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Ryan McCartan to star in Wicked on Broadway
Ryan McCartan to star in Wicked on Broadway

Disney and Rocky Horror Star Ryan McCartan Joins Wicked

Ryan McCartan, star of the Disney Channel series Liv & Maddie, as well as Fox’s Remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, will join the Broadway cast of Wicked. McCartan will join the hit production in the role of Fiyero, succeeding Curt Hansen on September 11, 2018.

McCartan is well-known to television audiences as the character Diggie, the goofy but lovable love interest of the title character Maddie on the Disney Channel sitcom Liv & Maddie. He also played Brad in Fox’s remake of the cult-classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Theatre audiences will remember him for his Off-Broadway turn in Heathers: The Musical where he wowed audiences in the role of JD. Wicked will be Ryan McCartan’s Broadway debut.

Wicked, which remains ensconced at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre where it opened in 2003, just became Broadway’s sixth longest-running musical of all-time. McCartan will join current cast members including Jessica Vosk as Elphaba, Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda, Isabel Keating as Madame Morrible, Kevin Chamberlin (another Disney Channel alum of Jessie) as The Wizard, Jye Frasca as Boq, Kristen Martin as Nessarose, and Martin Moran as Dr. Dillamond.

Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, tells the story of the two Witches of Oz and their complicated, but enduring friendship as each rises to power. The musical has a score by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Godspell) and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production was directed by Joe Mantello, with choreography by Wayne Cilento. The original cast featured Idina Menzel in her Tony-winning turn as the Elphaba, with Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Joel Grey as The Wizard.

Wicked was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning for Best Actress, Best Scenic Design, and Best Costume Design. Schwartz’s score, which includes such celebrated songs as “Defying Gravity,” “The Wizard and I,” “Popular” and “For Good” was also nominated.

Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals, The Disney Song Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia of Television Theme Songs. He maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.

 

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