WICKED – New Cast Changes!

WICKED, London's "hugely popular musical" (The Times) that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, is pleased to announce that Lee Mead is to play Fiyero at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from Monday 10 May 2010.
 
Lee Mead is currently playing the title role in Oscar Wilde’s Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime on UK tour until 24 April 2010. The enormously popular winner of the BBC series Any Dream Will Do, Lee went on to the play the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre to critical acclaim, winning the 2007 Variety Club Award for ‘Outstanding New Talent’.
 
Lee Mead said in a statement: "I'm really excited to be returning to the West End in this incredible musical. Fiyero is a fantastic part and I'm looking forward to joining Rachel Tucker, Louise Dearman and the brilliant new cast at the Apollo Victoria Theatre".

WICKED Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: "With a wealth of musical theatre experience already under his belt, Lee was, from the outset, the one to watch in the BBC's 'Any Dream Will Do'. His much deserved win and subsequent performance in 'Joseph...'  proved that he was an outstandingly talented leading man. I am really delighted that he has now chosen to make his return to the West End as Fiyero in Wicked alongside a fantastic new cast that will take us into our fifth year".
 
Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Cassandra Compton (Nessarose), Julian Forsyth (Doctor Dillamond), George Ure (Boq) and Nikki Davis-Jones (Elphaba Standby) also join the previously announced Rachel Tucker (Elphaba) and Louise Dearman (Glinda) as part of the new London cast from Monday 29 March 2010. Original London cast member Sarah Earnshaw continues as Glinda Standby.
 
Lee Mead plays Fiyero from Monday 10 May 2010. From Monday 29 March 2010 until Saturday 8 May 2010, the role will be played by Lewis Bradley.
 
From Monday 29 March 2010, WICKED will star: Rachel Tucker (Elphaba), Louise Dearman (Glinda), Lee Mead* (Fiyero), Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Cassandra Compton (Nessarose), Julian Forsyth (Doctor Dillamond), George Ure (Boq), Nikki Davis-Jones (Elphaba Standby), Sarah Earnshaw (Glinda Standby), Alex Louize Bird, Lewis Bradley*, Gareth Chart, Joe Colasanti, Emma Green, Lauren James Ray, Shirley Jameson, Daniel Jones, Jasmine Kerr, Matt Krzan, Sophie Linder-Lee, Danny Mac, Lucy Newton, Sauri Oda, Sean Parkins, Soeli Parry, Michelle Pentecost, Paul Saunders, Niall Sheehy, Tommy Sherlock, Thomas Sutcliffe, Jennifer Tierney, Hannah Toy, Stevie Tate-Bauer, Jack Wilcox and Sam Wilmott.
 
*Lee Mead plays Fiyero from Monday 10 May 2010. From Monday 29 March 2010 until Saturday 8 May 2010, the role will be played by Lewis Bradley.
 
Recently named "Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly and "the defining musical of the decade" by The New York Times, the long-running hit has already been seen by over 2.5 million people in London and taken in excess of £90 million at the UK Box Office. Winner of over 30 international awards, this "cultural phenomenon" (Variety) is also playing in North America (4 productions), Germany, Japan and Australia.

WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and is directed by Joe Mantello. WICKED is based on the novel, Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire.