Former I’d Do Anything finalist Rachel Tucker is to continue playing Wicked’s leading witch Elphaba into 2012.
Tucker and current Madame Morrible, Julie Legrand, have extended their contracts with the Oz-set musical into the new year.
Fellow cast members Louise Dearman (Glinda), Mark Evans (Fiyero), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Julian Forsyth (Dr Dillamond), Zoe Rainey (Nessarose) and Ben Stott (Boq) will wave goodbye to the Emerald City, munchkins and flying monkeys on 10 December. New casting is yet to be announced.
Speaking about his leading lady, Wicked’s UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: “Since first joining our cast in March 2010, Rachel has thrilled audiences and critics alike with her powerful and passionate performance as Elphaba. We are all absolutely thrilled that Rachel has now decided to continue leading the company with her extraordinary professionalism and great dedication to the role – we couldn’t be more proud of her success.”
Wicked is set in the magical land of Oz, but tells a very different story to the on e made famous by L Frank Baum’s stories and the famous musical. Instead it tells of how an unusually green-skinned girl became the Wicked Witch of the West while her perky blonde schoolmate became Glinda the Good.
Since opening in the West End in 2006 it has been seen by nearly four million theatregoers and won the 2010 Olivier Audience Award, the only Olivier Award to be decided by public vote.
MA