Thank the heavens! Broadway fans in their millions must have thought about, sang about and shouted that phrase after checking twitter and confirming that the whispers about the Wicked musical being made into a movie is true. Marc Platt is to produce and Stephen Daldry is to direct. The movie is based on the same play that has won the Tonys three times, the one one that debuted in Broadway in 2003. It’s the same play whose 15th anniversary was just celebrated. It has raked in the sixth position on Broadway as one of the longest running musicals and does not look like it’s losing its pace.
Too bad that the movie won’t be done till December 2021. Disney decided to produce the movie version of Cats in 2019 in which Tylor Swift and Idris Elba were starred. However, this provides ample time for new fans to be acquainted with all the songs and their dream casts. The original was a bomb having Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth playing the beginning roles. Although, it’s difficult to find replacements for them, it won’t hurt to try. Ready to get to know the Wizard and the rest of the cast?
STARS IN ‘WICKED’ ARE NOW VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEIR ROLES
The veteran performers who starred in the July “Wicked” production in Portland are now quite familiar with their roles.
The well-known musical with characters from “Wizard of Oz” gives a different side of the story we’re all familiar with.
For over 15 years, the show has been flying high on Broadway and all over the world. More than 100 cities and 16 countries have seen the show during Wicked tour.
After playing the role of Glinda on and off for three and half years since 2005, Erin Mackey joined the company currently on tour.
Mackey’s debut on Broadway was in Wicked and she played the role in the Chicago and Los Angeles productions. She lived in New York and busied herself with other projects while she got married and was away from the show for 10 years. she said it’s quite great and unique to be playing a role again after a ten-year leave. She added that she feels more appreciative and understanding of the role of Glinda now. Mackey has also played roles on Broadway in “Amazing Grace,” “Anything Goes,” “In Transit,” “Sondheim on Sondheim” and “Chaplin.”
Mariand Torres also starred on Broadway as Elphaba, the so-called wicked witch. She played the role from 2010 to 2012 and went away from the scene for 5 years. She also got married and did other things. Torres said that it’s a blessing to play the same role again having grown as a person as an artist and gathering the wealth of experience and deeper understanding and putting it in. Torres was originally cast in Broadway’s “In Transit” and “The Great Cornet of 1812” which was off Broadway.
