Wicked Cast Performs on "Tonight Show" July 18

By Andrew Gans
18 Jul 2005

The cast of the national tour of Stephen Schwartz's Wicked
will perform on NBC's "The Tonight Show" July 18.

The hit musical, which is currently playing Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre through July 31, will perform "One Short Day" on the long-running talk show. "The Tonight Show," hosted by Jay Leno, airs in metropolitan New York on NBC-TV Channel 4 at 11:35 PM ET; check local listings.

The touring company stars Stephanie J. Block, who was part of the out-of town San Francisco tryout of Wicked, as the green-faced Elphaba with Kendra Kassebaum as the golden-locked Glinda. The company also includes David Garrison (the Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq) and Timothy Britten Parker (Dr. Dillamond).

The Wicked ensemble comprises Katie Adams, Timothy Anderson, Terra Lynn Arrington, Aaron Albano, Peter John Chursin, Matt Clemons, Nicholas Drommard, Laura Dysarczyk, Maria Eberline, Brooke Elliott, Lori Holmes, Adam Lambert, KW Miller, Kristen Oei, Chris Peluso, Don Richard, Emily Rozek, Chris Russo, Brian Slaman, James Tabeek, Barbara Tirrell, Brooke Wendle and Nicole Winhoffer.

Based on Maguire's novel, which turned every Oz myth inside out, Wicked explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. The two main characters meet at Shiz, a school where both hope to take up sorcery. Glinda is madly popular and Elphaba is, well, green. By a misunderstanding, they wind up roommates and, after an initial period of mutual loathing, begin to learn something about each other. Their life paths continue to intersect through a shared love, entry into the Emerald City and interaction with the Wizard himself. Eventually, their choices and convictions take them on widely different paths.


Wicked, with a book by Winnie Holzman, began previews on Broadway Oct. 8, 2003, with an official opening Oct. 30, 2003. The Broadway company — directed by Joe Mantello, who repeats his duties for the tour — continues to play the Gershwin Theatre. Tickets for Wicked's national tour are available by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1400. For tickets to the Los Angeles run, call (213) 365-3500 or (714) 740-7878. For more information about Wicked visit www.wickedthemusical.com.