Katelyn Fiorini & Delaney Amatrudo: Two Superfans Talk About the Whole WICKED Phenomenon

Anne Brummel and Tiffany Haas, the two actresses playing Elphaba and Glinda in the national tour of Wicked - which will be calling Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall home October 19-November 6 - might be advised to keep an eye cast over their talented shoulders on lookout for Delaney Amatrudo and Katelyn Fiorini, two Nashville actresses and Wicked superfans, each of whom has her sights on claiming one of the two iconic roles sometime, somewhere in the future.

In short, Katelyn Fiorini and Delaney Amatrudo are just two of the people responsible for making the whole Wicked phenomenon so, well, phenomenal. With the national tour making its way to Nashville for a second stand - the production played TPAC's Jackson Hall in 2009, setting records and winning even more fans for the musical, which features a score by Stephen Schwartz and  a book by Winnie Holtzman, based on Gregory Maguire's novel that tells the story of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz from a different perspective - the two young women took time to catch us up on their devotion to Wicked, which might give you a whole new outlook on the theatrical juggernaut that is so much more than just another day at the theater.

With both Fiorini and Amatrudo already looking toward careers in the theater - Fiorini is pursuing her BFA in musical theatre at the widely respected Belmont University and Amatrudo is an always-busy (and always onstage) member of Nashville's burgeoning theater community - the possibility of seeing  either or both of them headlining a cast of Wicked is very real. It makes sense: both young women fall squarely into Wicked's most devoted fan demographic (although females 16-21 don't comprise the only sub-genre of Wicked superfans, they are perhaps the most fanatical), they both love musical theater and they both identify with the musical's story of friendship surviving the most difficult of circumstances.

When did you first fall in love with Wicked? 

Katelyn Fiorini: I fell in love with Wicked six years ago, when I was 15. 

Delaney Amatrudo: I think I first fell in love with Wicked when I received the cast album for Christmas when I was in fourth grade.

How many times have you seen the show?

Amatrudo: I've seen the show five times: twice on Broadway, once in Ft. Lauderdale, and twice in Nashville the last time it was here.

Fiorini: I have seen the show five times. I first saw it in Los Angeles in 2007 (featuring American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, in the ensemble!), then in Los Angeles in 2008, Jacksonville (tour) in 2008, Nashville (tour) in 2009, and Chicago (tour) in 2011. One additional time, my parents saw the show without me, but my mother called me and I was able to listen to the show live over the cell phone.  I know that's probably not exactly legal, but I loved the show so much it didn't even matter to me. After the show, my parents went to the stage door and I got to speak to Megan Hilty (Glinda) over the phone.

Why do you love the show so much?
Fiorini: Wicked is more than just a show to me. Every time I see it or listen to the recording, it makes me forget about reality.

Amatrudo: It's really hard to pinpoint just why I love it so much. Obviously, the music is gorgeous. And the story speaks to me on so many levels. And, to me, it's a wonderful representation of the direction musical theatre is going. It's just a great piece of theatre for the next generation.

Do your friends love the show as much as you?

Fiorini: Yes!  However, they're not near as psycho about it as I am! One time I even talked my friend into painting herself green so we could go as Glinda and Elphaba to a costume party.

Amatrudo: Since my obsession started when I was nine, I was a little ahead of the game when it came to the Wicked bandwagon. However, I made it a goal to get my close friends as hooked on the show as I am. But nonetheless, I think I'm still the most passionate Wicked fan amongst my friends.

Which character do you most identify with - and why?

Fiorini: Definitely Glinda. I love shoes, just like she does! I actually plan on being Glinda in her Shiz University uniform for Halloween this year! It will be my fifth time dressing up as Glinda. Most of all, I strive to do good and to be a good example to others. 

Amatrudo: I most identify with Elphaba, hands down. I was able to cling to the lessons I'd learned from her character throughout those dreadful middle school years in which I felt so different and alienated from my classmates. Elphaba is this strong girl with these secret talents, immense drive and strong sense of justice and compassion. Her ability to overcome all of the challenges of her existence is overwhelmingly inspiring.

What's your favorite song from the score?

Fiorini: Oh dear...do I have to pick just one? Ok, well I would have to say "No One Mourns the Wicked," the opening number. Every time I listen to it I get butterflies, because I associate the song with being excited at the beginning of the show. There's no feeling like the one I get when I hear the first few bars of the overture.

Amatrudo: Picking my favorite Wicked song is like picking your favorite child...I love singing all of Elphaba's music, specifically "The Wizard and I," "No Good Deed," "Defying Gravity" and "I'm Not That Girl." Yeah, I basically love them all.

What is it about the show that makes it resonate so deeply for audiences, in general, and for you, in particular?

Fiorini: Wicked is more than just a show to me. It is a dream, it's magical, it's just purely beautiful. My dream is to someday play Glinda, and the show reflects my dreams and goals like nothing else on this earth. 

Amatrudo: I think it's a really powerful depiction of the new look of musical theatre. It's also such an original take on such a well-loved story, that you can't help but find it interesting.

What's your funniest or most interesting Wicked anecdote?

Fiorini: The second time I saw Wicked in Los Angeles, it was raining a little after the show. We went to the stage door, and the man told us there was not going to be a meet and greet that night. I really wanted Megan Hilty to sign the Glinda wand I just bought at the Ozdust Boutique. My father went and talked to the man, who happened to be Megan Hilty's bodyguard. Dad told him that we came all the way from Florida to see Megan in the show again, and if there was any way I could meet her again and get an autograph, it would be wonderful. The man talked to Megan when she came out, making sure it was ok with her to stay for a few minutes.  The man came back and said, "I'm going to let you guys meet her. I know you're not lying to me, because no one from here talks like you all." So our southern accents saved us! It was a wonderful experience and Megan gave me some of the greatest advice I've ever received on pursuing a musical theatre career, "Be good to everyone.  That's the best advice I can give you."

Amatrudo:  I don't really have a funny story. I do have a series of interesting stories, though! For example, the first time I saw the show on Broadway, my dad had a friend who was friends with the head of the show's publicity department, so we pulled some strings and I wound up being able to tour the backstage area. I got to meet Megan Hilty and David Ayers. And it was glorious.

But I do have a serious story: Wicked was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, and by the end of the show the first time I saw it, I was literally in tears. I don't think I was crying because of the show itself, I was just genuinely sad to see it end. As I walked out of the Gershwin Theatre that night, I distinctly remember how jealous I was of Shoshana Bean because she got to play Elphaba every night. I turned to my dad and told him that, from then on, I wanted to be onstage, and I've been working towards that goal ever since. To this day, Elphaba remains my dream role.

Wicked begins performances October 19 and runs through November 6 at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall. Performance times are as follows: Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (with the inclusion of one Thursday matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. on October 20); Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:00 p.m and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $50-$160.  For the best available seats, please search weeknight performances. For details, visit www.tpac.org.

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