Wicked: 15th Anniversary | Celebrating the wonderful Women who have played Elphaba!

Wicked has established itself as one of the biggest and best West End shows, originally opening on Broadway in 2003 it headed over here and opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in 2006. Today we're celebrating 15 years of the show, and after the slight 'pause' the show has taken, it's come back better than ever and what a good time to celebrate its Birthday! In this piece, we look back at all the wickedly talented Women who have played Elphaba in the UK. From the London production to the tours! Which one was your favourite?!

Wicked in London 

Idina Menzel

September 7 2006 - December 30 2006

Kerry Ellis 

January 1 2007 - June 7 2008, December 1 2008 - May 9 2009, August 4 2014 - October 25 2014 

Alexia Khadime 

June 9 2008 - November 29 2008, May 11 2009 - March 27 2010 

Rachel Tucker 

March 29 2010 - October 27 2012, September 5 2016 - January 28 2017

COMING HOME: Laura Pick, soon to return to the role of Elphaba in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Wicked is one of the biggest musical theatre hits of the 21st century so far. With productions all over the world, an 18 year run on Broadway plus almost 15 years in the West End, it’s safe to say Wicked is a modern musical theatre staple. The lead roles of Glinda and Elphaba have made stars of those who have played them. Some of the wonderful ladies to have played these roles here in the UK are now some of the top musical theatre performers we have; Kerry Ellis, Rachel Tucker, Alice Fearn, Louise Dearman, Diane Pilkington & Gina Beck to name just a few - Laura Pick is now following in their footsteps. 

Laura started in the show as the standby to Elphaba. She covered Alice Fearn (now starring in the London production of Come From Away) and Nikki Bentley (soon to be starring in Joseph at the Glastonbury Abbey) before taking over as the principal role at the beginning of 2020. After a short run as the full-time lead, her new Elphaba journey was cut short due to the theatres closing. Laura will be returning to play the most famous green girl in London when it reopens on the 15th of September 2021. A year and a half after having last played the role, Laura says she cannot wait to be reunited with the cast, telling us how much she is looking forward to sharing this show with audiences once again; “I can’t wait to be able to tell this beautiful story again, it continues to be relevant and I want to connect with the wonderful audiences that we always get at the Apollo Victoria.” 

The Corona Diaries: Laura Pick

These recent times have been some of the hardest challenges we've faced and as a community, it hit us pretty hard. However during these difficult times, here at Pocket Size Theatre, we wanted to spread a little positivity and share some peoples experiences because we are all in this together. Each day we'll be speaking to our friends in the industry to share their experiences with you all so take a read and see how people are getting through these hard times.

Let's stick together, share the love and get through this as a community!

*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation. Please keep that in mind when reading* 

Laura Pick is currently playing the role of Elphaba in the London production of Wicked after having previously been the stand by for the role. Her other credits include Dr Osgood and featured ensemble in Anyone Can Whistle (Union Theatre); understudy Maria in The Sound of Music (Regent’s Park); So This Is Christmas (UK tour) and chorus for The Songs of My Life: An Evening with Peter Polycarpou (Garrick).

On Monday 16th March 2020, The Society of London Theatre announced the closure of all Theatres in London. This followed suit with regional venues. Where were you when you found out and what was your initial reaction? 

I was on stage, GREEN when I found out. I don’t believe the closure had been decided until I was already halfway through make-up and everyone needed to be informed at the same time. Obviously we were devastated, but we knew it was coming. Helen (Glinda) and I really felt it on the Saturday before and had quite an emotional For Good. Bless my mum had even come down on the 16th to see the show because she was worried it might be the last opportunity for a while, just a few days too late.

Can you tell us anything productive you’ve been doing? 

I found it really hard to get motivated initially, felt so surreal and just kept hoping this wouldn’t go on for, well, as long as it has. I have done quite a few online concerts and Q & A’s, they have been fun, I was also involved with the In the Wings YouTube series, it was so great to be a part of something so fresh and new and was certainly the closest thing to a live performance we have had in a while. With regards to new talents, I am getting pretty good on Call of Duty on the PlayStation, never thought that would be my thing, but here we are. Also been very busy with my puppy, Colin the Chinese Crested Powderpuff, he is amazing. 

New series IN THE WINGS launches with performances and interviews

In conversation with Olivier award-winning composer Richard Thomas, featuring live performances by Dougie Carter (Les Misérables; Sunset Boulevard), Aaron Lee Lambert (Hamilton; Miss Saigon; Sweeney Todd), Steph Parry (Mamma Mia; 42nd Street) and Laura Pick (Wicked; The Sound of Music).

Filmed from 3rd June - 6th June 2020 in strict accordance with social distancing guidelines. 

In The Wings is a series of human interest interviews and live entertainment hosted in a London theatre, with composers, writers, and creatives of shows that have been postponed due to COVID-19. 

In the first step towards theatre’s return, In The Wings aims to shine a light on the shows directly affected by the industry’s shutdown and celebrate the work of those composers and writers. Featuring a line-up of stellar West End stars, each episode will feature the FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCES in a theatre with a LIVE BAND since the West End closed.

Episodes will air from this Friday 12th June 2020 at 7:30p.m. and thereafter at the same time each week. Olivier award-winning composer Richard Thomas (Jerry Springer: The Opera; Made in Dagenham) will be joined by creatives from 4 upcoming new musicals that were postponed due to Coronavirus: No Limits; Legends of Arahma; Gretel! and Dorian: A Rock Musical.