Wicked: Lenny Wolpe is to be the new Wizard in Oz

Lenny Wolpe will play the Wizard of Oz in the Broadway msical Wicked from 10 Jul 2007. He asumes the role from David Garrison who leaves the show on 8 Jul 2007.

Wolpe created the role of The Wizard in the original LA workshops production of the musical. He was most recently seen in The Drowsy Chaperone where he created the character of Feldzieg. Wolpe made his Broadway debut in Onward Victoria (1980). His other Boadway credits include Copperfield (1981), Mayor (1985), Into the Light (1986) and The Sound of Music (1998 revival).

Wolpe joins a cast which currently includes Julia Murney as Elphaba, Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda, David Garrison as The Wizard, Jayne Houdyshell as Madame Morrible, Sebastian Arcelus as Fiyero, Cristy Candler as Nessarose, Logan Lipton as Boq, and Steven Skybell as Dr. Dillamond.

Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on the 30 Oct 2003, following previews from 8 Oct 2003, and is currently booking through to 20 Apr 2008.

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.