Photo Flash: First Look at Lindsay Mendez & Derek Klena in WICKED!

Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena recently joined the cast of Wicked, assuming the roles of Elphaba and Fiyero. They join a cast which includes Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, 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. Check out a first look at the duo in action below!

Derek Klena makes his Broadway debut in Wicked. He was most recently seen off-Broadway as Eddie Birdlace in Dogfight,directed by Wicked's Joe Mantello and co-starring Lindsay Mendez (Elphaba) at Second Stage Theatre. Prior to that, he portrayed Tommy Ross in Carrie at MCC. Regionally he's been seen in Hairspray (Link), Glory Days (Will), Happy Days (Richie),Cinderella (Prince), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and Big River (Huck).

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.

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.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Lindsay Mendez

Derek Klena

Lindsay Mendez

John Schiappa

Derek Klena, Lindsay Mendez

Katie Rose Clarke, Lindsay Mendez