Further cast changes in Wicked from 9 June 2008

Further cast changes in Wicked from 9 June 2008

Further cast changes have been announced in WICKED at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from Monday 9 June 2008, including Caroline Keiff as Nessarose and Jeremy Legat as Boq.

As previously mentioned, joining the cast from Monday 9 June 2008 are Alexia Khadime as Elphaba and Desmond Barrit as The Wizard.

Harriet Thorpe joins the company from Monday 14 April 2008 as Madame Morrible.

Current cast members Dianne Pilkington (Glinda), Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero), Andy Mace (Doctor Dillamond) and Sarah Earnshaw (Standby Glinda) have all extended their contracts and continue in their roles.

Original cast member Caroline Keiff takes over the role of Nessarose and current cast member Ashleigh Gray becomes Standby Elphaba from Monday 9 June 2008.

Nigel Planer (The Wizard), James Gillan (Boq) and Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose) will play their final performances on Saturday 7 June 2008. Cassidy Janson (Standby Elphaba) also departs the musical on the same date.

Kerry Ellis (Elphaba) will temporarily leave the London production on Saturday 7 June 2008 to recreate her role on Broadway, returning from Monday 1 December 2008.

WICKED opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre 27 Sep 2006, following previews from 7 Sep - to reasonable notices from the popular press: THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Remarkable kaleidoscope of magical shocks, surprises and sensations. Wicked works like a dream."THE INDEPENDENT says, "I enjoyed very little. " THE GUARDIAN says, "Efficient, knowing and highly professional but more like a piece of industrial product than something that genuinely touches the heart or mind." THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Witty, enjoyable" THE TIMES says, "Songs bang out, along with iffy lyrics and not-so-witty dialogue."

The show has also recently celebrated its 600th performance and has now been seen by over 1.2 million theatregoers since its London premiere in September 2006.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman.

It is directed by Joe Mantello, scenic design by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner, sound by Tony Meola, orchestrations by William David Brohn, musical staging by Wayne Cilento and is directed by Joe Mantello.

Two girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, feisty and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very, very popular. WICKED is the story of these two unlikely friends and how they end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

WICKED is currently taking bookings to 4 April 2009.