Wicked welcomes 5 new cast members to the Gershwin Theatre beginning Tuesday, December 16. Caroline Bowman will step into the role of Elphaba and Kara Lindsay will assume the role of Glinda, directly from playing the role on national tour. Also joining the cast will be Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Matt Shingledecker in the role of Fiyero and Robin de Jesus in the role of Boq. Other cast members of Wicked include Kelli Barrett as Nessarose, Tom McGowan as The Wizard, and Timothy Britten Parker as Dr. Dillamond.

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Caroline Bowman - Wicked Elphaba

Caroline Bowman has spent the last year starring as Eva Peron in the Broadway revival national tour of Evita. She has been seen on Broadway in the original cast of Kinky Boots as well as the national tours of Spamalot (Lady of The Lake), Fame: The Musical (Carmen), and Grease (Rizzo).

Kara Lindsay - Wicked Glinda

Kara Lindsay comes to the Gershwin Theatre directly from the national tour of Wicked. She appeared in the original Broadway cast of Newsies as Katherine and in the national tour and Guthrie Theatre productions of Little House on the Prairie as Laura.

Kathy Fitzgerald - Wicked Madame Morrible

Kathy Fitzgerald returns to Wicked after being on Broadway as Madame Morrible for a year and a half. Other Broadway credits include Roz in 9 to 5 (Outer Critics nomination), Swingin’ on a Star (Drama Desk nomination), and The Producers (as Shirley Markowitz).

Matt Shingledecker - Wicked Fiyero

Matt Shingledecker has appeared on Broadway as Tony in West Side Story (featured in Arthur Laurent’s memoir, The Rest of the Story) and in Spring Awakening.

Robin de Jesus - Wicked Boq

Robin de Jesus has appeared on Broadway in the musicals In the Heights (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award), La Cage aux Folles (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), and Rent.

Christine Dwyer, Jenni Barber, Justin Guarini, Mary Testa and Michael Wartella will all play their final performances on 14 December 2014.

Currently the 11th longest-running musical in Broadway history, the international blockbuster Wicked celebrated its 11th Anniversary on Thursday, October 30th. The Broadway musical Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 October 2003, following previews from 8 October, and is currently selling tickets through to 11 July 2015.

“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.” Wicked has music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire.

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Derek Klena, the California native joined the Wicked Broadway Musical show in late May, is putting his own spin on Fiyero, the Winkie prince who captures the heart of Glinda and Elphaba.

Derek Klena in Wicked as Fiyero

Broadway.com recently caught up with the 21-year-old actor to chat about leading the 10th anniversary cast, reuniting with his Dogfight co-star Lindsay Mendez and how he went from baseball player to Broadway star.

Read the chat below:

We love watching you on Fly Girl. How is acting on Broadway different than your experience leading an off-Broadway musicals?
The stakes are a lot higher on Broadway; there’s so much more going on and everything’s so much more intricate. It’s definitely more intimidating. And going into Wicked, I don’t have the privilege of originating my role like I did with Carrie and Dogfight.

What makes your Wicked and Dogfight leading lady Lindsay Mendez the ultimate co-star?
We just instantly clicked! We’ve developed this great friendship, and that’s been the key to us being compatible on stage. Anything that she does or anything that I do, we are there 100% for each other, and that’s all you can ask for in a co-star—trust and respect. That’s what makes this show so much more enjoyable, having someone like that by your side—a co-pilot.

Wasn’t Wicked your first Broadway show? How did it feel to make your debut in it?
Surreal. When I saw the show eight years ago, I had no idea I would get the opportunity to perform it someday. It was just a dream I had when I was younger. It’s kind of unbelievable to be working with Joe Mantello and the group at Wicked, which I’ve idolized all these years. Fiyero is a role I’ve always wanted to play, and I’m actually getting to experience that on the Broadway stage.

What would you have said if someone had told you eight years ago that you’d be playing Fiyero in the 10th anniversary cast of Wicked?
I would have said, “Yeah right, I want to play baseball.” [Laughs.] At the time, I was pretty into sports; I didn’t know yet that this is what I wanted to pursue. Seeing Wicked definitely sparked that in me and pushed me to pursue it as a career. It’s kind of bizarre that it took me to Wicked.

When you were growing up, was it hard to be the jock who also did theater?
Yeah, it was harder when I was younger because my friends didn’t understand yet. But once high school and college rolled around, my friends matured and understood it’s kind of a cool thing; they were were blown away with the theater side of me. They grew to respect it, which was really cool to see.

Was it difficult to give up baseball?
It was. I got into UCLA for theater, and I had to make a decision whether to let baseball go. I ended up switching out of theater; I figured I could still do theater outside of school. I played baseball my freshman year as a pitcher, but at the end of the year, I realized that my true love and passion is in acting and singing. I’m glad I made that choice. I play in the Broadway softball league and a restaurant league, so I still get that sports atmosphere. I feel like I get enough playing recreationally and casually.

What is the secret to wearing the infamous Fiyero pants?
Just being fearless. The first time I put them on I was a little doubtful, but you have to wear them with pride. A lot of people come to the show knowing those pants are coming, so you’ve just got to wear them with pride.

Read the complere interview {Via Broadway.com}

Buy Wicked Broadway Tickets Online and see Derek Klena as Fiyero in Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre.

Wicked Broadway musical playing at Gershwin Theatre has extended its booking period through to 13 April 2014. The musical opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 Oct 2003, following previews from 8 Oct 2003.

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Wicked musical, based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, the untold story of the Witches of Oz, features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. Wicked is directed by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello. Wicked takes us to the years before Dorothy landed in Oz and examines the origins of its most famous and infamous witches.

Wicked Broadway Main Cast:
Lindsay Mendez as Elphaba
Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda
Adam Grupper as The Wizard
Carol Kane as Madame Morrible
Derek Klena as Fiyero
Michael Wartella as Boq
Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose
John Schiappa as Doctor Dillamond

Wicked has music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. The musical is directed by Joe Mantello, with choreography by James Lynn Abbott, scene design by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by Tony Meola.

Buy Wicked Gershwin Theatre Tickets Online and Enjoy best musical ever on Broadway!