Written by Maya Cantu
Having suffered a minor injury during a dress rehearsal,
Stephanie J. Block will not defy gravity until March 25th, when she plays her first preview in
Wicked.
The national tour was originally scheduled to open on March 20th, but opening night was pushed back to March 31st so that the show could open with Block as Elphaba. The tour has already commenced at the Canon Theatre in Toronto.
Kristy Cates, who is currently in the Broadway cast of
Wicked and covers the role of Elphaba, has been performing since March 9th as a replacement for the ailing star.
The tour will play at the following locations:
Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts (April 29th-June 12th), Hollywood's Pantages Theatre (June 17th-July 31th), San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre (Aug. 4th-Sept. 11th), The Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Buell Theatre (Sept. 15-Oct. 2), Dallas' Music Hall at Fair Park (Oct. 5th-23rd), Fort Lauderdale's Broward Center (Feb. 8th-19th, 2006) and Philadelphia's Kimmell Center (beginning on March 22nd, 2006).
Wicked's national tour also features
Kendra Kassebaum as Galinda,
David Garrison as the Wizard,
Carol Kane as Madame Morrible, Derrick Williams as Fiyero,
Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose, Logan Lipton as Boq, and
Timothy Britten Parker as Dr. Dillamond.
Block's opening date is hardly the first time she has smeared on the green greasepaint. She workshopped Elphaba and was a standby during the production's San Francisco tryout. The versatile Block is most famous, however, for her acclaimed portrayal of
Liza Minnelli in 2003's
The Boy from Oz; she left one Oz for another in order to take the star-making role.
Her extensive regional credits include roles in
Funny Girl, Oliver!, James Joyce's The Dead, The Grass Harp, Bells Are Ringing and
I Love a Piano, and she was nominated for an L.A. Ovation Award for
Crazy for You.
Wicked's story (based on the
Gregory Maguire novel) of witchcraft and friendship between two misunderstood heroines is a well-known one to most theatregoers. The musical began previews on Broadway on October 8th, 2003, before opening at the Gershwin Theatre on Oct. 30th with
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth,
Norbert Leo Butz and
Joel Grey as the stars. The lavish musical went on to garner 10 Tony nominations, out of which it won 3 (including Best Actress for Menzel).
Wicked's score is by
Stephen Schwartz, and the book by
Winnie Holzman. Joe Mantello directed, and does so again for the tour.
Tickets for the national tour can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1400. More information on
Wicked can be found at
http://www.wickedthemusical.com
