The greatest musical Wicked is currently playing on 2nd National tour in Durham, North Carolina. Check out the interview by Adesewa Faletibelow {Via Urban Life & Style LLC} with Catherine Charlebois who plays the character Nessarose.

Adesewa Faleti: Tell me about your character Nessarose?

Catherine Charlebois: Nessarose is Elphaba’s younger sister who has been in a wheelchair all her life. She begins the show on her first day of school at Shiz University, hoping to start a new and exciting time in her life, not in the shadow of her sister.

Adesewa Faleti: How long have you been with show?

Catherine Charlebois: I have been with Wicked for two years in April.

Adesewa Faleti: What was the audition process like for this show?

Catherine Charlebois: I began with Wicked as a Universal Swing-my audition consisted of me singing a few songs of my own first, followed by a few pieces of songs from Wicked. After making it through that round, I danced some choreography from the show as well. I eventually added a Nessarose understudy to the tracks that I covered, and to become Nessarose every night, I had to perform a scene and a song from the show for some of our creative team.

Adesewa Faleti: How do you prepare for your role each night?

Catherine Charlebois: As performers, we have to do a lot to keep our bodies and voices healthy and strong to do eight shows a week. Specifically for Nessarose, I have to get my body and voice warmed up and take a few minutes to think about the journey she has to take in the show every night.

Adesewa Faleti: Why do you feel that Wicked is such a loved show?

Catherine Charlebois: I feel that the story is so universal to everyone. The music and the visuals of the show are beautiful, but everyone-male, female, older and younger-can connect to the story and the relationships that develop between the characters.

Adesewa Faleti: What is it like behind the scenes and in between acts?

Catherine Charlebois: It depends on the day! There is almost always excitement and sometimes nerves if someone new is going into the show or doing a new track, but there is always unbelievable support and teamwork between the whole cast and crew.

Adesewa Faleti: Doing the show almost daily, how do you make your performance fresh every night?

Catherine Charlebois: I really just focus on the story that we are trying to tell. I try to keep myself open and see what the other actors are doing on stage with me and react to that.

Adesewa Faleti: What are some of the comments and feedback that you get about the show?

Catherine Charlebois: Everyone loves it! Everyone seems to leave finding a character that they really relate to and follow their story, and I think that is totally unique to our show.

Adesewa Faleti: What show the audience take with them when the play is over?

Catherine Charlebois: Never judge a book by its cover.

Adesewa Faleti: What do you enjoy most about being involved with this show?

Catherine Charlebois: That every day I get to go to work and play with an unbelievably fun and supportive group of people. We tell a story that really moves people and entertains them too!

Adesewa Faleti: Thank you!

Wicked play will be in Durham NC until May 27, 2012 at Durham Performing Arts Center. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Durham Performing Arts Center Ticket Orders of $350 or more by using code #SpringSavings at Checkout.

First North American tour of Wicked is currently in Denver, CO. PJ Benjamin will join the tour of Wicked in the role of The Wizard on Tuesday, May 8, while Nicole Parker will take over the lead role of Elphaba on Friday, May 18 during the tour’s stop a the Buell Theatre in Denver, Colorado.

They join a cast that features Alli Mauzey (Glinda), Liz McCartney (Madame Morrible), Justin Brill (Boq), Emily Ferranti (Nessarose), Andy Kelso (Fiyero), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond) and Carla Stickler (Standby for Elphaba).

The company also includes Lauren Boyd, Antonette Cohen, Rick Desloge, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald, Dominic Giudici, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Courtney Iventosch, Spencer Jones, Trevor Ryan Krahl, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Michael Mahany, Kevin McMahon, Ashley Dawn Mortensen, Cassie Okenka, Christopher Russo, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Sarah Schenkkan, Pamela Shandrow, Shanna VanDerwerker, Nicky Venditti and Mikey Winslow.

Benjamin has played the Wizard on Broadway for five years, with other Main Stem credits including Torch Song Trilogy, Sophisticated Ladies, Pippin, Charlie and Algernon, Sarava, The Pajama Game, The Wind in the Willows, and Damn Yankees.

Parker has played her role on Broadway, with other Broadway credits including The People in The Picture and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. She may be best known for her work on MADtv.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, Wicked is based on the 1995 best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, and tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and features musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento.

Read the complete news {Via TheaterMania.com}

Wicked Tour will close at The Buell Theatre on May 20, 2012. From here it will move to Sacramento, California for the performances at California Musical Theatre start on May 23 and continue through June 17, 2012.

Wicked is currently performing on tour in Denver, CO and continue through Sunday May 20, 2012. One of the Wicked Cast is a Colorado native and happy to be back home. Andy Kelso plays Fiyero, one of the lead male characters in the musical. He is a graduate of Eaglecrest High School in Aurora and also attended CSU and UNC.

Kelso spoke to 9NEWS at noon about coming back to his home state:

Wicked Musical Tour will stop in Denver CO through Sunday, May 20. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Temple Buell Theatre Ticket Orders of $350 or more by using code #SpringSavings at Checkout.

The second North American tour of Wicked will welcome Christine Dwyer as Elphaba and Billy Harrigan Tighe as Fiyero beginning May 2 in Durham, NC. Dwyer and Tighe will join a cast that includes Tiffany Haas as Glinda, Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible and Paul Kreppel as The Wizard.

Dwyer returns to the hit musical after touring as the understudy and standby for Elphaba on this tour for two years. After graduating with a BFA from the Hartt School of Music, she toured the US, Canada and Japan playing Maureen in Rent. Tighe previously understudied Fiyero on this tour, and comes directly from the First National Tour of La Cage Aux Folles, in which he played Jean-Michel.

Anne Brummel & David Nathan Perlow, currently Elphaba and Fiyero on the tour, play their last performance on April 29, 2012 in North Charleston, South Carolina before Christine Dwyer and Billy Harrigan Tighe take over in Durham, North Carolina.

The company also features Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), Dan Pacheco (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Dr. Dillamond) and Stephanie Torns (Standby for Elphaba) with Kerry Blanchard, Michael Drolet, Jeremy Duvall, Anna Eilinsfeld, Peter C. Ermides, Ryan Patrick Farrell, Samantha Farrow, Natalie Fotopoulos, Linda Griffin, Lauren Haughton, Zach Hensler, KJ Hippensteel, Ryan Jackson, Jillian Kates, Becca Kloha, Sterling Masters, Marissa Miller, Robert Pendilla, Casey Quinn, Michael McCorry Rose, Wayne Schroder, Ben Susak, Erin Wilson and Justin Wirick.

Dwyer and Tighe join Wicked in the tour’s opening in Durham, NC. Wicked musical will play at Durham Performing Arts Center May 2 to May 27, 2012. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Durham NC Tickets Orders of $350 or more by using code #SpringSavings at Checkout.

Starting March 07, where Wicked second North American tour start the performances at Chrysler Hall, Paul Kreppel will play the role of Wizard. Kreppel will join a cast that includes Anne Brummel as Elphaba, Tiffany Haas as Glinda and Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible.

Kreppel’s acting credits include the original NY productions of Godspell, NY Shakespeare Festival’s Comedy of Errors and Alice in Concert, Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh, My Mother’s Italian…, Joseph…, The Proposition and the national tour of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. Hundreds of television appearances include Sonny Mann in the 80’s comedy “It’s A Living,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Love Boat,” “ER” and “That ’70’s Show!” (as Jackie’s Dad).

The other cast: Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), Dan Pacheco (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Dr. Dillamond), David Nathan Perlow (Fiyero) and Stephanie Torns (standby for Elphaba) with Kerry Blanchard, Michael Drolet, Jeremy Duvall, Anna Eilinsfeld, Peter C. Ermides, Ryan Patrick Farrell, Samantha Farrow, Natalie Fotopoulos, Linda Griffin, Lauren Haughton, Zach Hensler, KJ Hippensteel, Ryan Jackson, Becca Kloha, Lisa Livesay, Sterling Masters, Marissa Miller, Robert Pendilla, Casey Quinn, Michael McCorry Rose, Wayne Schroder, Ben Susak, Erin Wilson, Justin Wirick and Lindsay Wood.

Wicked is currently playing on tour at the BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham AL through March 4. From here Wicked will move to Norfolk, VA. The performances at Norfolk’s Chrysler Hall start on March 7 and continue through March 25, 2012. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Chrysler Hall Tickets Orders over $350! Use Code AFF$10.

The company of the first North American tour of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Wicked will welcome Alli Mauzey as Glinda and Andy Kelso as Fiyero beginning Feb. 24 in Tempe, AZ.

Mauzey already played the “popular” part in both the Broadway and San Francisco productions. Mauzey returns to Wicked having previously starred as Glinda in both the Broadway and final San Francisco productions. She also starred as Lenora in the Broadway production of Cry-Baby (Theatre World Award winner and Drama League Award nomination) and also played Brenda in Hairspray on Broadway. Andy Kelso played Sky in Broadway’s Mamma Mia!

They 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), Emily Ferranti (Nessarose), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond), Carla Stickler (Standby for Elphaba) and Natalie Daradich (Standby for Glinda) with Lauren Boyd, Antonette Cohen, Rick Desloge, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald, Dominic Giudici, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Courtney Iventosch, Trevor Ryan Krahl, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Michael Mahany, Alli McGinnis, Lesley McKinnell, Kevin McMahon, Ashley Dawn Mortensen, Christopher Russo, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Pamela Shandrow, Shanna VanDerwerker, Nicky Venditti and Mikey Winslow.

Wicked is currently playing ASU Gammage through March 11, 2012. Wicked ASU Gammage tickets are selling like hot cakes. Buy Wicked Tempe AZ Tickets today, Get $10 OFF on Wicked Ticket Orders over $350! Use Code AFF$10.

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.

Wicked will be performing until Saturday, November 26, 2011 at Procter & Gamble Hall (Aronoff Center). Buy Wicked Cincinnati OH Tickets Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 off on Orders over $350!

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.

The Atlanta engagement of Wicked is currently running through October 9 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre-ga. Buy Wicked Atlanta GA Tickets Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 off on Orders over $350!