Wicked: to have new Elphaba and Glinda

Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz will assume the roles of 'Elphaba' and 'Glinda,' respectively, in the Broadway cast of Wicked from 27 Sep 2011. They assume the roles from Teal Wicks (Elphaba) and Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda).

Burns and Schwartz come to Broadway directly from Wicked's First National Tour.

Burns appeared on Broadway in 'Hair' where she was a part of the 'Black Boys' trio.' Off-Broadway, she was a member of the original company of 'Rock of Ages.' Burns has performed at many regional theaters and received the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for 'Grand Night For Singing.' She can also be heard on the concept album 'Swept Away' (Disney) and Frank Wildhorn's latest, 'Tears From Heaven,' with Linda Eder.

Schwartz has appeared on Broadway in 'Gypsy' with Bernadette Peters, as 'Penny' in 'Hairspray,' and 'Sharpay' in Disney's 'High School Musical.' In 2007 she was nominated for a Barrymore Award for 'Nerds, the Musical.'

Burns and Schwartz joins a cast which includes Tom McGowan (The Wizard), Kathy Fitzgerald (Madame Morrible), Richard H. Blake (Fiyero), Cristy Cand (Nessarose), Tom Flynn (Doctor Dillamond) and Etai Benshlomo (Boq).

The Broadway musical Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 Oct 2003, following previews from 8 Oct 2003 and is currently selling tickets through to 6 May 2012.

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.

Jackie Burns as Elphaba and Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda