STAGE TUBE Roundup: Meet WICKED's New 'Elphaba' - Willemijn Verkaik

As BroawayWorld previously reported, beginning performances on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, Willemijn Verkaik will make her Broadway debut as Elphaba in the blockbuster musical Wicked. An award-winning actress who has performed the role for more than 1,000 performances in Germany and Holland, Ms. Verkaik will perform the role for a special 15-week engagement. She is currently headlining the Dutch production of Wicked and will play her final performance there on January 11, 2013.

Curious about how the 'Elphaba' veteran will do on Broadway? Check out Verkaik in action below!

"Since opening in 2003, Wicked has truly become a global phenomenon and no one exemplifies the show's international appeal more than Willemijn," said producer David Stone. "As soon as we saw Willemijn's astonishing debut as Elphaba in 2007, we knew we wanted to bring her to New York one day. Happily, that day has arrived. Her performance has thrilled audiences in two major international markets, and we cannot wait to introduce her to Broadway."

Ms. Verkaik will join a cast which currently includes Alli Mauzey as Glinda, Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible, Adam Grupper as The Wizard, Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose, Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond, and F. Michael Haynie as Boq. Jackie Burns, who is currently playing the role of Elphaba, will play her final performance on Sunday, February 10th.

Since 2007, Dutch actress Willemijn Verkaik has performed the role of Elphaba in Wicked for over 1,000 performances in both Germany (Stuttgart and Oberhausen) and Holland. She was awarded the Musicalworld Award for her performance in Wicked and also received the 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Best Musical Actress Award from the German magazine Musical. Her other musical credits include Joop van de Ende's production of the musical Elisabeth; the world premiere of the musical 3 Musketiers; the Dutch Army-Orchestra's Eternity; Killer Queen in We Will Rock You in Cologne; and Amneris in Aida at the Open-Air Theater of Tecklenburg, for which she received the Da Capo Award for Best Musical Performer. She has made numerous concert and television appearances across Europe and can be heard on two Scott Alan albums: Scott Alan: LIVE, which was recorded together with a host of Broadway and international stars including Stephanie J. Block, Sierra Boggess, Jeremy Jordan and Lea Salonga, and What I Want To Be When I Go Up. She can also be heard on the original German cast recording of Wicked. Upon making her Broadway debut, Ms. Verkaik will be the only actress to have performed the role of Elphaba in three languages (Dutch, German, and English).