Photo Flash: Murney, Kassebaum and Arcelus in Wicked

On Tuesday, January 9, three new principal cast members joined Broadway company of the smash-hit musical Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre (222 W. 51st St.).

Kendra Kassebaum (Rent, Assassins) now plays Glinda, a role she originated on tour, while Julia Murney (Lennon, The Wild Party), who played Elphaba on tour, currently appears as the misunderstood wicked witch on Broadway. Sebastian Arcelus (Good Vibrations, Rent), also having starred in the role on tour, now plays Fiyero in the Broadway company.  Wicked also stars David Garrison (the Wizard), Jayne Houdyshell (Madame Morrible), Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq) and Steven Skybell (Dr. Dillamond).

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, the musical is being presented on Broadway, on national tour, and as an open-ended engagement at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre. A fourth North American production, an open-ended engagement in Los Angeles, will begin performances on February 10, 2007 at The Pantages Theatre. In addition, a London production opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre on September 27, 2006 and has been playing to sold-out houses.

"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," press notes state.

Visit www.wickedthemusical.com for more information.

Photos by Joan Marcus

Julia Murney

Kendra Kassebaum

Julia Murney and Kendra Kassebaum

 
Kendra Kassebaum and Sebastian Arcelus