Michele Lee & Fred Applegate to join cast of Wicked

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

The Broadway company of Wicked is getting set to welcome two new principal cast members at the Gershwin Theatre. Fred Applegate will begin performances as The Wizard on 29 June 2015, whilst two-time Tony and Emmy Award nominee Michele Lee will assume the role of Madame Morrible on 5 July 2015.

PJ Benjamin and Kathy Fitzgerald will play their final performances in those roles on 28 June and 3 July 2015, respectively.

Michele Lee is perhaps best known for her TV role as Karen Mackenzie on CBS' "Knots Landing." Her Broadway credits include 'The Tale of the Allergist's Wife' (Tony nom), 'Seesaw' (Tony nom), 'Bravo Giovanni,' 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,' and 'Vintage '60.'

Fred Applegate last appeared on Broadway in 'The Last Ship.' His other Broadway credits include 'Sister Act,' 'La Cage aux Folles,' 'Young Frankenstein,' 'The Producers,' and 'The Sound of Music.'

The principal cast of Wicked currently includes Caroline Bowman (Elphaba), Kara Lindsay (Glinda), Matt Shingledecker (Fiyero), Arielle Jacobs (Nessarose), Robin De Jesus (Boq), PJ Benjamin (The Wizard), Kathy Fitzgerald (Madame Morrible), and Timothy Britten Parker (Doctor Dillamond).

The Broadway musical Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 October 2003, following previews from 8 October, and is currently selling tickets through to 13 December 2015.

Synopsis: "Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch."

Wicked has music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire.

The musical is directed by Joe Mantello, with choreography by James Lynn Abbott, scene design by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by Tony Meola.

Wicked is produced on Broadway by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone.

Originally published on

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