| Teal Wicks | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982/1983 (age 29–30)[1] Sacramento, California |
| Alma mater | UC Irvine |
| Occupation | singer, actress |
Teal Wicks (born September 8th 1982/1983[1] in Sacramento, California) is an American singer and stage actress, best known for her performance as Elphaba in the Broadway, San Francisco, and Los Angeles productions of the musical Wicked.
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Wicks attended Natomas High School in Sacramento.[1] She graduated UC Irvine in 2005 with a degree in Drama and Honors in Musical Theatre.[2] She was active in the UCI Theatre program, and had lead roles in productions including Chicago, Hair, and Cabaret. She is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at UCI.
On May 12, 2011, Wicks was feted by the UCI Alumni Association along with other distinguished individuals during the 41st annual Lauds & Laurels ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. She was conferred the honor of Distinguished Alumna of the Claire Trevor School Of The Arts.[3]
Wicks was cast as the standby for Elphaba in the Los Angeles production of the musical Wicked during the fall of 2007, after six auditions for multiple roles with several Wicked productions. She officially took over the standby role on January 1, 2008, with her first performance taking place on January 9. On May 13, 2008, she was offered to take over the lead role of Elphaba from Caissie Levy in the Los Angeles production.
During her five months as Elphaba, she performed alongside Megan Hilty, Erin Mackey, Laura Woyasz and Emily Rozek in the role of Glinda. Her final performance was on October 28, 2008. Original Los Angeles castmember Eden Espinosa replaced Wicks in the role three days later. Wicked Los Angeles closed on January 11, 2009, and was one of the most financially successful musicals in Los Angeles theatre history.
Wicked co-creator Stephen Schwartz said in a 2009 interview that his team had assembled an "all-star line-up, in terms of people who have really done a good job and scored very well in their roles in these other cities." for the newly planned San Francisco production of Wicked. Wicks was chosen to originate the role of Elphaba, and co-lead Kendra Kassebaum was chosen to originate the role of Glinda.[4] The San Francisco production opened on February 6, 2009.
Both Wicks and the San Francisco production received critical acclaim, including:
The SF Chronicle:[5]
"This Sacramento native (Wicks) is dynamite in the talent department, with a soaring singing voice and a way of balancing her character's vulnerability and wickedness. It's the performance that really defines this particular production."
The Contra Costa Times:[6]
"The cast, particularly Wicks and Kassebaum, is outstanding. The two leads are flat-out incredible, with voices that must be heard to be believed and acting chops that squeeze every bit of nuance out of the material created"
The SF Examiner:[7]
"Teal Wicks plays the role with incredible heart, showing with both subtlety and all-out emotion how the slighted girl born with green skin is simply misunderstood."
Wicks performed during the production with both Academy Award winner Patty Duke and Emmy Award winner Carol Kane, both as Madame Morrible. Wicks also performed alongside Natalie Daradich and Libby Servais (standbys) and Alexa Green (understudy) as Glinda. Wicks was on leave from the production from the end of March until early May 2009, during which the role was covered by Vicki Noon.
The Wicked San Francisco production was seen by nearly one million people during its first year, according to The Best of Broadway, and averaged over $1.0 million in weekly grosses at the box office, according to Variety Magazine. Wicked was named "Musical of the Decade" during 2009 by Entertainment Weekly.
Wicks played her final performance as Elphaba on February 28, 2010, after performing the role over 500 times during a two year period between the Los Angeles and San Francisco productions. Eden Espinosa once again replaced her, the first being in L.A.
Wicks' performance in San Francisco won her many fans and inspired the San Francisco-based Wicked fan group known as "the TWickies" (the name coming from "T.Wicks"). The TWickies were die-hard fans of Wicked in San Francisco even after Wicks' departure and remain loyal followers of her career today.[8]
Wicks was chosen as the "Favorite Elphaba", among all the actresses who have played the role, in an online February 2010 poll with over 65,000 voters.[9]
An online poll was conducted on December 2010 to vote for Who is the "Wicked" Personality of the Year. Wicks has been awarded after winning the poll with over 20,000 votes (42%) leading by almost 8,000 votes.[10]
Wicks most recently appeared in the Broadway production of Wicked in the lead role of Elphaba. She made her Broadway debut on February 1, 2011 replacing Mandy Gonzalez in the role.[11] Wicks departed the role on September 25th, along with co-star Katie Rose Clarke. They were succeeded by Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz.[12] Teal performed the role on Broadway for nearly 8 months, whereas Clarke will have appeared as Glinda for nearly two years.
Wicks was named Broadway's Hottest Girl 2011 along side Aaron Tveit as Broadway's Hottest Guy 2011 in an online poll, over 10,000 votes were cast.[13]
Wicks performed in the lead role of Catherine for the 2006-2007 National Tour of Stephen Schwartz's musical, Pippin,[14] a role that she also reprised at the Goodspeed Opera House.
From December 2010 through January 8, 2011, Wicks was playing the role of Maria in American Repertory Theater's The Blue Flower. According to A.R.T. "The Blue Flower rides the twisted rails of history and the tangled love interests of three artists and a scientist, from Paris during the Belle Epoque, through the battlefields of the Great War and beyond."
It is inspired by the lives of historical figures Max Beckmann, Franz Marc, Hannah Höch, and Marie Curie.[15][16]
This is the first and so far only musical that Stephen Schwartz is producing. According to Schwartz "The Blue Flower is the most creative and original piece of musical theater that I have ever encountered in my life. The story is beautiful, relevant, and compelling for our times. The music is amazingly accessible." And when asked about his producing venture he replied "Yes. It’s my first and probably my only one. In other words, I am doing this not because I want to be a producer, but because this particular show is something that I believe in and want to bring to other people."[17]
Wicks has been receiving rave reviews, including
TheaterMania:[18]
"Meanwhile, it's Marie's loss of Franz that occupies the emotional core of the story. Wicks, though herself young and fresh, manages to plumb several lifetimes' worth of sorrow in her two laments: "Eiffel Tower" (about the Parisian idyll that Marie and Franz will never get to enjoy) and "(Let It) Slide through Your Hands" (a moving ballad that touches on the acceptance that death forces upon us). As she sings, you may have the sensation that, for one profound moment suspended in time, all around you are steeped in their own memories of loved ones now lost."
The Patriot Ledger:[19]
"And I’m recommending that they just round up this cast and take them into a studio to create a cast recording. The voices are beautiful, led by the remarkable gifts of Wicks, who produces a sweet and soulful sound. Her “(Let It) Slide Through Your Hands” is a tender and touching highlight of the show."
Dig Boston:[20]
"Lucas Kavner and Teal Wicks as the war-torn lovers Franz and Maria make the tragic story palpable and supremely moving."
Boston Globe:[21]
"The songs that work best are the ones that speak most directly. Wicks and Kavner team up for “Love,’’ a touching duet, and Wicks delivers a wrenchingly heartfelt version of “Eiffel Tower,’’ in which she mourns the dead Franz: “Each day is like no other/ No century like another/ In a river every moment passing new/ This day was like no other/ I climbed the Eiffel Tower/ And saw the rooftops from the angel’s view.’’"
Boston Herald:
"... we ache for her when Wicks lets loose on the gorgeous ballad “Eiffel Tower.”"
Wicks was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Maria by the 2011 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) in February 2011.[22] She was also nominated for Outstanding Musical Performance at the 2011 Elliot Norton Awards which recognize excellence in Greater Boston Theater.[23][24] Although she did not win the individual award, The Blue Flower took home the Best Musical award plus five others during IRNE award ceremonies held on April 25, 2011 at the Boston for the Arts Cyclorama.[25] The show also took home Outstanding Local Musical Production and Outstanding Design (Large Theater) at the Elliot Norton Awards held last May 23, 2011.[26][27]
Wicks reprises her role as Maria in an Off-Broadway production of The Blue Flower at Second Stage Theatre fall of 2011. Previews began on October 14 and opened on November 9. Her co-stars are Meghan McGeary who also reprised her role, Marc Kudisch, Sebastian Arcelus, Joseph Medeiros, Julia Osborne, Graham Rowat and Aaron Serotsky. The show runs till November 27, 2011.[28][29]
Reviews:
Back Stage:[30]
"Wicks soars on the moving Act 1 closer, "Eiffel Tower," in which Maria deals with Franz's death" "I particularly loved an icy, regimented Charleston danced by a grieving black-clad Maria"
Variety:[31]
"Teal Wicks, a replacement Elphaba in "Wicked," is a wonderful find as Maria; she closes the first act with an exquisite solo, "Eiffel Tower," and combines well with Arcelus for "Love.""
The Official Blog of the Arts Initiative at Columbia University:[32]
"I have to say, though, as far as singing goes, Teal Wicks absolutely stole the show with this virtuosic performance. Overall, head voice, chest voice & mix are each beautifully developed in Ms. Wicks, but the truly impressive part is how effortlessly she weaves back and forth between them. Sometimes I heard elements of all three registrations at different points within the same word. She has truly mastered the many facets of her voice, and it is that facility that allows her to be as expressive as she is. With an instrument as refined and capable as hers, she can fully embody musical phrases with all the subtext and emotion of the composer & lyricist’s intentions. She has a myriad of vocal tools at her disposal and is a true virtuoso with each one. It is not every day that I see singers with such versatility and mastery of the subtleties of the human voice. I’m certain we can expect many more great things from Ms. Wicks in the future."
New York Times:[33]
"Teal Wicks, as Maria, sings with an expressiveness and richness of tone that enchants"
Time Out New York:[34]
"Wicks is poised to emerge as a major star"
History News Network:[35]
"The strength of The Blue Flower is the talented ensemble cast of Sebastian Arcelus (Franz), Marc Kudisch (Max), Meghan McGeary (Hannah) and Teal Wicks (Maria). They are good actors and good singers (especially Wicks). Wicks sings a soulful ballad at the end of act one, from on top of the Eiffel Tower, that’s dazzling.... The songs have a familiar ring to each other, but Wicks’ act one sendoff is a gem, as are a few powerful ballads in act one."
In 2006, Wicks performed in the New York Premier of Fahrenheit 451 as Clarisse.[36] In 2007, she appeared in the New York City Center Encores! production of Stairway to Paradise[37]. Wicks originated the role of Turandot in the World Premier of Turandot: The Rumble for the Ring at the Bay Street Theatre.[38][39] She also appeared in 1776 as Martha Jefferson at the Goodspeed Opera House.[40][41] She was also involved in the reading of The $trip, a dance musical which features music and lyrics by Lance Horne.[42]
In between her engagements with Wicked LA and SF, Wicks participated in a workshop for Prometheus Bound in New York, playing the role of "Io". Prometheus Bound is a rock-infused musical from Spring Awakening's Tony-winning lyricist and book writer Steven Sater.[43]
Wicks starred in Most Likely to Die: A Slasher Musical, a part of New York Musical Theatre Festival's 2010 Developmental Series.[44]
| Start Date | Production | Role | Notes and Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 14, 2011 - November 27, 2011 | The Blue Flower | Maria |
|
| February 1, 2011 - September 25, 2011 | Wicked | Elphaba |
|
| July 28, 2011 | Wired | Evelyn/Princess |
|
| June 2011 | Home Front |
|
|
| December 1, 2010 - January 8, 2011 | The Blue Flower | Maria |
|
| October 14, 2010 | NYMF's Most Likely to Die: A Slasher Musical | Jenny |
|
| January 2009 - February 2010 | Wicked | Elphaba |
|
| December 2008 | Prometheus Bound | IO |
|
| May/October 2008 | Wicked | Elphaba |
|
| January/May 2008 | Wicked | Standby for Elphaba |
|
| 2007 | 1776 | Martha Jefferson | |
| 2007 | Turandot: Rumble for the Ring | Turandot |
|
| 2007 | Stairway to Paradise | Ensemble | |
| March 15 – 18, 2007 | Nerve Ensemble's The $trip | Bride |
|
| 2006–2007 | Pippin | Catherine | |
| April 1–2, 2006 | Waiting on the Z Train | Madison |
|
| March 16 - April 23, 2006 | Fahrenheit 451 (NY Premiere) | Clarisse |
|
| School of Jesus Fish | Franny |
|
|
| The House of Bernarda Alba | Adela |
|
|
| Hair | Shelia | ||
| Cabaret | Sally Bowles | ||
| Chicago | Velma | ||
| Romeo and Juliet | Soloist/Rosaline | ||
| Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal |
|
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2007 | Justin Bond (They Long to be) Close To You [47] | The Zipper Factory |
| October 15, 2007 | "Performers For Peace" a benefit concert in support of: Physicians for Peace and Collaborative Play Productions | Triad in NY |
| September 25, 2008 | The House of Blues Sunset Strip presents LANCE HORNE & THE ONE NIGHT STANDS | Foundation Room at the House of Blues |
| May 19, 2008 | Art4Life 2 | Avalon Hollywood |
| February 22, 2009 | 29th Annual Academy of Friends Gala A Night of Superheroes, Villains, & Divas | Fort Mason Center, San Francisco |
| October 26, 2009 | Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert | Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco |
| December 7, 2009 | REAF "One Night Only" Holiday Cabaret | J'LaChic Theatre San Francisco |
| January 8, 2010 | Family Violence Prevention Fund | Presidio, San Francisco |
| January 25, 2010 | The Women of Wicked: In Conversation and Song[48] | Museum of Performance & Design (MPD) |
| February 8, 2010 | REAF "All You Need Is Love 2" | Marines Memorial Theatre, San Francisco |
| October 2, 2010 | UCI "A Celebration of Stars - The 2010 Medal Awards"[49] | Bren Events Center, UC Irvine |
| February 28, 2011 | NewMusicalTheatre.com LIVE[50] | Canal Room |
| March 28, 2011 | Drew Gasparini at Joe's Pub[51] | Joe's Pub |
| May 16, 2011 | "NEO7" A Concert Celebration Of Emerging Musical Theatre Writers Benefiting The York Theatre Company[52][53] | York Theatre, NY |
| June 27, 2011 | Prospect Theater Company's benefit "Make Our Garden Grow"[54] | Battery Gardens, Harbor View Room |
| August 4, 2011 | 106.7 Lite fm Presents Broadway in Bryant Park 2011[55] | Bryant Park, NY |
| October 3, 2011 | Fall Into The Nova - Ars Nova's Benefit To Support Emerging Artists | Ars Nova Theater |
| Date | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 7, 2011 | MTV's The Seven | Herself | A Wicked backstage tour with Jay Manuel of America's Next Top Model |
| March 18, 2011 | NBC's In The Wings | Herself | Premiere Episode |
| Date | Title | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2011 | You Never Heard My Song | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | Comes And Goes | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | Deeply Blue | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | I Know He's Out There | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |