Desi Oakley Debuts on Wicked Broadway for the “universal swing” role in the Broadway production of Wicked.

Desi Oakley, who grew up and attended school in Wichita, Kansas, started appearing on stage at age 8 with the Music Theatre of Wichita. Following high school, Oakley studied theater at the University of Michigan. According to Annie Thomson (Oakley’s mother), the school receives more than 5,000 applications annually. Only 20 students are accepted each year, 10 boys and 10 girls. The program is elite and regarded as one of the best musical theater schools in the nation.

“It’s really neat, a great accomplishment,” Annie Thomson said. “I know I just sound like a proud mom, but it’s a great thing for her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she keeps going for bigger and better things.”

During her career, Oakley has played the lead roles in Evita and The The Little Mermaid. After graduating from Michigan last year, she headed straight for the big show, Wicked Musical.

She was soon picked up by a casting agent, which led to her “universal swing” role in the Broadway production of Wicked. “My Broadway debut was the best night of my life,” Oakley said. “I had so much energy and adrenaline, I felt like I got shot out of a cannon.”

Being a “universal swing” means Oakley fills in for other actors both on the national tour and in New York. She has learned 16 different parts in the play — the roles of every female character in the cast. Currently in Jacksonville, Florida, on tour, Oakley says she could never see herself doing anything else.

“I’ve though a lot about it,” she said. “I can’t think of anything I would rather do. I love being confident in who I am. If you have the passion, nothing can stop you. And I personally feel like I have a duty to share the gifts I was given.”

Wicked is one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time. Wicked musical has grossed nearly $2.5 billion and has been seen by 30 million people worldwide. Wicked is currently playing on tour in Los Angeles, CA and Jacksonville, FL. Buy Wicked Tour 2012 Tickets, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

Wicked is currently performing on tour in Los Angeles, CA and Jacksonville, FL. And the tour is next set to open at Austin’s Bass Concert Hall on January 25.

Below is an interview with Wicked’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Don Amendolia, by BroadwayWorld.

You have been with the tour as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz for two years. How has life on the road been treating you?
Life on the road has been terrific. It’s been great fun to see other cities, their museums, restaurants and of course happy audiences all across North America. A rare treat.

Do you feel that your interpretation or insight into the Wizard’s character has changed with your time in the role? How so?
While any actor hopes his insight into a character deepens with time while playing a role, I did my homework early on and I think my interpretation of the Wizard hasn’t changed too much. At least I hope not. There’s a big difference between embellishment and refinement. I hope I’ve refined him more.

Some of Wicked’s actors have stated they chose to develop their interpretation of their characters based solely upon the musical’s portrayals, as opposed to reading Gregory Maguire’s novels and drawing additional inspiration there. Have you read the Wicked novels, and if so, did you draw inspiration from them, or perhaps the Wizard of Oz film?
I had read Gregory Maguire’s amazing novel when it was first published, before it became a musical, so by the time I read the show script I was aware of how much my character differed from medium to medium. Over all, I tend to remember who the Wizard was from the movie; more of a snake-oil salesman, carnival shaman who’s trying to hold on to his accidental world. He’s not a bad man, he’s just not a very good Wizard.

How has your experience in Wicked compared to other stage productions?
Honestly, there is no comparison to other shows. Wicked is now a worldwide phenomenon that has touched millions in ways I can only guess at. It’s been a singular experience in every way.

The Wizard, as portrayed in Wicked, is somewhat blinded by power, though a sentimental man who unknowingly wrongs one of his own. If the Wizard knew of this relation from the beginning, how do you think it would have impacted the outcome of Oz’s history?
Power is more seductive than anything else to the Wizard and at its core, absolute power corrupts absolutely. He may be a sentimental man but by the time Elphaba comes to Oz I think the Wizard is hip-deep in the panic that he may lose it all. He may regret it and hindsight is 20-20 but by then it’s too late. He is finally powerless to change anything.

Read the complete interview {Via BroadwayWorld.com}

Katie Rose Clarke and Kyle Dean Massey will return to the company of the first North American tour of Wicked. They will once again play Glinda and Fiyero in Wicked musical at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati, OH beginning November 15, 2011.

Clarke played Glinda for almost two years on tour, and has also recently performed the role on Broadway. Additional Broadway credits include the role of Clara Johnson in the Broadway production of The Light in the Piazza. Massey comes directly from the Broadway company of Wicked, where he played Fiyero. He also starred on Broadway as Gabe in Next to Normal, with other credits including Xanadu, Altar Boyz, and Lucky Guy. The actors will join a cast that includes Mamie Parris as Elphaba, Liz McCartney as Madame Morrible and Mark Jacoby as the Wizard.

The company also features Justin Brill (Boq), Stefanie Brown (Nessarose), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond) and Mariand Torres (Standby for Elphaba) with Lauren Boyd, Megan Campanile, Antonette Cohen, Rick Desloge, Melanie Field, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Michael Mahany, Sterling Masters, Alli McGinnis, Kevin McMahon, Christopher Russo, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Carla Stickler, Brandon Tyler, Shanna VanDerwerker, Nicky Venditti and Mikey Winslow.

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Wicked is currently performing at Fabulous Fox Theatre-ga in Atlanta. The company of the first North American tour of Wicked welcomes Mamie Parris as Elphaba on Tuesday, October 4 in Atlanta, GA.

Parris joins Wicked directly from the First National Tour of 9 To 5 The Musical as Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda in the iconic film). Broadway: Ragtime (recent revival), The Drowsy Chaperone, Roundabout’s 110 In the Shade. Other credits include: First National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical, Drama Desk-winning Off-Broadway musical See Rock City… And Other Destinations (The Transport Group), Chicago at the Macau International Music Festival in China, two holiday tours with Kenny Rogers and numerous regional productions.

Parris joins a cast that includes Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda, Alma Cuervo as Madame Morrible and Mark Jacoby as the Wizard.

The company also features Justin Brill (Boq), Stefanie Brown (Nessarose), Colin Hanlon (Fiyero), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond), and Mariand Torres (Standby for Elphaba) with Lauren Boyd, Megan Campanile, Antonette Cohen, Rick Desloge, Melanie Field, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald, Dominic Giudici, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Michael Mahany, Sterling Masters, Alli McGinnis, Kevin McMahon, Christopher Russo, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Carla Stickler, Brandon Tyler, Shanna VanDerwerker, Nicky Venditti and Mikey Winslow.

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Gina Beck and Matt Willis are to join the London company of Wicked as Glinda and Fiyero, respectively, and Desmond Barrit is to return as the Wizard, beginning performances Dec. 12.

The pair are joined in the cast by Lillie Flynn as Nessarose, Christopher Howell as Doctor Dillamond and Adam Pettigrew as Boq. Desmond Barrit, who first starred in Wicked in 2008, returns to the role of The Wizard.

Rachel Tucker, who won this year’s Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Take Over in a Role will, as previously reported, remain in the role of Elphaba. Julie Legrand also stays on as Madame Morrible.

Beck, who is currently appearing on the London stage in The Belle’s Stratagem at Southwark Playhouse, recently finished a two-year run starring as Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre. She made her debut in 2006 as Cosette in Les Miserables and performed in the show’s 25th anniversary celebrations at The O2 last year.

Matt Willis came to prominence as a member of the BRIT Award-winning band Busted and has subsequently appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. Trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, he made his West End debut in Flashdance and has recently appeared in the UK tour of Footloose.

Barrit previously starred in Wicked in 2008/9. He recently played Falstaff in Henry IV Parts One and Two for peter Hall at the Bath Theatre Royal.

Wicked has now played over 2000 performances and celebrates five years in the West End on 27 September 2011. The Broadway musical, which opened in London on 27 September 2006 (previews from 6 September), tells the “untold story” of the Witches of Oz – popular blonde Glinda, aka the Good Witch of the North, and her spin-victim friend Elphaba – who were both immortalised in the 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz.

The production is now booking through 27 October 2012 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG. Buy Wicked London, United Kingdom Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Apollo Victoria Theatre Ticket Orders over $350!

Broadway Mega Hit Musical, Wicked’s main cast Teal Wicks and Katie Rose Clarke will be replaced by Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz. Direct from the show’s first national tour, Burns and Schwartz will join the Broadway company on September 27 for their roles as Elphaba and Glinda respectively.

Jackie Burns has appeared on Broadway in Hair as part of the “Black Boys” trio. Off-Broadway, she was in the original company of Rock of Ages and appeared in Unlock’d at New York Musical Theatre Festival. Her regional credits include Grand Night For Singing and more.

Chandra Lee Schwartz appeared on Broadway in Gypsy with Bernadette Peters, and in the Las Vegas production of Hairspray. Other credits include Disney’s High School Musical; Nerds, the Musical; Copacabana and the NYMF production of But I’m a Cheerleader.

Burns and Schwartz will join a company that currently features Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan as The Wizard, Etai BenShlomo as Boq, Cristy Candler as Nessarose and Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond.

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Wicked West End has announced that Rachel Tucker will continue in her starring role as Elphaba into 2012. Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible), Nikki Davis-Jones (Standby Elphaba) and Chloe Taylor (Standby Glinda) are also all continuing in their roles.

UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: “Since first joining our cast in March 2010, Rachel has thrilled audiences and critics alike with her powerful and passionate performance as Elphaba. We are all absolutely thrilled that Rachel has now decided to continue leading the company with her extraordinary professionalism and great dedication to the role – we couldn’t be more proud of her success”.

Louise Dearman (Glinda), Mark Evans (Fiyero), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Julian Forsyth (Dr Dillamond), Zoe Rainey (Nessarose) and Ben Stott (Boq) will all play their final performances on Saturday 10 December 2011.

Wicked recently celebrated its landmark 2000th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. This “hugely popular musical” (The Times) has now been seen by almost 4 million people and grossed in excess of £135 million at the UK Box Office since its West End premiere in 2006.

The production is now booking through 27 October 2012 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG. Buy Wicked Apollo Victoria Theatre Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked London, United Kingdom Ticket Orders over $350!

Dee Roscioli joins the cast of Wicked as Elphaba on Tuesday June 7 at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, NE.

She recently completed her run as Elphaba in “Wicked” on Broadway, after closing the record-breaking Chicago production and performing the role in San Francisco. Wicked runs through June 12 at the Orpheum Theater.

Roscioli has played Elphaba in more performances than any other actress – more than 1,000 performances and counting. She recently completed her run as Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, after closing the record-breaking Chicago production and performing the role in San Francisco. Additional NY credits include The 24-Hour Musicals, Therapy Rocks (NYMF). Nat’l tour: Cats (Grizabella). She recently did a workshop of Bobby Cronin’s Welcome to My Life, and Liberty.

Roscioli joins a cast that includes Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible and Mark Jacoby as the Wizard.

The company also features Justin Brill (Boq), Stefanie Brown (Nessarose), Colin Hanlon (Fiyero), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond), and Mariand Torres (Standby for Elphaba) with Lauren Boyd, Rick Desloge, Emily Ferranti, Melanie Field, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Dominic Giudici, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Spencer Jones, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Corey Mach, Yanira Marin, Sterling Masters, Alli McGinnis, Kevin McMahon, Christopher Russo, Adam Sanford, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Carla Stickler, Brandon Tyler, Shanna VanDerwerker and Bud Weber.

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Amanda Jane Cooper will join the first North American touring company of Wicked in the role of Glinda, beginning with the Tuesday, April 19 performance at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Cooper joins a cast that includes Jackie Burns (Elphaba), Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Mark Jacoby (The Wizard), Justin Brill (Boq), Stefanie Brown (Nessarose), Colin Hanlon (Fiyero), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond), and Mariand Torres (Standby for Elphaba).

The Ft. Lauderdale engagement of Wicked is currently running through April 24 at the Broward Center. Good seats are still available.

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Wicked is currently playing at Majestic Theatre in San Antonio TX and performing through March 06, 2011.

When Anne Brummel walks out of her dressing room, her flesh turned emerald green to play the lead in “Wicked,” she feels pretty darn good.

“Basically, the makeup goes on and creates her skin, and on top of that, they do a beautiful makeup job,” Brummel said. “Your face is contoured, your eyes pop because of the makeup they do on your eyes. It’s a beautiful application of makeup, so you feel very pretty. Leaving the dressing room, I’m pretty hot for a green girl.

“Sometimes, I think I look 10 times prettier green than I do normally.”

For her character, that green skin is a burden that makes life difficult. Her parents freak out about it, and she’s an outcast long before she takes on the accoutrements — that peaked black hat, the broom, the flying monkeys — that make her identifiable as the Wicked Witch of the West.

The events that helped set her on that path are traced in the musical, which is adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel. This week, the show began its second visit to the Majestic Theatre, where it played for nearly a month in 2009.

Brummel just took over the role full time a few weeks ago. She has been with the tour a little more than two years, starting in the ensemble and eventually becoming the understudy for Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West, which is where the show gets its title).

She has avoided reading the book, because, she said, because she knew that Maguire’s story is pretty different from the one spun onstage.

“I didn’t want my interpretation to be changed by the novel,” she said. “Now that I’ve settled into the role, I’m very eager to read the book, now that I have what I perceive as the character. Now I think I’d be able to read it and enjoy it for the book that it is.”

Her favorite moments in the show are the biggies: “There’s the iconic ‘Defying Gravity’ — you can’t help but feel like a rock star by the end of that. The only thing that’s strange is, you don’t have any room to move around — you’re singing this huge song with very little space to move.”

She’s also fond of “No Good Deed,” “when Elphaba says, everything I do is misinterpreted and misunderstood; if you want me to be wicked, I will be wicked. It’s her last battle cry. I feel like that’s a great moment — you’ve got the wind behind your cape, and there’s smoke.”

{Via MySanantonio.com}

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