According to a spokesperson for the production, Butz is expected to be out of the show for about a week: "He aggravated a previous back injury. His doctor feels that with a week of bed rest and physical therapy, he should be fine." In Butz's absence, Kristoffer Cusick will play the role of Glinda and Elphaba's love interest. Cusick, a Los Angeles native, starred in the first national tour of Rent as well as the original Broadway company of Saturday Night Fever.
Wicked, which officially opened Oct. 30, stars former Renter Idina Menzel as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Tony Award winner Kristin 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.