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Wicked
Wicked

Wicked Stars Look Back at 20 Years of Memories and Mishaps

Wicked recently reached its 20th Anniversary on Broadway and Broadway Direct stopped by the Gershwin Theatre for the celebration to ask former stars of the long-running hit their favorite memories of performing in the beloved musical.


Alli Mauzey, Former Glinda
“I have many favorite memories doing ‘Popular’ with a lot of the girls…[one time] my pink dress started to unravel a little bit and that’s the scene where Elphaba is supposed to copy what I do – ‘toss toss.’ So Nicole Parker, who was my Elphaba, she started doing the same things that I was trying to do as I was like fixing my skirt and the audience just ate it up. And we were laughing and they were laughing and probably added a few minutes to the show but I don’t know, it’s just a really fun and funny memory.”

Allie Trimm, 20th Anniversary Glinda Standby
“My debut as Glinda was pretty exciting. It was Christmas day of 2021 and I didn’t have a lot of notice, I was like a week into my contract, and I was able to have a lot of friends and family come on their Christmas holiday. I was supported by Jenny DiNoia as Elphaba that night and just an incredible warm welcome from the company. I barely remember it, honestly, but that’s my best memory.”

Alyssa Fox, 20th Anniversary Elphaba
“My debut as lead. I’ve been in Wicked playing Elphaba on and off for about 13 years but it was kind of a big build-up into the moment of being lead Elphaba back in March. Doing that curtain call, the emotions that were pouring out of me at that moment were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and maybe will ever experience again.”

Christine Dwyer, Former Elphaba
“When I was called off of my couch after not doing the show for about seven months. Some crazy things happened, they said, ‘You live close to here, right?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ I went in and I met Carrie St. Louis on stage, she was my Glinda. Going back into that show and knowing it like it was my family and also being in an almost entirely like new cast of characters, it still hits the same way.”

Jackie Burns, Former Elphaba
“Coming up in ‘No Good Deed’ from the floor screaming ‘Fiyero’ is about as magical as it gets.”

Jake Pedersen, 20th Anniversary Boq
“Funny enough, there’s a show behind the show. Jordan Litz, who plays Fiyero, he comes off stage after ‘Fallen House,’ [the scene that follows ‘As Long As You’re Mine,’] so he kind of like shields himself away from the tornado and he runs off stage, and me and his dresser Steven, we have a little moment where we try to get him to laugh when he comes off stage, so it’s like backstage banter, and that’s my favorite moment.”

Jennifer DiNoia in Wicked. Photo by Matt Crockett.
Jennifer DiNoia in Wicked. Photo by Matt Crockett.

Jennifer DiNoia, Former Elphaba
“Every closing that I’ve had in Wicked, whether it’s been on tour, on the first national when I closed in LA, my closing night in London, and on Broadway. The moment that sticks in my mind all the time is ‘Defying Gravity,’ and I know it’s such an iconic moment for the audience to watch, but getting to be Elphaba and watching the audience’s head go up with you as you fly, it’s amazing.”

Jordan Litz, 20th Anniversary Fiyero
“The very first time I went on in Baltimore. I was the understudy when I started and it was sort of an unexpected, last-minute sort of thing and I went on, and I had a moment. Allison Bailey was my Glinda and I remember I was looking at her, and I started ‘Dancing Through Life’ and my upper lip was quivering, I was so nervous. I looked in her eyes, and I started the song, and all of that melted away. And it was just the coolest experience, and I wasn’t nervous anymore, and I loved every second of it.”

Julia Murney, Former Elphaba
“I was here 20 years ago opening night and now I’m here again. I cannot believe that. That’s astounding.”

Kara Lindsay, Former Glinda
“Any time I got to sing ‘For Good’ with all of those remarkable women that played Elphaba. What they do in this show is unreal and I bow down to them and that was such a nice, touching moment to get to connect when the whole show we’re running around.”

Laura Bell Bundy, Original Broadway Glinda Standby
“I really loved singing ‘For Good.’ I loved creating an arc for Glinda, a little element of maturity, and creating growth for her to really come out of this on the other side, having seen herself and seen her own faults and having reconciliation.”

Mandy Gonzalez, Former Elphaba
“Before I would run on stage for the first time, I would see the two guys that were in the back that were pulling the clock that opens.”

Ginna Claire Mason and Mary Kate Morrissey in Wicked. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Ginna Claire Mason and Mary Kate Morrisey in Wicked. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Mary Kate Morrisey, 20th Anniversary Elphaba Standby
“The ones that stick out most are the mishaps. In Nashville, one time I came out with toilet paper in my shoe during the Ozdust Ballroom. It was the eighth show of the week and everybody was like laughing at me and pointing at me and all these things and I was like, ‘Wow, you’re like full out.’ And then my best friend, Ginna Claire Mason, was like, ‘You have toilet paper on your shoe right now.'”

McKenzie Kurtz, 20th Anniversary Glinda
“Just doing ‘Popular’ every night is like one of my favorite things in the world to do. Watching Alyssa Fox do ‘Defying Gravity’ are some of my favorite memories and just, I tear up all the time. I cry all the time. And this cast also, the entire cast just being around these amazing people. It’s awesome.”

Saycon Sengbloh, Former Elphaba
“Singing ‘Defying Gravity’ and hoping that my head doesn’t pop off of my neck.”

Talia Suskauer, Former Elphaba
“My first Broadway bow.”

William Youmans, Orignal Broadway and 20th Anniversary Doctor Dillamond
“Coming back after 20 years and finally being old enough to play the part. I never thought I would come back and I was so grateful to come back, I was so grateful to them for having me back. It was the most wonderful moment ever.”

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