| |
 |
March 9, 2006 - by BWW News Desk
Two new principal cast members are about to join the Broadway company of the smash-hit musical WICKED at the Gershwin Theatre (222 W. 51st St.). David Garrison, who has appeared on Broadway in such shows as A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (Tony nom.) and Titanic, and who may be best-known for playing Steve Rhoades on TV’s “Married with Children,” will assume the role of the Wizard beginning April 4. Mr. Garrison had originated the role in the show’s national tour. Jenna Leigh Green, who appeared in New York in the acclaimed musical Bare: A Pop Opera and played Libby Chessler on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” will assume the role of Nessarose beginning March 17. Ms. Green had originated that role in the show’s national tour. WICKED will mark her Broadway debut.
Eden Espinosa (Elphaba) and Megan Hilty (Glinda) currently star with Tony Award winner Ben Vereen (the Wizard) in WICKED on Broadway, with Carol Kane (Madame Morrible) and Derrick Williams (Fiyero), Cristy Candler (Nessarose), Sean McCourt (Dr. Dillamond) and Robb Sapp (Boq).
Called “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” by The New York Times and “a cultural phenomenon” by Variety, WICKED has been sold out at virtually every performance since having its official opening at the Gershwin Theatre on October 30, 2003, breaking house records with box office receipts of over $1.3 million per week. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento, WICKED is currently being presented on Broadway, on a national tour, and in a separate, open-ended engagement at Chicago’s Ford Center for Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre.
Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.
David Garrison (The Wizard), best known as Steve Rhoades on “Married with Children,” has starred on Broadway in A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (Tony nom.), Titanic, Torch Song Trilogy, The Pirates of Penzance, Bells Are Ringing, and Off-Broadway in I Do! I Do! (Drama Desk nom.). He played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls (national tour), the Devil in Randy Newman's Faust, Henry Carr in Travesties (Williamstown), Frosch in Die Fledermaus (Santa Fe Opera), and Charlie in the Arena Stage revival of Merrily We Roll Along (Helen Hayes Award). Other television credits include “Law and Order,” “The West Wing,” “The Practice,” “Without a Trace,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “NYPD Blue,” “Judging Amy,” “Murphy Brown,” “Murder She Wrote,” “LA Law,” Tom Clancy’s “Op Center,” and, for PBS Great Performances, “On the Town” with the London Symphony and “Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall.”
Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose) is making her Broadway debut in Wicked. Direct from the show’s first national tour, Jenna originated the role of Nessarose and covered the role of Elphaba (performed). Other NYC: bare (ATA) and workshops of bare and Mask. LA credits include Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden, Romeo and Juliet, Into the Woods and West Side Story. TV/Film: Libby Chessler on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “First Shot” (TBS), “A Friend to Die For” (NBC), “Dharma and Greg,” “ER,” and the recently released Open House.
The performance schedule for WICKED at the Gershwin Theatre (222 W. 51st St.) is Tuesdays at 7 PM; Wednesday through Saturdays at 8 PM; matinees on Wednesdays & Saturdays at 2 PM; Sundays at 3 PM. The scale of prices is $50 - $110. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, 212-307-4100 (or www.ticketmaster.com) or at the Gershwin Theatre box office. For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.
|
- LATEST NEWS -
 ONCE IN A LIFETIME “WICKED” PACKAGE
For the devoted WICKED fan comes this special WICKED 5th Anniversary Package benefiting Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA). How fitting that Halloween Eve sets the mood for two of Broadway's favorite witches to take center stage, literally. For one lucky winner BC/EFA has created an extraordinary night on Broadway enriched by take-home treasures to keep memories of your night at WICKED fresh for years to come. |
|
 Defying Gravity - New Stephen Schwartz Book!
Written by Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity takes readers into the creative world of Broadway and film composer Stephen Schwartz, from his experiences writing Godspell's score at age 23 through the collaborative journey for the making of the mega-hit musical Wicked. |
|
 Wicked In Chicago
With the production run coming to a close in Chicago, Wicked tickets are at a premium as the folks around the windy city realize that this rare musical phenomenon is going to be departing soon. |
|
 Shoshana Bean Performing at Joe's Pub
Stage stars will sing alongside singer-composer-lyricist Jeremy Schonfeld, a pop and musical theatre songwriter who studied in the BMI Workshop, at Joe's Pub in Manhattan 7 PM June 24. |
|
 Wicked Wins Awards
WICKED, at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, has dominated the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards 2007, winning 4 awards! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
