A spokesperson for the production confirmed that Butz will again play Fiyero, love interest to both Idina Menzel's Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth's Glinda, at the Jan. 16 evening and Jan. 17 matinee performances of the Stephen Schwartz musical. Taye Diggs, who briefly covered for the injured Butz, will still play his final performance Jan. 18 as originally announced as well as the Jan. 17 evening show. Butz returns full-time Jan. 20. Diggs was asked to temporarily replace Butz when the actor left the show on medical leave due to a back injury. Butz's understudy, Kristoffer Cusick, played the role Nov. 24-Dec. 21. Diggs joined the cast (including wife Menzel) Dec. 22.
Wicked, which officially opened Oct. 30, stars Menzel as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Tony Award winner Chenoweth as Glinda. The cast also includes Tony and Academy Award winner Joel Grey as The Wizard, Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible, Michelle Federer as Nessarose, Christopher Fitzgerald as Boq and William Youmans as Doctor Dillamand.
With a book by Winnie Holzman and direction by Joe Mantello — a 2003 Tony Award winner for last season’s Take Me Out — Wicked features choreography by Wayne Cilento. Tickets are available by calling (212) 307-4100 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.