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Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, ''Wicked''. In the original 1900 L. Frank Baum book ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little is explained about her life. Elphaba is modeled after the Witch portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in the classic 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'': green-skinned, clad entirely in black and wearing a tall peaked hat. Maguire formulated the name "Elphaba" from the phonetic pronunciation of Baum's initials — "L.F.B.". Actresses who have portrayed Elphaba The role was originated on Broadway and in London by Idina Menzel, who won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The role is currently slated to be played by Cynthia Erivo in the upcoming film adaptation of the musical. Actresses billed in the lead role in various productions include: North America Broad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wicked (musical)
''Wicked'' is a 2003 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'', in turn based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation. The show is told from the perspective of, and focuses on, the witches of the Land of Oz; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas. ''Wicked'' tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (later Glinda the Good Witch), whose relationship struggles through their opposing personalities and viewpoints, same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government, and, ultimately, Elphaba's private fall from grace. Produced by Universal Stage Productions, in coalition with Marc Platt, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone, with direction by Joe Mantello and choreog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nessarose
''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' is an American novel published in 1995, written by Gregory Maguire with illustrations by Douglas Smith. It is the first in ''The Wicked Years'' series, and was followed by ''Son of a Witch'' (published in September 2005), ''A Lion Among Men'' (published in October 2008), and ''Out of Oz'' (published in November 2011). In 2003, it was adapted as the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical ''Wicked''. The musical is in the process of being adapted into a feature film. ''Wicked'' is a revisionist exploration of the characters and setting of the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, its sequels, and the 1939 film adaptation. It is presented as a biography of the Wicked Witch of the West, here given the name "Elphaba." The book follows Elphaba from her birth as the result of a rape through her radicalization, social ostracism, and finally her death at the hands of Dorothy Gale. Maguire shows the traditi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kerry Ellis
Kerry Jane Ellis (born 6 May 1979) is an English actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music. Born and raised in Suffolk, Ellis began performing at an early age before training at Laine Theatre Arts from the age of 16. Ellis made her first professional stage appearance in 1998 and went on to make her West End debut in the 2001 revival of ''My Fair Lady'' as an understudy for the role of Eliza Doolittle. In 2002, she landed the role of Meat in the original London cast of ''We Will Rock You'' and has subsequently played lead roles in musicals ''Les Misérables'', ''Wicked'' (in the West End and on Broadway), ''Oliver!'' and ''Cats'' as well as appearing in national tours and concert productions of musicals like ''Miss Saigon'', ''Chess'', ''The War of the Worlds'', ''RENT'', and ''Anything Goes''. Ellis, who has received several awards and nominations for her performances, has become recognised as the First Lady of We ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scarecrow (Oz)
The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old and merely naïve. Throughout the course of the novel, he proves to have the brains he seeks and is later recognized as "the wisest man in all of Oz," although he continues to credit the Wizard for them. He is, however, wise enough to know his own limitations and all too happy to hand the rulership of Oz, passed to him by the Wizard, to Princess Ozma, and become one of her trusted advisors, though he typically spends more time having fun than advising. Character biography In ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' In Baum's classic 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the living scarecrow encounters Dorothy Gale in a field in the Munchkin Country while she is on her way to the Emerald City. He tells her about his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eden Espinosa
Eden Erica Espinosa (born February 2, 1978) is an American actress and singer who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles, and San Francisco productions of the musical ''Wicked''. In 2022, she was nominated for the Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice Performance in a Preschool Animated Program for her role as the Queen of Hearts in ''Alice's Wonderland Bakery''. Education and early career Espinosa was born in Anaheim, California, of Mexican descent. She began singing at the age of three, performing at age five, and recording at the age of ten. At Canyon High School, she played the role of Maria in ''West Side Story''. After graduating, Espinosa worked at local theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios. She was also part of the successful performing group The Young Americans, which is based in Southern California and performs in front of audiences worldwide. Career ''Wicked'' Espinosa made her Broadway debut as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honorific title "Queen of Broadway" for her achievements. Her accolades include an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for three Drama League Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. In 2019, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to live theatre. Menzel rose to prominence as a stage actress in 1996, making her Broadway debut playing Maureen Johnson in the rock musical ''Rent,'' which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. After appearing in several smaller-scale stage and Off-Broadway productions, in 2003 Menzel originated the role of Elphaba in the Broadway musical ''Wicked'', for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shoshana Bean
Shoshana E. Bean (born September 1, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, YouTuber, and stage actress. She has released three records and has appeared on many theater cast recordings and film soundtracks. In 2022, Bean received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Susan Young in ''Mr. Saturday Night''. Early life and education Bean was born in Olympia, Washington to Jeff Bean and Felice Moskowitz, a dance teacher. Bean is Jewish and is an only child. When she was 9 years old, her parents divorced and she moved to the Portland, Oregon area. In 1995, Bean graduated from Beaverton High School. In 1999, Bean received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Career Theatre Shortly after moving to New York City in 2000, Bean was cast in the 2000 Off-Broadway revival of ''Godspell'' at the York Theatre at Saint Peter's Church in Midtown Manhattan. In 2001, Bean per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Wicked Years
''The Wicked Years'' is a series of novels by Gregory Maguire that present a revisionist take on L. Frank Baum's ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', its 1939 film adaptation, and related books. This is a very different and cynical look at Oz than its depictions in the books by L. Frank Baum or the film(s). Unlike the originals, these books are targeted limitedly for mature readers, meaning they are not intended for children. This Oz is beset with many social problems like the discrimination against sentient animals (called Animals in the book) and racial tensions between the various human ethnic groups in Oz. Many of the protagonists in the ''Wizard of Oz'' are presented either as antagonists or neutral. The first book in the series, ''Wicked'', was adapted into a successful musical of the same name. The novels There are four books in the series. In 2021, the author continues with the story with the first novel in a three book series called: "Another Day." The first novel, publ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wicked (2024 Film)
''Wicked: Part One'' (also known as ''Wicked'') is an upcoming epic musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and adapted to the screen by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz from their 2003 stage musical of the same name, which is in turn based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire. The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. It will be the first of a two-part adaptation of the musical, with this film scheduled for release on December 25, 2024, by Universal Pictures. Premise The story of how a green-skinned woman framed by the Wizard of Oz becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Cast * Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba * Ariana Grande as Glinda * Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero * Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard * Ethan Slater as Boq * Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible * Marissa Bode as Nessarose * Bowen Yang as Pfannee * Bronwyn James as ShenShen * Keala Settle as Miss Coddle * Aaron Teoh as Avaric * Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik Production Development In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wicked Witch Of The West
The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent ''Oz'' novels, it is the Nome King who is the principal villain; the Wicked Witch of the West is rarely even referred to again after her death in the first book. The witch's most popular depiction was in the classic 1939 film based on Baum's novel, where she was portrayed by Margaret Hamilton. Hamilton's characterization introduced green skin and this has been continued in later literary and dramatic representations, including Gregory Maguire's revisionist ''Oz'' novel '' Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' (1995) and its musical stage adaptation ''Wicked'' (2003), the 2013 film '' Oz the Great and Powerful'', and the television series '' Once Upon a Time'' and ''Emerald City''. In Baum's books The Wicked Witch of the West is the malevolent ruler of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julia Murney
Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway. This was because her fame came mostly from her performances on the Broadway charity circuit, and not traditional Broadway productions. She played the role of Elphaba in the musical ''Wicked'', both on the US national tour (2006) and on Broadway (2007). She is also a two-time Drama Desk Award nominee, for '' The Wild Party'' (2000) and ''Falling'' (2013). Early life The daughter of actor Christopher Murney and Anne Murney, Murney was named after the song "Julia" from The Beatles ''White Album''. She has a younger sister, Caitlin (born 1977), who is a film producer and lives in LA and younger brother, Patrick (born 1987), who is an actor and graduated from Syracuse University with a drama degree in 2009. Murney attended the High School of Music & ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ana Gasteyer
Ana Kristina Gasteyer (born May 4, 1967) is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1996 to 2002. She has since starred in such sitcoms as ABC's ''Suburgatory,'' TBS's '' People of Earth'', NBC's ''American Auto'', and the film ''Mean Girls''. Early life Gasteyer was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Mariana Roumell-Gasteyer, an artist, and Phil Gasteyer, a lobbyist who later became the mayor of Corrales, New Mexico. Gasteyer grew up on Capitol Hill, three blocks from the Capitol. Her maternal grandparents were Romanian and Greek. She graduated from Sidwell Friends School. She enrolled as a music major at Northwestern University, and graduated from Northwestern University School of Communication in 1989. Career Gasteyer developed comedy experience with the Los Angeles improv – sketch comedy group The Groundlings. She played small roles on ''Seinfeld'' (as a doomed customer of The Soup Nazi) as well as on the sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
