Kate Reinders Joins Broadway's Wicked as Glinda, May 30

Kate Reinders, who originated the role of Glinda in the Chicago production of Wicked, will join the Broadway company of the smash-hit musical at the Gershwin Theatre (222 W. 51st St.) beginning Tuesday, May 30; she replaces Megan Hilty as the popular witch.

The Broadway production of Wicked currently features Eden Espinosa as Elphaba, David Garrison as The Wizard, Carol Kane as Madame Mirrible, Derrick Williams as Fiyero, Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose, Sean McCourt as Dr. Dillamond and Robb Sapp as Boq.

Reinders played Glinda to Ana Gasteyer's Elphaba in the original cast of Chicago's Wicked. She was previously seen on Broadway in Good Vibrations, Gypsy, starring Bernadette Peters and directed by Sam Mendes, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the 2002 revival of Into the Woods.

Wicked, winner of 15 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, 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 Witch."

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the show boasts music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin) and a book by Winnie Holzman ("My So Called Life"). The show is directed by Tony award winner Joe Mantello (Assassins, Take Me Out) with musical staging by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who's Tommy). Wicked features sets by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee (Sweeney Todd), costumes by Tony Award-winner Susan Hilferty (Into the Woods), lighting by Kenneth Posner (Hairspray) and sound design by Tony Meola (The Lion King).

Wicked opened on Broadway (where it continues to sell out each night) on October 30th, 2003 with Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as the respective green and pink witches. Julia Murney  and Kendra Kassebaum star in the national tour that is currently circling the country, while Kristy Cates and Stacie Morgain Lewis headline the smash Chicago production. The London production of Wicked, starring Menzel, opens in September.

For more information on Wicked, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.