Espinosa and Hilty to Return to Los Angeles Cast of Wicked

By Andrew Gans
17 Oct 2008

Megan Hilty in Wicked.
Megan Hilty in Wicked.
Photo by Joan Marcus

Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty, who originated the roles of, respectively, Elphaba and Glinda in the Los Angeles production of Wicked, will return to that production Oct. 31.

The two actresses will stay with the musical until it ends its run at the Pantages Theatre Jan. 11, 2009. As previously announced, the production will then travel to San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, where performances will resume Jan. 27, 2009. Casting for the San Francisco run will be announced at a later date.

In a statement Wicked producer David Stone said, "When we opened the Los Angeles company, we wanted to make sure that we had a brilliant cast for the Pantages Theatre – and the Southern California audience took Eden and Megan to their hearts. Since leaving Wicked, both have added major credits to their resumes. We can't think of a better way to finish the Los Angeles engagement, than by returning these two stars to our production."

Eden Espinosa made her Broadway debut covering the roles of Elphaba and Nessarose in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked. She eventually assumed the role of Elphaba on Broadway and also opened the sit-down production of Wicked in Los Angeles. Espinosa also played the role of Brooklyn — a part she created at the Denver Civic Theatre — in the musical of the same name at the Schoenfeld Theatre. She played Maureen in the final cast of Broadway's Rent and was also seen in the Reprise staging of Flora, the Red Menace.

Megan Hilty, who is currently starring in the out-of-town engagement of 9 to 5 which arrives on Broadway this spring, made her Broadway debut in Wicked. She appeared in the musical Café Puttanesca at Pittsburgh's City Theatre and was also seen in Suds at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Hilty is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon's theatre program.

Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, which turned every Oz myth inside out, Wicked explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. The two main characters meet at Shiz, a school where both hope to take up sorcery. Glinda is madly popular and Elphaba is, well, green. By a misunderstanding, they wind up roommates and, after an initial period of mutual loathing, begin to learn something about each other. Their life paths continue to intersect through a shared love, entry into the Emerald City and interaction with the Wizard himself. Eventually, their choices and convictions take them on widely different paths.

Wicked features a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman, direction by Joe Mantello and musical staging by Wayne Cilento. The creative team also includes scenic design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Meola, projections by Elaine J. McCarthy, wig and hair design by Tom Watson, music supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus, orchestrations by William David Brohn and dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

Tickets for Wicked are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com/wicked, by phone at (213) 365-3500 or (714) 740-7878, or in person at the Pantages Theatre box office (6233 Hollywood Blvd.).