Wicked: Tom McGowan is Broadway's new Wizard

Tom Mcgowan joins the Broadway company of Wicked as 'The Wizard' on 3 May 2011, assuming the role from P.J. Benjamin

Mcgowan's was nominated for a Tony for his role as 'Valere' in 'La Bete (1991), other Broadway credits include Chicago (Amos) and Ivanov (Mikhail Borkin). Off-Broadway credits include 'The Food Chain' (Obie Award), 'The Winter's Tale' and 'Coriolanus.'

Mcgowan's TV credits include: 'Kenny' on "Frasier," 'Bernie' on "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Desperate Housewives," "Brothers & Sisters," "CSI," "Hot in Cleveland," "Boston Legal," "ER" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Film: "The Birdcage," "Heavyweights," "Ghost World," "Bad Santa," "As Good As It Gets," "Bean, Family Man," "Twelve and Holding," "Mrs. Parker," "Sleepless in Seattle."

Mcgowan joins a cast which includes Teal Wicks (Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda), Kathy Fitzgerald (Madame Morrible), Richard H. Blake (Fiyero), Jenny Fellner (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 26 Feb 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.

Tom Mcgowan