A WICKED cast announcement
Image: Sheridan Adams will play Elphaba and Courtney Monsma will play Glinda in WICKED Image: Hugh Stewart
Almost 20 years after its premiere on Broadway, WICKED remains one of the most popular and successful musicals in the world. It has played in 16 countries, been translated into six languages and is now the fourth longest running show in Broadway history.
Based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED takes place long before Dorothy’s visit to the land of Oz. It follows two young women, Glinda and Elphaba, as they become rivals, then friends, before the world decides to label one ‘good’ and one ‘wicked’.
The principal cast members for the 2023 Sydney production of WICKED have just been announced. These talented performers will join the already announced Courtney Monsma as Glinda and Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, the girl who grows up to become the Wicked Witch of the West.
Multi-award winning theatre icon Robyn Nevin will play the role of Madame Morrible. Nevin has played leading roles with all of Australia’s major theatre companies, as well as in London’s West End and in the US.
Television and theatre favourite Todd McKenney will play the Wizard. Since his first professional musical role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance, Mckenney has gone on to play lead and headline roles in over 20 musicals.
Liam Head will play Fiyero. Head made his debut as Nick Healy in the Australian premiere of Jagged Little Pill, and most recently played the role of Howard Donald in the Robbie Williams’ biopic Better Man.
Adam Murphy, presently playing Major Metcalf in the Australian tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, will play Dr Dillamond, a goat and a teacher at Shiz University. Murphy’s long career has seen him perform in dozens of plays and musicals, including Mary Poppins, Dirty Dancing and Shakespeare in Love.
Shewit Belay will play the role of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose. Belay is currently making her professional musical theatre debut understudying the three lead roles of Hamilton.
Kurtis Papadinis will make his professional adult debut playing the naïve and lovable munchkin Boq. Papadinis made his stage debut as a child in The Production Company’s Mame and went on to play Michael Banks in the 2010 and 2012 Australian tours of Mary Poppins.
“From over 2,000 applications when the casting call went out, we auditioned over 1,000 of Australia’s top performers and are so excited with the calibre and talent of our lead cast,” said producer, John Frost.
From August 26
Sydney Lyric, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont
wickedthemusical.com.au
