Tiffany Haas makes her dramatic entrance as Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” onstage March 7-25 in Chrysler Hall. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, “Wicked” tells the story of the rivalry, and eventual friendship, between Glinda and Elphaba, the green-skinned Witch of the West, before Dorothy comes on the scene. This prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” tale opened on Broadway in 2003 and is still running there. It broke box office records when it first played Norfolk in 2009.
Tiffany Haas as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked Norfolk’s Chrysler Hall
The blockbuster musical Wicked opens Wednesday in the Norfolk performing hall for a three-week run. As Glinda the Good Witch, Haas makes a dramatic entrance in a bubble high above the stage where, she says, “I can look down and see everybody in the audience.”
The New York production also is where Haas got her start. Her story mirrors the classic one of the young hopeful who comes to town and lands a big Broadway role.
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music in 2005, Haas moved to New York to pursue a musical theater career. She appeared in a showcase there sponsored by the college that was attended by New York agents and others in the theater world. There she met an agent who eventually connected her with the casting director of “Wicked.”
For her first role in “Wicked,” Haas worked as a swing performer, a job that required her to cover all of the female roles in the show.
“Swinging was a phenomenal experience. Every night I played a different part,” she says. “It was a great way to be involved in the show and to learn how it worked.”
During her two years as a swing performer, Haas always felt that the role of Glinda was right for her, but the timing wasn’t right. She left the “Wicked” cast in 2007 to perform in the national tour of”The Drowsy Chaperone,”but let the producers of “Wicked” know of her continued interest in playing the role. That opportunity came when she was first hired as Glinda’s understudy before stepping into the role last September.
Part of what attracted Haas to the role of Glinda is that she saw parallels in her own life.
“Glinda has this constant journey of perseverance and proving herself,” says Haas, who is now 30. “She’s trying to figure out exactly what her purpose is. It’s actually what I’ve gone through since graduating from college.”
In reality, Haas started on that journey much earlier. Beginning at age 3, she took classes and danced and performed in the company directed by her mother, Linda Haas, owner of the Academy of Dance & Gymnastics, which has studios in Hampton and Newport News. Linda Haas says Tiffany became infatuated with musical theater early on.
“From the time she was a little girl, if you came over to our house for dinner, you were bound to see a show,” says her mother. “She worked so hard in the company which is the place we train them to be professionals.”
Haas’ vocal talents also became evident early on. Linda Haas remembers taking her daughter to a voice teacher when she was 9 years old. After hearing the young girl, the teacher sent her to Virginia Opera to audition for the children’s chorus. Haas sang opera for her talent competition after she won the Miss Ohio title and competed in the Miss America pageant.
In addition to her 15 years as a member of the Academy of Dance company, Haas attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk during her high school years. During those years she won the Virginia State Bland Music Vocal competition.
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Wicked will be performing at Norfolk’s Chrysler Hall through March 25, 2012. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Norfolk VA Tickets Orders over $350! Use Code AFF$10.
