A pair of celebrated stage talents are stepping into the hit Broadway musical Wicked for the first time. On February 18, Michael McCormick will take over the role of The Wizard from Kevin Chamberlin, who will play his final performance on February 17. On March 12, Gizel Jiménez will join the company as Nessarose, replacing Kristen Martin, who will exit the production on March 10.
McCormick is a Broadway veteran most recently seen in Hello, Dolly! His other credits include Chaplin, Elf, Curtains, The Pajama Game, Gypsy, La Bête, 1776 and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Jiménez, who will make her Broadway debut in Wicked, has appeared off-Broadway in Avenue Q, Miss You Like Hell, Party People and Rosario and the Gypsies. She was also seen on tour in West Side Story.
The new stars join a cast which currently includes Jessica Vosk as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Ryan McCartan as Fiyero, Jesse JP Johnson as Boq, Nancy Opel as Madame Morrible and Jamie Jackson as Doctor Dillamond.
Wicked features a book by Winnie Holzman, a score by Stephen Schwartz, direction by Joe Mantello, choreography by Wayne Cilento and music direction by Stephen Oremus.