Elphaba
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Elphaba is the name given to the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway adaptation, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the witch is unnamed and we know little about her life. Elphaba is modeled after the witch as she is shown in the 1939 classic movie The Wizard of Oz: Green-skinned, clad entirely in black, and wearing a tall peaked hat. Maguire formulated the name out of L. Frank Baum's name. L. Frank Baum became El-pha-ba. In both adaptations, Elphaba is also called by several nicknames including Elphie, Fabala, and Fae.
[edit] Life
Although the book and the musical vary, Elphaba is a strong willed character, mocked and gawked at for her green skin since she was a child, and second fiddle to her younger disabled sister, Nessarose. She forms a friendship with the girl who would become Glinda the Good, whilst at Shiz University, where she also meets other friends including Fiyero, who would go on to become her love interest. She is an Animal activist ("Animals" with a capital "A" representing sentient, speaking creatures, including a Goat, Dr. Dillamond, who is one of her teachers), and is outraged when she hears that the Wizard of Oz is behind Animal cruelty incidents in Oz, but upon finding out this information, the Wizard's press secretary, Madame Morrible announces to Oz that Elphaba is a "Wicked Witch" and never to be trusted, and all of her claims were lies, and in fact SHE was an animal cruelty offender.
When a house falls on her sister, Nessarose, Elphaba is grief-stricken, and eager to reclaim her sister's enchanted ruby slippers, which were taken by a farmgirl called Dorothy, who would eventually also believe she killed Elphaba with a bucket of water, (in the book, she succeeds in killing Elphaba in this way). At the end of her life, Elphaba discovers that she was the daughter of the Wizard, which would explain her green skin and her ability to fly and to read the Grimmerie. She goes into denial, though, and sinks into a sort of depression that lasts the rest of her life. The ruby slippers are enchanted by Glinda so that Nessa can stand, sit, and walk without help.
[edit] Musical Cast
In the musical version, the character of Elphaba is currently being played by:
- Julia Murney (Current Broadway)
- Victoria Matlock (Current National Tour)
- Dee Roscioli (Current Chicago)
- Kerry Ellis (Current London)
- Eden Espinosa (Current Los Angeles)
Current Standbys and Understudys:
- Lisa Brescia (Current Broadway Standby)
- Caissie Levy (Current Broadway Understudy)
- Coleen Sexton (Current Tour Standby)
- Marcie Dodd (Current Tour Understudy)
- Shona White (Current London Standby)
- Cassidy Janson (Current London Understudy)
- Carmen Cusack (Current Chicago Standby)
- Dan'yelle Williamson (Current Chicago Understudy)
- Jennifer DiNoia (Current Chicago Understudy)
- Julie Reiber (Current LA Standby)
- Courtney Corey (Current LA Understudy)
Previous Actresses:
- Idina Menzel (Original Broadway, Original London)
- Shoshana Bean (Broadway, US National Tour)
- Eden Espinosa (Broadway, US National Tour, Original Los Angeles)
- Ana Gasteyer (Original Chicago, Broadway)
- Julia Murney (Broadway, US National Tour)
- Stephanie J. Block (Original US National Tour)
- Victoria Matlock (US National Tour)
- Kristy Cates (Chicago)
- Dee Roscioli (Chicago)
- Kerry Ellis (London)
Previous Broadway Standbys/Understudys (Have performed):
- Eden Espinosa (Original Broadway Standby)
- Kristy Cates (Original Broadway Understudy)
- Shoshana Bean (Broadway Standby)
- Brandi Chavonne Massey (Broadway Understudy)
- Saycon Sengbloh (Broadway Standby)
- Caissie Levy (Current Broadway Understudy)
- Lisa Brescia (Current Broadway Standby)
The role of Elphaba in the 30 minute theme park version of Wicked at Universal Studios, Japan, has been played by the following actresses:
- Jemma Stevenson
- Hamada Megumi
- Taylor Jordan
- Jillian Giacchi
