Wednesday, August 8

Details of new Wicked! Cast Members

There are a number of cast changes in Wicked! coming up when principals Matt Willis, Rachel Tucker, Julie Legrand, Adam Pettigrew, Lillie Flynn, Nikki Davis-Jones Chloe Taylor leave on 27th October.

It has already been announced that Louise Dearman is joining the company as Elphaba and other new cast members from 29th October include:

Ben Freeman (Fiyero) is best known as Scott Windsor in Emmerdale, a character he played for almost 10 years from 1998. Prior to Emmerdale, he starred for 4 years as Chris Longworth in Grange Hill.  He made his stage debut  as Friedrich in the national tour of the The Sound of Musi starring Christopher Cazenove. His starring roles in the West End include Warner Huntington III in Legally Blonde and Norman in Dreamboats and Petticoats (also on national tour). His recent theatre roles include George in Same Time, Next Year (Jersey Arts Centre) and Callum in the national tour of The Chosen Ones. His presenting credits include Wake Up in the Wild Room and Smash Hits Roadshow for the Disney Channel.

Louise Plowright (Madame Morrible) created the role of Tanya in the original London production of Mamma Mia! for which she received an Olivier Award nomination. Louise then went on to play the lead role of Donna for 4 years.  Her most recent theatre roles have included Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! and Maggie Jones in 42nd Street, both at Chichester Festival Theatre; and Baroness Bomburst in the national tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. On television, her major roles have included: hairdresser Julie Cooper in Eastenders, from 1989 to 1990, Linda Harvey in Kay Mellor's Families; and Michelle Thorn in Footballers' Wives: Extra Time.

Sam Lupton (Boq) has recently finished playing the lead roles of Princeton/Rod in the UK tour of Avenue Q. His other theatre credits include: Greg in Single Sex and Gena Hamlet in Galka Motalka (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester); Harry’ in Love On The Dole and Young Collector/Sailor in A Streetcar Named Desire (Bolton Octagon). He also appeared in the TMA award-wining production of The Hired Man (Bolton Octagon). Sam will make his West End debut in Wicked.

Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose) returns to Wicked having originated the role of Nessarose at the Apollo Victoria Theatre back in 2006, starring alongside Idina Menzel, Adam Garcia, Miriam Margolyes and Nigel Planer. She created the role of Sister Mary Roberts in Sister Act at the London Palladium and played Belle in the national tour of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Her many other roles have included: Janet in the 30th Anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show; Sandy in Grease and Swallow in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down The Wind.

Hayley Gallivan (Standby Elphaba) played Martha in the London premiere of the award-winning musical Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith and in the West End at the Novello Theatre. She also starred as Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Donmar, directed by Jamie Lloyd, and as Jan in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre. Hayley is currently appearing in Ragtime and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Open Air Theatre Regents Park.

Lucy van Gasse (Standby Glinda) most recently starred as Eileen opposite Connie Fisher in the national tour of Wonderful Town. She made her West End debut in the original cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies when she covered and played the role of Christine DaaĆ©. Lucy also performed as part of the classical group Amici Forever in the UK and abroad.

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