Lisa Howard Will Join The National Tour Of WICKED as Madame Morrible

Lisa Howard will take over the role of Madame Morrible in the National Tour of Wicked, beginning performances tomorrow February 1, 2022 at Centennial Hall in Tucson, AZ. Ms. Howard replaces Sharon Sachs who will assume the role on Broadway direct from the National Tour.

A graduate of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Lisa Howard's Broadway credits include Escape to Margaritaville; It Shoulda Been You (Drama Desk Award nominee); Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; 9 to 5; South Pacific and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, (numerous Drama Desk Awards). Ms. Howard was in the National tour of Les Misérables. Her numerous film and television credits include The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2; indie thriller Decay; "Ugly Betty;" "Power;" "Madame Secretary;" "The Good Fight" and "The Gilded Age." Her two solo albums "Songs of Innocence and Experience" and "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" are available on all digital platforms.

Ms. Howard joins a cast which currently includes Talia Suskauer as Elphaba, Allison Bailey as Glinda, Tony Award winner Cleavant Derricks as The Wizard, Clifton Davis as Doctor Dillamond, Amanda Fallon Smith as Nessarose, Jordan Litz as Fiyero and DJ Plunkett as Boq. Travante S. Baker, Anthony Lee Bryant, Nick Burrage, Jordan Casanova, Matt Densky, Marie Eife, Ryan Patrick Farrell, Sara Gonzales, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Megan Loomis, Ryan Mac, Alida Michal, Jennafar Newberry, Alicia Newcom, David Scott Purdy, Jackie Raye, Rebecca Gans Revis, Andy Richardson, Jenna Nicole Schoen, Wayne Schroder, Paul Schwensen, Ben Susak and Justin Wirick round out the ensemble. Natalia Vivino is the Elphaba Standby.

Currently the 5th longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked is the winner of over 100 international awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. Since opening in 2003, Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland and China) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese. Wicked has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide and has amassed over $5 billion in global sales.

In addition to the Broadway production, Wicked in North America has enjoyed unprecedented record-breaking sit-down engagements in Chicago, where it ran for nearly four years; Los Angeles, where it ran for two years; and San Francisco, where it ran for nearly two years, as well as two North American Tours.

The Broadway sensation Wicked 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, who is 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," and by Time Magazine as "a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage." NBC Nightly News calls the hit musical "the most successful Broadway show ever."

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 Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

For more information about Wicked, please visit www.WickedTheMusical.com.