Picture: Matt Crockett
The hit London production of Wicked will welcome a new Elphaba and Glinda to the stage of the Apollo Victoria Theatre this spring.
From 25 March, Emma Kingston (The Band’s Visit, Donmar Warehouse, Evita, international tour) will step into the role of Elphaba opposite Olivier Award-nominee Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins, Prince Edward Theatre, Strictly Ballroom, Piccadilly Theatre) who will return to the West End to play Glinda.
They will appear alongside Carl Man (& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre, Starlight Express, The Other Palace) as Fiyero. Man previously covered the role as part of the West End production’s 15th anniversary cast before winning rave reviews as Fiyero during the recent UK and Ireland tour.
The new principal cast will also include Sarah Ingram (Sweeney Todd, Twickenham Theatre, Chicago, Leicester Haymarket) as Madame Morrible with Michael Matus (Singin’ in the Rain, UK tour, The Baker’s Wife, Menier Chocolate Factory) as The Wizard, Hannah Qureshi (Hamilton, Victoria Palace, Dear Evan Hansen , Noël Coward Theatre) as Nessarose, David McKechnie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre, Stepping Out, Stephen Joseph Theatre) as Doctor Dillamond and Ross Carpenter (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre) as Boq.
Laura Emmitt (Frozen: The Musical, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) will return to the London production as Alternate Elphaba, having previously covered the role in the West End, with Lydia Gerrard (The Phantom of The Opera, UK and Ireland tour) joining the London cast as Standby for Glinda after covering the role on the recent tour.
The 2025/6 company is completed by Iroy Abesam, Abesamis, Zac Adlam, Steph Asamoah, Meg Astin, Rebecca Bowden, Shaun Chambers, Erin Gisele Chapman, Grace Durkin, Onyemachi Ejimofor, Aaron Elijah, Aimee Hodnett, Nat Ingham, Holly Lawrence, Jemima Loddy, Josh Lovell, Rory Maguire, PaddyJoe Martin, JoJo Meredith, Ayden Morgan, Rina Punwani, Abbie Quinnen, Jemma Revell, Jeanie Ryan, Charlotte Anne Steen, Chris Tarsey, Hannah Taylor, James Titchener and Jacob Young.
Now in its 18th year in London, the show which became the 10th longest-running West End show of all-time last year, has played over 7,000 performances in the West End where it has been seen by over 12 million people.
The current West End cast of Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Lucy St Louis (Glinda), Ryan Reid (Fiyero), Sophie-Louise Dann (Madame Morrible), Michael Fenton Stevens (The Wizard), Caitlin Anderson (Nessarose), Graham Kent (Doctor Dillamond) and Joe Thompson-Oubari (Boq) will take their final bow on 23 March.
Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel which was written while the American author was living in London in 1990, and taking its inspiration from the creations of L Frank Baum brought so vividly to life in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, Wicked has music and lyrics by multi-Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Disney’s Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame).
Adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (cult TV series My So-Called Life), the show features musical staging by Tony award winner Wayne Cilento and is directed by double Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello. Music arrangements are by Tony Award-winners Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton) and Stephen Oremus (Disney’s Frozen).
The multi-award-winning tale of the Witches of Oz has won over 100 major international awards including three Tonys, two Oliviers and ten WhatsOnStage awards.
The spectacular touring production of Wicked took it final bow at the Manchester Palace Theatre earlier this month after playing a crowd-pleasing Christmas season.
Angela Thomas
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