Elphaba

Elphaba

Elphaba

Fictional character from Wicked

"Elphie" redirects here. For people and with fictional characters with similar names, see Elfi.

Elphaba Thropp /ˈɛlfəbə ˈθrɒp/ is the protagonist in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, and in its musical theatre adaptation Wicked. The character is identified with the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Quick Facts First appearance, Created by ...

In the Baum novel, the Witch is unnamed and little is explained about her life; Wicked creates a backstory for her and explores the world of The Wizard of Oz from her perspective. Elphaba is modeled after Margaret Hamilton's portrayal in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz: green-skinned, clad entirely in black and wearing a tall peaked hat. Maguire formulated the name "Elphaba" from the pronunciation of Baum's initials — "L.F.B.".

Actresses who have portrayed Elphaba

The role was originated on Broadway and the West End by Idina Menzel, who won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The role is currently slated to be played by Cynthia Erivo in the upcoming two-part film adaptation of the musical.

Actresses billed in the lead role in various productions include:

North America

Broadway

1st U.S. National Tour (Emerald City Tour)

2nd U.S. National Tour (Munchkinland Tour)

  • Marcie Dodd (March 2009 - April 2010)
  • Vicki Noon (April 2010 - January 2011)
  • Anne Brummel (January 2011 - April 2012)
  • Christine Dwyer (May 2012 - March 2013)
  • Jennifer DiNoia (April 2013 - March 2014)
  • Laurel Harris (April 2014 - January 2015)
  • Alyssa Fox[25] (October 2014; January - December 2015)
  • Emily Koch[26] (December 2015 - September 2016)
  • Jessica Vosk[27] (September 2016 - September 2017)
  • Mary Kate Morrissey (September 2017 - October 2018)
  • Jackie Burns[28] (October 2018 - February 2019)
  • Mariand Torres[29] (February 2019 - September 2019)
  • Talia Suskauer[30] (September 2019 - March 2020; August 2021 - March 2022)
  • Lissa deGuzman (March 2022 - April 2023)
  • Olivia Valli[31] (May 2023 - Current)

Mexico City

Chicago, Illinois

Los Angeles, California

San Francisco, California

Europe

West End (London) Production

UK & Ireland Tour

Stuttgart, Germany

Oberhausen, Germany

  • Willemijn Verkaik (March 2010-August 2010; November 2010-February 2011)
  • Sabrina Weckerlin [de] (August 2010-November 2010)
  • Roberta Valentini [de] (March 2011-September 2011)

Scheveningen, The Netherlands

Gothenburg, Sweden

Asia Pacific

Tokyo, Japan
  • Hamada Megumi
  • Higuchi Asami
  • Imai Minori
  • Ebata Masae

Melbourne, Australia

Sydney, Australia

Osaka, Japan

  • Ebata Masae
  • Kimura Chiaki
  • Higuchi Asami
  • Okamura Minami

Brisbane, Australia

Auckland, New Zealand

Fukuoka, Japan

  • Ebata Masae

South Korea

  • Jemma Rix (December 2011 - October 2012)
  • Jennifer DiNoia (Alternate Elphaba, May 2012 - October 2012)
  • Son Seung-yeon (February 2021 - June 2021)
  • Park Hye-Na (November 2013 - October 2014, May 2016 - August 2016)
  • Cha Ji-Yeon (May 2016 - August 2016)
  • Kim Sun-Young (May 2014 - October 2014)
  • Ock Joo-hyun (November 2013 - May 2014, February 2021 - June 2021)

The Actors in Korean production shared performances of the role [54]

South America

Brazil

  • Myra Ruiz (March 2016 - December 2016 and March 2023 – July 2023)

References

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    "Complete Cast Set for Wicked's SF Tryout". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
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    "Shoshana Bean to Play Green Girl Elphaba in Wicked Starting 1/11". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
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    "London Elphaba Kerry Ellis Headed to Broadway in Wicked". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
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    "Teal Wicks and Kyle Dean Massey Will Head to Oz as Wicked's New Elphaba and Fiyero". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
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    "Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz Will be Broadway's Next Wicked Witches". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
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    "Wicked to Welcome the Return of Jackie Burns as Elphaba; Amanda Jane Cooper, Ashley Parker Angel & Rondi Reed Join Long-Running Hit". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
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    . Broadway.com https://www.broadway.com/buzz/174667/christine-dwyer-jenni-barber-justin-guarini-mary-testa-fly-into-wicked-on-broadway//. Retrieved 2020-10-01. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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    "Jessica Vosk Will Fly into Wicked on Broadway: 'Excited Doesn't Even Begin to Describe It!'". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
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    "Hannah Corneau Is Elphaba in Broadway's Wicked Beginning May 14". playbill.com. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
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    "Glee Alum Lindsay Pearce and Sam Gravitte Join Wicked on Broadway". playbill.com. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
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    "Wicked Tour — with Kristy Cates as Elphaba — Begins March 9". playbill.com. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
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    "WICKED's Munchkinland Tour to Welcome New 'Elphaba' and 'Nessarose' for 2015". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
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    "Wicked National Tour Names New Elphaba and Glinda". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
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    "See Jessica Vosk Go Green For Wicked National Tour". Playbill.com. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
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    "Jackie Burns and Kara Lindsay To Lead WICKED in Los Angeles". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
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    "Talia Suskauer, Allison Bailey, and Tony Winner Cleavant Derricks Will Join Wicked Tour". playbill.com. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  31. [31]
    . playbill.com. 2 May 2023 https://playbill.com/article/olivia-valli-and-celia-hottenstein-to-become-new-leads-in-national-tour-of-wicked. Retrieved 2023-05-09. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. [32]
    "Idina Menzel to Star in London's Wicked". playbill.com. Playbill. April 21, 2006. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  33. [33]
    "Kerry Ellis returns to Wicked from 4 Aug 2014". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  34. [34]
    "Alexia Khadime to star as 'Elphaba' in Wicked, at Apollo Victoria Theatre from Monday 9 June 2008". Londontheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  35. [35]
    "Alexia Khadime returns as 'Elphaba' 11 May 2009". Londontheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 January 2009. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
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    "Wicked announces London cast for 2023". LondonTheatreDirect.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
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    "Wicked announces 10th Anniversary Cast". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  39. [39]
    "Dearman who played Glinda in Wicked to return as Elphaba". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  40. [40]
    "Willemijn Verkaik 'Elphaba' in Wicked from 18 Nov 2013". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  41. [41]
    "Willemijn Verkaik returns to Wicked in London from 30 January 2017". Londontheatre.co.uk. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  42. [42]
    "Jennifer DiNoia as Elphaba in Wicked from 27 Oct 2014". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  43. [43]
    "Emma Hatton as Elphaba in Wicked from 02 Feb 2015". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  44. [44]
    "Alice Fearn and Sophie Evans to lead new Wicked cast". britishtheatre.com. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  45. [45]
    BWW News Desk. "Nikki Bentley, Helen Woolf, and More Join WICKED". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  46. [46]
    "Wicked releases character photos". WhatsOnStage.com. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
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    "Wicked announces London cast for 2023". LondonTheatreDirect.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  48. [48]
    "Emily Tierney, Nikki Davis-Jones and Liam Doyle lead Wicked tour". WhatsOnStage.com. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 2015-03-24.
  49. [49]
    "Nikki Davis-Jones pulls out of Wicked". WhatsOnStage.com. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 2015-08-26.
  50. [50]
    "Casting news: Nikki Davis-Jones joins West End cast of Wicked and Ashleigh Gray goes on tour". WhatsOnStage.com. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-24.
  51. [51]
    "Full cast announced for Wicked UK and Ireland tour". WhatsOnStage.com. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  52. [52]
    "Wicked tour announces lead casting". WhatsOnStage.com. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  53. [53]
    "Feline Andersson won the dream role in "Wicked" at the Gothenburg Opera". Göteborgs-Posten. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  54. [54]
    "Get a first look at WICKED in South Korea". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
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