Interview: Savannah Stevenson, Glinda In WICKED!

Hi Savannah! We spoke to Tom McGowan recently about how he's settling into the show - what's it like for you who have been there for a while? How do you deal with cast change?

It's a mixture of things - it's really lovely to have new people to bring new energy and ideas, and then you see your friends and colleagues leave, and you've built up relationships with them. It's an interesting time.

You've been there for a while - you must be enjoying it!

I'm going into my third year. I felt so flattered to be asked - it's a rare thing, so I was flattered they wanted me. I really love playing the role, so it just made sense for me to stay on.

What is it that you enjoy about Glinda so much?

It's always a challenge. I in no way feel complacent at all. She's so multi-layered. A lot of people think of her as being the comic role in Wicked, and in many ways she is, but you spend the whole of Act One giggling and the whole of Act Two crying. It's got the full spectrum of emotions, and that is so rare in any character in anything, so I really relish that. She is a lot of fun to play. Because she's so multi-dimensional, things change; my performance hasn't fundamentally changed from when I began, but I hope that I've found her nuances and added subtle layers as I've gone along.

Does the pairing with different Elphabas help mix things up for you?

Definitely. Every new pairing brings something fresh. It's strange, because I've played opposite a few Elphabas since I've been here, and I think there's something so nice because I've managed to learn from each of them - they all bring something different to my character. It really makes a difference. We create different moments in different ways.

What's particularly special about your relationship with your Elphie now, Emma Hatton?

Emma and I came into the show together, so we had this friendship the whole time. When she went from standby to full-time Elphaba, I was able to share in that moment. On stage, she's a feisty Elphaba, so I try to make my Glinda more warm as a contrast. I think we complement each other well. We're very different, but that works for these characters.

The Wicked fans are really keen on supporting particular pairings - how have you found them?

Our fans are amazing. It's kind of weird when you go into work and there are people waiting for you, then you leave work and there are more people waiting for you! They've been so supportive - they were very supportive of Emma when she was offered the role. They still seem happy with us!

So you have almost another whole year in the show - I guess you don't know what your plans are afterwards?

The unfortunate thing about being an actor is you can't plan anything, but that's also fortunate - something could come up that's awesome. One thing is for sure - when I do finish Wicked, I look forward to a rest with my husband, who I hardly ever see - he works a 9-5 job so our schedules are completely the opposite. That'll certainly be on the agenda!

Savannah Stevenson plays Glinda in Wicked.

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