Since its Broadway debut in 2003, Wicked has become one of the defining modern musicals of the stage. Across more than two decades at the Gershwin Theatre, the role has been performed by a long line of powerhouse performers, several of whom have gone on to earn Tony Award recognition for work both inside and outside the show. From original star Idina Menzel to more recent Elphabas like Lindsay Mendez and Stephanie J. Block, this list traces every Tony-nominated actress who has taken on the iconic role.
Shoshana Bean
2022: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Mr. Saturday Night
Shoshana Bean, the first replacement Elphaba to hit the Gershwin stage following Menzel’s departure, earned her first Tony nomination in 2022 for her performance as Susan Young in Mr. Saturday Night starring alongside Billy Crystal.
2024: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Hell’s Kitchen
Along with her Tony Award nomination, Bean and the company of Hell’s Kitchen took home the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album at the 2025 Grammys.
2026: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, The Lost Boys
Bean is one of three Tony-nominated ex-Elphabas currently on Broadway, and you can catch her Tony-nominated performance right now at the Palace Theatre! Playing the role of Lucy Emerson in the musical adaptation of the cult-classic film The Lost Boys, her voice continues to blow audiences away in instant classics such as “Wild.”
Stephanie J. Block
2013: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Block’s first Tony Award nomination came in 2013 for her performance as Alice Nutting in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Studio 54. The interactive musical that invited audiences to vote on a different ending each night ended up clinching a nomination for Best Revival of a Musical at the 2013 Tony Awards.
2016: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Falsettos
The 2016 revival of Falsettos quickly became a fan favorite, earning a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical. Block, who was nominated for her portrayal of Trina, had some of the show’s most memorable moments, including her rendition of “I’m Breaking Down.”
2019: Won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, The Cher Show
Block finally got her first Tony win in 2019 for her portrayal of Cher in The Cher Show, a jukebox bio-musical detailing the career and life of pop music icon, Cher. The production, which ran for roughly nine months at the Neil Simon Theatre, featured Tony-winning costumes by Bob Mackie, Cher’s real-life designer.
Lilli Cooper
2019: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Tootsie
Cooper, who was the Elphaba standby in Wicked on tour and on Broadway, earned her first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical in 2019 for her portrayal of Julie Nichols in Tootsie.
Carmen Cusack
2016: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Bright Star
Cusack, who played Elphaba Chicago, Melbourne, and on tour, earned her first Tony nomination during her Broadway debut. In 2016, she was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Alice Murphy in Bright Star. In addition to a Tony nomination, she was awarded a 2016 Theatre World Award for her performance in the role.
2022: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Flying Over Sunset
Cusack earned her second nomination for role as Claire Boothe Luce in James Lapine’s Flying Over Sunset in 2022. The musical, which was originally scheduled to open in March 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic, officially opened on Broadway in December of 2021 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.
Eden Espinosa
2024: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Lempicka
Eden Espinosa was the original Elphaba standby and the next actress to take over the role full-time after Shoshana Bean. Espinosa earned her first Tony recognition in 2024 for her performance as Tamara De Lempicka in Lempicka at the Longacre Theatre.
Ana Gasteyer
2026: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Schmigadoon!
Gasteyer is best known for her six seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, but she also has an extensive theater career. Before joining the Broadway company of Wicked in 2006, she originated the role of Elphaba in the Chicago production. This season, she was nominated for her performance as Mildred Layton in Schmigadoon!, which is nominated for 12 Tonys including Best Musical.
Caissie Levy
2026: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Ragtime
Levy, a Broadway veteran, played Elphaba in the Los Angeles production of Wicked at the Pantages Theater in 2007 after understudying the role on Broadway. She earned her first nomination this year for her role as Mother in Lear DeBassonet’s revival of Ragtime. The production was the most nominated revival of the year, and the third most nominated production overall with 11 nominations.
Lindsay Mendez
2018: Won Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Carousel
Mendez took home the Tony Award for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in the Broadway revival of Carousel at the Imperial Theatre. The production was also nominated for Best Revival of a Musical. In her speech, she thanked Joe Mantello, director of Wicked, who she called her “cheerleader.”
2023: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Merrily We Roll Along
Mendez earned her second Tony nomination for her portrayal of Mary Flynn in the critically acclaimed revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Hudson Theatre. The production went on to win Best Revival of a Musical and became one of the most celebrated Broadway runs of the season. Long considered an under-appreciated work in Stephen Sondheim’s catalog, this revival helped redefine the show’s legacy for a new generation of theatergoers. This particular revival did so well with audiences that the proshot received a theatrical release this past December.
Idina Menzel
1996: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, RENT
Menzel was nominated for her portrayal of Maureen Johnson in the original Broadway cast of RENT at the Nederlander Theatre. The production went on to win Best Musical at the 1996 Tony Awards solidifying itself as a musical theater staple. Just this past April, RENT celebrated the 30th anniversary of its opening night on Broadway!
2004: Won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Wicked
Menzel originated the iconic role of Elphaba when the show opened on Broadway in October of 2003. In 2004, she took home the win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in the original Broadway cast of Wicked. While the show did not take home Best Musical that year, it definitely sealed its place as one of the most beloved musicals of all time. The production continues to play at the Gershwin Theatre today, where 23 years on, it is one of the longest-running Broadway productions in history.
2014: Nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, If/Then
Menzel earned her third Tony nomination for If/Then in 2014, her first time on Broadway nearly a decade after creating the role of Elphaba. The new musical was written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the writers of the acclaimed Next to Normal, and was directed by Michael Greif, the director of Menzel’s Broadway debut RENT.
Saycon Sengbloh
2016: Nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, Eclipsed
Sengbloh, who served as an Elphaba standby, earned her Tony nomination in 2016 for her role in Danai Gurira’s Eclipsed. In addition to the nomination, her performance also earned her a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.
Curious to know what other actresses have stepped into the green spotlight? Check out our list of every actress who has played Elphaba on Broadway.
What is Wicked on Broadway about?
Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade.” Time Magazine cheers, “if every musical had the brain, the heart, and the courage of Wicked, Broadway really would be a magical place.”
Who is in the cast of Wicked on Broadway?
The current principal cast of Wicked includes Keri René Fuller as Elphaba and Emma Flynn as Glinda. They will be joined by current cast members Jenna Bainbridge as Nessarose, Daniel Quadrino as Boq, Ellen Harvey as Madame Morrible, Blake Hammond in the role of the Wizard, Carl Man as Fiyero, and William Youmans as Dr. Dillamond, a role he originated in the original Broadway cast in 2003. Oluchi Nwaokorie will be the new Elphaba standby.
Who is on the creative team of Wicked on Broadway?
Originally inspired by Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. The musical is under the direction of Joe Mantello. Additional creative team members include Wayne Cilento (musical staging), Eugene Lee (scenic designer), Susan Hilferty (costume designer), Kenneth Posner (lighting designer), Tony Meola (sound designer), Elaine J. McCarthy (projection designer), Tom Watson (hair and wig designer), Joe Dulude II (makeup designer), Stephen Oremus (music supervision and arrangements), William David Brohn (orchestrations), and Alex Lacamoire (music arrangements). Casting by The Telsey Office.
Where can I buy tickets to Wicked on Broadway?
Tickets for Wicked are currently on sale now through December 2026. We recommend purchasing tickets for your selected performance date(s) in advance, as Wicked tickets tend to sell quickly. You can purchase your tickets here.
