The Broadway production of Wicked is about to welcome two new cast members at the Gershwin Theatre. Broadway veteran Michael McCormick will succeed Kevin Chamberlin in the role of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, starting February 18, 2019. Hot on his heels, Gizel Jiminez will take over the role Nessarose on March 12. The current Nessarose, Kristen Martin, departs the production on March 10, 2019.
Michael McCormick has a long list of Broadway credentials. His most recent Broadway outing was in the celebrated Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! where he played The Judge and understudied the role of Horace Vandergelder. Other credits of note include Chaplin, Elf, Curtains, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Pajama Game, Marie Christine, Kiss Me, Kate, 1776, Kiss of the Spider Woman, La Bete, and Oliver!. He has also appeared on several TV series including Blue Bloods, Gotham, and House of Cards.
Gizel Jiminez will be making her Broadway debut when she joins the show in March. Off-Broadway credits include Miss You Like Hell, Party People, and Rosario and Gypsies. She has also appeared in a tour of West Side Story.
Both performers will join the show’s current cast which includes Jessica Vosk as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Ryan McCartan as Fiyero, Jesse JP Johnson as Boq, Nancy Opel as Madame Morrible and Jamie Jackson as Doctor Dillamond.
The original Broadway production of Wicked was directed by Joe Mantello with Wayne Cilento providing the choreography. The original cast included Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelly, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, and William Youmans.
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.