Lindsay Mendez Will Be WICKED's Next Elphaba, Beginning 5/28

Beginning performances on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, Lindsay Mendez will assume the role of Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked. Ms. Mendez has previously worked with both the composer and director of Wicked, having appeared in the 2011 Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's Godspell, and, more recently, giving a breakout performance in the world premiere musical, Dogfight, staged by Wicked director Joe Mantello.

Ms. Mendez will join a cast which currently includes Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible, Adam Grupper as The Wizard, Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose, F. Michael Haynie as Boq, and John Schiappa as Dr. Dillamond. Willemijn Verkaik, who is currently playing the role of Elphaba, will play her final performance on Sunday, May 26th.

Lindsay Mendez received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical as well as a Drama League nomination for her performance as Rose Fenny in the off-Broadway musical, Dogfight, featuring a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Peter Duchan, and direction by Joe Mantello. Lindsay appeared on Broadway as the "Bless the Lord" soloist in the 2011 Revival of Godspell. Other credits include Everyday Rapture (both on Broadway and in its off-Broadway world premiere), Grease (2007 Broadway revival), and The Marvelous Wonderettes (off-Broadway). She debuted Ryan Scott Oliver's 35MM in NYC at Galapagos Arts Space and recorded the original cast album. Other regional credits include Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living In Paris (TRTC) and Princesses (Goodspeed, 5th Avenue Theatre). Lindsay can be heard in New York City singing jazz and contemporary music with her collaborator, pianist Marco Paguia (www.LMandMP.com). On March 29th, 2013, they made their Lincoln Center debut with the American Songbook series in the Kaplan Penthouse. Their debut album, This Time, will be available digitally and at the Gershwin Theatre on May 28; it will be available on wider distribution July 21.

ABOUT Wicked

Broadway's #1 show for an unprecedented nine consecutive years, Wicked has been declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety and "The Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly. There are currently 7 productions worldwide: New York, London, Japan, Holland, Seoul and two concurrent North American National Tours. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Winner of 35 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

To get tickets and more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com. Wicked is performed at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue.