Wicked (musical) - Productions - Subsequent International Productions

Subsequent International Productions

A condensed thirty minute version of the musical played at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan. Australian Jemma Rix was part of the original cast, alternating the role of Elphaba with Jillian Giaachi and Taylor Jordan. The show, which opened on July 12, 2006, featured the preliminary storyline of Act 1 but Fiyero, Madame Morrible, Boq, Nessarose and Doctor Dillamond were absent and there were considerable changes in sets and costumes. The final performance took place on January 11, 2011. The first replicated non-English production opened in Tokyo, Japan, on June 17, 2007 with Hamada Megumi as Elphaba and Numao Miyuki as Glinda. The production closed on September 6, 2009, in preparation for its transfer to Osaka. After opening on October 11, 2009, the Osaka production closed on February 13, 2011, featuring Ebata Masae as Elphaba with Tomada Asako as Glinda. The production then moved again to Fukuoka on April 2, 2011 where its original stars were Ebata Masae (Elphaba) and Numao Miyuki (Glinda). After its closure in Fukuoka on August 28, 2011, the production re-located to Nagoya with performances beginning September 23. It stars Masae Ebata and Asako Tomada as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively.

Renamed Wicked: Die Hexen von Oz (Wicked: The Witches of Oz), the German production of Wicked began previews on November 1, 2007 and opened on November 15, at the Palladium Theater in Stuttgart. Willemijn Verkaik played Elphaba, Lucy Scherer played Glinda, Mark Seibert played Fiyero, Angelika Wedekind was Madame Morrible, Nicole Radeschnig was Nessarose, Stefan Stara was Boq, Michael Gunther was Doctor Dillamond, and Carlo Lauber played the Wizard. The production closed on January 29, 2010, and transferred to Oberhausen where previews began at the Metronom Theater am CentrO on March 5, 2010, with an opening night of March 8. The cast featured Willemijn Verkaik as Elphaba, Joana Fee Würz as Glinda, Barbara Raunegger as Madame Morrible, Mathias Edenborn as Fiyero, Janine Tippl as Nessarose, Ben Darmanin as Boq, Thomas Wissmann as Doctor Dillamond, and Carlo Lauber as the Wizard. Willemijn Verkaik left the role of Elphaba in February 2011, after being consistently billed as lead for almost three and a half years between the Stuttgart and Oberhausen productions. The Oberhausen production closed on September 2, 2011.

An Australian production officially opened on July 12, 2008, with previews commencing June 27 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack played Elphaba and Glinda respectively, with Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible, Rob Guest as the Wizard, Rob Mills as Fiyero, Anthony Callea as Boq, Penny McNamee as Nessarose and Rodney Dobson as Doctor Dillamond. However, Rob Guest, who played the Wizard, died suddenly on October 2, 2008, after suffering a stroke two days earlier. Australian personality Bert Newton was brought in as his replacement six weeks later. In addition, Carmen Cusack, from the first North American tour and Chicago companies, made her Australian debut as the temporary standby for Elphaba while Amanda Harrison was on extended leave and regular standby Jemma Rix was performing as lead. The Melbourne production closed on August 9, 2009, after 464 performances. The production then transferred to Sydney's Capitol Theatre. Previews began there on September 5, 2009, with the official opening on September 12, 2009. Most of the Melbourne cast transferred but understudy James D. Smith took over as Boq. The production closed on September 26, 2010, after 412 performances and 8 previews.

Following successful seasons in Melbourne and Sydney, an Australian tour began at the QPAC Lyric Theatre in Brisbane. After a two week delay due to the Queensland floods, performances began January 25, 2011, and ran until April 2. The touring production then moved to the Festival Centre in Adelaide, running from April 14 until June 4, 2011, and recently played its final leg at the Burswood Theatre in Perth, starting on June 19, 2011. The cast includes Sydney alumi Lucy Durack as Glinda, Jemma Rix as Elphaba, Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible, Bert Newton as the Wizard, Elisa Colla as Nessarose, Rodney Dobson as Doctor Dillamond and James D. Smith as Boq while Wicked newcomer David Harris plays Fiyero. The Perth engagement finished on September 11, 2011, wrapping up more than 3 years of performances in Australia.

The Australian company then transferred to Singapore's Grand Theater in Marina Bay Sands from December 6, 2011 onwards, beginning an open-ended Asian tour. Jemma Rix plays Elphaba on the tour, while Australian understudy Suzie Mathers takes over as Glinda. They are joined by David Harris (Fiyero), Bert Newton (The Wizard), James D. Smith (Boq) and Elisa Colla (Nessarose), with Wicked newcomers Glen Hogstrom (Doctor Dillamond) and Anne Wood (Madame Morrible). After the Singapore engagement of the tour closed April 22, 2012, performances began in Seoul, Korea from May 31, 2012. Hogstrom becomes the first actor to be billed in the two principal roles of Dr. Dillamond and the Wizard, when he took over from Newton. After being extended twice, the run finished on October 7, 2012.

A brand new production, notable for not being a replica of the original Broadway staging, opened at the City Theatre in Helsinki, Finland on August 26, 2010 after a preview performance took place on August 24. Directed by Hans Berndtsson, the production stars Maria Ylipää as Elphaba, Anna-Maija Tuokko as Glinda, Tuukka Leppänen as Fiyero, Ursula Salo as Madame Morrible, Vuokko Hovatta as Nessarose, Antti Lang as Boq, Heikki Sankari as Doctor Dillamond, and Eero Saarinen as the Wizard. The second non-replicated production ran in Copenhagen, Denmark from January 12 until May 29, 2011, and was presented by Det Ny Teater. The cast included Annette Heick as Glinda, Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg as Elphaba, John Martin Bengtsson as Fiyero, Marianne Mortensen as Madame Morrible, Anais Lueken as Nessarose, Kim Hammelsvang Henriksen as Boq, Kristian Boland as Doctor Dillamond and Steen Springborg as the Wizard.

A Dutch-language production began previews at the Circus Theater in Scheveningen, The Netherlands on October 26, 2011. The official opening took place on November 6. Willemijn Verkaik reprises her role of Elphaba from the German productions, becoming the first actress to play the role in two different languages. She is joined by Chantal Janzen as Glinda, Jim Bakkum as Fiyero, Pamela Teves as Madame Morrible, Christanne de Bruijn as Nessarose, Niels Jacobs as Boq, Jochem Feste Roozemond as Doctor Dillamond and Bill van Dijk in the role of the Wizard. Closing night has been announced as January 11, 2013.