytime soon but I guess I have to, with Donna!

[steven22]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 11:13am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Just announced:

Mary Kate Morrissey as Elphaba
Alexandra Socha as Glinda
Natalie Ortega as Nessa
with
Brad Oscar as the Wizard (!)
and
Donna McKechnie as Madame Morrible (!!!!!!!!!)

The current cast will depart on March 3. Jordan Litzas Fiyero,Jake Pedersenas Boq, andWilliam Youmansas Doctor Dillamond will continue on."

I am so intrigued by Alexandra Socha as Glinda! I’ve loved her in everything I’ve seen her in previously. I’ll have to go back! 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 11:26am

Brad and Donna! Sign me up. 

[singer234]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 12:16pm

THIS CAST. Alexandra is about to motherf***in ACT as Glinda. I love this.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 12:18pm

Guess I'm going back to see Wicked now. Donna as Morrible?!?! My goodness!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 12:39pm

steven22 said: "I am so intrigued by Alexandra Socha as Glinda! I’ve loved her in everything I’ve seen her in previously. I’ll have to go back!"

Loved her in Fun Home at the Public. She's one of those "never bad even if the show is bad" performers, though this role is certainly a departure from what she's done before.

As for Donna (now 81), this would be her first Broadway onstage appearance since STATE FAIR in 1996, right? She's worked regionally and in club acts but I don't think she ever went on for Chita as her standby in THE VISIT.

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 4:43pm

Very happy for Mary Kate! She’s so deserving of this

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 5:14pm

Happy for Alexandra Socha. She is great on the Off-Broadwway Fun Home recording, and I always felt so bad for her that whatever issues she was having at the time prevented her from transferring with the show and probably getting a Tony nomination. This feels like the showbiz universe balancing things out for her.

[singer234]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 5:35pm

Alexandra’s voice is also extremely versatile. She’s one of the few singers I feel is adept with contemporary, pop scores like Spring Awakening, and also able to turn around and deliver something like Mack and Mabel. And at least from Head Over Heels, it seems like she has soprano chops as well. This role will really allow those different colors to soar (I hope).

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 5:40pm

I feel bad for Allie Trimm. She's been the standby for a long time and keeps getting overlooked for the principal Glinda. I've seen her perform and she's terrific in the role.

Great new cast otherwise. Fiyero, Boq, and Dillamond will probably cycle out in May after they've done a full year.

 

[A.J.]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 6:07pm

Allie’s time will come eventually.
I could see them slotting her in when one of the movies premiere so she and Ariana can appear in a little PR moment together. 
Anyone else from 13 available to make it a mini reunion?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 8:12pm

20 years into this shows broadway run and they have still yet to cast a black performer as elphaba in a full time capacity.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 8:16pm

Will definitely be visiting the Gershwin to see Donna. That being said, I'm apprehensive about Alexandra Socha. I didn't love her as Mabel a few years back, and she left much to be desired as Tzeitel in Paper Mill's Fiddler last month. Especially her singing. 

[hayleyann]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 9:08pm

Call_me_jorge said: "20 years into this shows broadway run and they have still yet to cast a black performer as elphaba in a full time capacity."

And here we go with this again. 

 

MKM is a spectacular Elphaba and advocate. This is long overdue and well earned.  And this cast looks amazing. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 9:28pm

Overdue my aśś. It’s been long overdue that they cast a black woman in the role full time. Just because she has happened to be the standby and was on tour with it, it shouldn’t come in the way of diversity. It’s also interesting it’s taken her five years to get here compared to Alyssa Fox which took her 13 years to get to the same position, I wonder what’s different about the two of them…

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 9:38pm

Color blind casting shouldnt be the law. BUT BUT BUT if there is ANY role on Bway that is LITERALLY COLORBLIND its Elphaba. The absence of any Black full time Elphabas in 20 years is conspicuous. And noting that doesnt take ANYTHING away from Mary Kate Morrissey or any of the other incredibly talented women who have played the role. 

[hayleyann]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 9:46pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Overdue my aśś. It’s been long overdue that they cast a black woman in the role full time. Just because she has happened to be the standby and was on tour with it, it shouldn’t come in the way of diversity. It’s also interesting it’s taken her five years to get here compared to Alyssa Fox which took her 13 years to get to the same position, I wonder what’s different about the two of them…"

Ok.  Just a sec, making a quick note-to-self.  You're in a discussion with someone who gets the answer "5" when subtracting 2015 from 2024.  Avoid subjects such as game theory, long division, and How the West was Won.  If you get stuck, refer back to your notes on how to converse with someone who says "I did my own research" and suddenly became a virologist. 

Ok, I'm back.  Mary Kate's Elphaba debut was in 2015.  And acting like she slid into becoming Broadway Principal with some kind of ease is just grasping at whatever you hope will stick. What I do know is we're in for a treat and can't wait to go back.   

 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 1/31/24 at 9:57pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Overdue my aśś. It’s been long overdue that they cast a black woman in the role full time. Just because she has happened to be the standby and was on tour with it, it shouldn’t come in the way of diversity. It’s also interesting it’s taken her five years to get here compared to Alyssa Fox which took her 13 years to get to the same position, I wonder what’s different about the two of them…"

I’m not saying you’re wrong about wanting a black actress to finally be principal Elphaba, bc I do as well. It is overdue 
 

HOWEVER, don’t be dense and act like Wicked hasn’t been promoting standbys or the tour principal since dámn near the beginning of the show. In fact, almost every Elphaba I can think of played the role in some other capacity before coming to Broadway. There’s nothing abnormal about MKM getting promoted and I certainly think she deserves it after doing three other contracts and also becoming a fan favorite. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/1/24 at 11:57am

Well, If it takes someone to have done 3 previous contracts prior to taking the role full time, I am not hopeful there will be a black actress as Elphaba any time soon. There is currently only 1 actress of color covering the role across both North American companies. The show should be going out of its way of moving a black actress through the understudy-standby-lead pipeline. Similar to Brittney Johnson’s experience playing Glinda.