Title: Wicked's First Black Elphaba Effortlessly Takes Broadway by Storm After Movie Success
With the release of the second movie, the momentum behind "Wicked" shows no signs of slowing down. Jon M. Chu's beloved film has even affected ticket sales for Broadway's iconic musical. Not only that, but the stage production of the musical has its first Black Elphaba, set to make her debut on March 4.
Musical theater enthusiasts and film fans alike will have the opportunity to witness Lencia Kebede's debut as Elphaba Thropp in the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. Kebede marks a significant milestone as the first full-time main cast member to play Elphaba on Broadway, despite the occasional appearances of Black performers such as Saycon Sengbloh and Brandi Massey in the past.
This development has been a long time coming, and it follows in the footsteps of Cynthia Erivo's groundbreaking portrayal of the character in the Universal Pictures film. Interestingly enough, the Broadway production previously cast Brittney Johnson as the first Black woman to play Glinda in 2022, having served as an understudy for the role since 2019.
Joining the cast in 2025 is Allie Trimm, who takes over the popular role previously played by Ariana Grande in the 2024 film. Kebede comes off her run as Angelica Schuyler in Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton," while Trimm steps into the role after serving as a featured standby for Glinda since 2021.
Take a look at the casting announcement below from "Wicked: The Musical"'s official YouTube channel:
"Wicked: The Musical" continues its run on Broadway. You can catch the film in theaters and digitally now, and "Wicked: For Good" is set to open on Thanksgiving.
As a side note, while this article initially stated that Kebede would be the first Black actress to play Elphaba on Broadway, it has since been updated to clarify that there have been Black actresses playing the role in the past, with Kebede being the first full-time cast member to take on the role.
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[1] "Wicked" casts first Black Elphaba on Broadway, traditionally white role breaks barrier – Deadline[2] "Wicked" casts Lencia Kebede as first Black Elphaba on Broadway – Entertainment Weekly[5] "Wicked" London cast reveals Black Elphaba and Glinda – The Stage
This groundbreaking casting of Lencia Kebede as Elphaba in the Broadway production of "Wicked" has been inspired by the success of Cynthia Erivo's portrayal of the character in the movie. In the future, Allie Trimm will also join the cast in the role, which was previously played by Ariana Grande in another film adaptation. As technology advances, more opportunities for diverse representation in movies and musicals are becoming available, as highlighted by io9.
