Original Broadway Cast and Principal Roles
The original Broadway production of Wicked opened on October 30, 2003, at the Gershwin Theatre, with a principal cast headlined by Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. The production was produced by Universal Stage Productions in association with David Stone and Marc Platt, with direction by Joe Mantello and choreography by Wayne Cilento. The show is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and has become one of the highest-grossing Broadway productions, with weekly grosses often exceeding $3 million at the Gershwin Theatre, according to Forbes.
The ensemble and supporting cast included Joel Grey as the Wizard, Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero, and Michelle Federer as Nessarose, with Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible. The original production design by Eugene Lee, lighting by Kenneth Posner, and costumes by Susan Hilferty established the visual template that the show still uses in current productions worldwide. The original cast recording, released by Decca Broadway, has been certified multi-platinum and remains a top-selling cast album in the musical theater catalog.
Principal Actors and Their Broadway Histories
Idina Menzel, who originated the role of Elphaba, had previously appeared on Broadway in Rent and later won a Tony Award for her performance in the same role in the West End transfer. Kristin Chenoweth, who played Glinda, had already established herself on Broadway in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Both actors went on to prominent careers in television, film, and concert performance, with Menzel later voicing Elsa in Disney's Frozen franchise.
Norbert Leo Butz, who played Fiyero, would go on to win the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical twice, for his roles in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Catch Me If You Can. Joel Grey, who portrayed the Wizard, had previously won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Cabaret and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film adaptation. The original cast's combined accolades and subsequent careers illustrate the production's role as a launchpad for leading Broadway talent.
Production Scale, Revenue, and Long-Run Status
Wicked has played at the Gershwin Theatre, a Broadway house with a seating capacity of 1,933, making it one of the largest venues on the Great White Way. By 2024, the show had grossed over $1.5 billion on Broadway and was consistently ranked among the top five highest-grossing Broadway productions, according to The Broadway League's official grosses and attendance reports. The show's weekly running costs, including cast salaries, set maintenance, and marketing, are estimated in the high six figures, with a typical break-even point reached within the first few years of a Broadway run.
The production has spawned multiple North American tours, a sit-down production in London's West End at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, and numerous international licensed productions in countries including Germany, Japan, and Australia. The West End production, which opened on September 27, 2006, has been continuously running and has been nominated for multiple Olivier Awards. The global footprint of Wicked demonstrates its status as a long-term commercial asset for Universal Stage Productions and its licensed producers, with the show's financial model relying on a combination of box office revenue, merchandise, and cast recording sales.