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Watch the 2023 West End cast of ”Wicked” ‘rejoicifying’ on their opening night

| London |

20 April 2023

Lucy St. Louis and Alexia Khadime
© WhatsOnStage

Last night the audience cheered “Congratulotions!” as the West End production of Wicked held a special gala performance in celebration of the new cast for 2023.

For the first time, the London production is being led by three Black performers, with Alexia Khadime and Lucy St. Louis starring as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, alongside Ryan Reid as Fiyero.

The current cast also includes Sophie-Louise Dann as Madame Morrible, Mark Curry as the Wizard, Caitlin Anderson as Nessarose, Joe Thompson-Oubari as Boq, Simeon Truby as Doctor Dillamond, Amy Webb as Standby for Elphaba, and Lisa-Anne Wood as Standby for Glinda.

Find out what the cast had to say about the show’s diversification in the video below:

The musical, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, reimagines the backstory and future possibilities of L Frank Baum’s characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It explores the decisions and events that shape the destinies of two university friends who eventually become Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, with musical staging by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento and direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello.

With over 100 awards under its belt, including 11 WhatsOnStage Awards, Wicked is currently the 12th longest-running production in West End history.

While the West End production continues, Wicked will also embark on a UK and Ireland tour starting at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 7 December 2023, followed by stops at Bristol Hippodrome, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bradford Alhambra Theatre, Southampton Mayflower Theatre, Liverpool Empire, Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Sunderland Empire, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre, and Manchester Palace Theatre.

In addition, the first part of a two-film screen adaptation is also set to be released later this year.

Tickets for the West End production are on sale below.