A WICKED Roundtable: 20 Years of Elphaba
WICKED The Musical・2 minutes read
Multiple actresses who have played the role of Alphaba in Wicked share their experiences and reflections on the transformative nature of the character, highlighting personal growth and empowerment. They discuss the unique challenges and joys of touring with the show, adapting to different environments, and fostering unity among the cast and crew, emphasizing the enduring impact and relevance of the production in inspiring individuals to embrace their true selves and connect with diverse communities.
Insights
- The actresses who played Alphaba in Wicked, such as Jackie Burns, Jenny Denoya, Mary Kate Morsy, and Melissa Fox, shared personal anecdotes about their experiences landing the role and the transformative nature of embodying the character, highlighting the growth and empowerment they found through the role.
- Touring with Wicked across the US and Canada provided a unique experience for the actresses, showcasing the diverse audience reactions and the sold-out performances every night, while also fostering a sense of unity among the cast and crew as they adapted to different environments, crews, and orchestras in each city. The enduring hope is for Wicked to continue inspiring individuals to embrace their true selves and foster compassion, empathy, and connection within diverse communities.
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Recent questions
Who played Alphaba in Wicked's 20th year on Broadway?
Melissa Fox
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Summary
00:00
"Actresses share transformative journey as Alphaba"
- Jackie Burns played Alphaba twice on Broadway and on the first and second national tour.
- Jenny Denoya played Alphaba on Broadway, the second national tour, and in multiple international productions.
- Mary Kate Morsy played Alphaba on the second national tour and is currently the standby on Broadway.
- Melissa Fox is currently playing Alphaba in Wicked's 20th year on Broadway.
- Jackie recalls getting the call for the role, struggling to reach anyone to share the news.
- Jenny reminisces about her first full contract as Alphaba on Broadway with a 7-month-old daughter.
- Mary Kate shares her journey of landing the role as an understudy for Eden Espinosa in 2010.
- Melissa recounts getting the call to take over on the tour while backpacking in Prague.
- Jackie, Jenny, and Mary Kate discuss their first experiences with Wicked and seeing other actresses as Alphaba.
- The actresses reflect on the empowering and transformative nature of playing Alphaba, finding personal growth through the character's journey.
13:47
"Wicked Tour Unites Diverse Communities"
- The speaker reflects on a three and a half year tour across the US and Canada, highlighting the unique excitement in each city for the show "Wicked," emphasizing the diverse audience reactions and the sold-out performances every night.
- Being on tour necessitates adapting to different crews, orchestras, and environments in each city, fostering a sense of unity among the cast and crew, contrasting with the isolation of performing in a single city.
- The speaker expresses hope for "Wicked" to continue empowering individuals to embrace their true selves, emphasizing the show's enduring relevance and ability to inspire future generations, particularly in fostering compassion, empathy, and connection within diverse communities.
- The speaker acknowledges the impact of playing the character Elphaba in "Wicked," celebrating the Sisterhood among the women who have portrayed the role and the growth of the Wicked Community, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to defy gravity and inspire others to embrace their uniqueness.
