The National Tour of the Broadway sensation Wicked will welcome new cast members beginning performances Tuesday, May 7 at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT.
Biographies
Lauren Samuels is delighted to be making her North American debut in the role of Elphaba. She is an English actress and singer who rose to prominence on the BBC TV series “Over the Rainbow.” On the West End, she has starred in Grease (Sandy), We Will Rock You (Scaramouche), Bend it Like Beckham (Jules – WhatsOnStage “Best Actress” nomination) and Vanities (Mary). Her regional credits include The Last 5 Years, The Wizard of Oz, The Water Babies, Henry V and Groan Ups. Lauren can be seen in the upcoming short film Key of Genius. Fans can download her album Chasing Rainbows on all streaming platforms. @laurensamuels88
Austen Danielle Bohmer (Glinda) is truly delighted to start traveling the country by bubble. On Broadway, Austen has appeared in Diana, and Off-Broadway in Days of Rage at Second Stage. She has appeared in regional productions at Paper Mill Playhouse, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Broadway at Music Circus, PCLO, Barrington, Goodspeed and St. Louis Rep. Austen attended Webster Conservatory where she received her BFA in Acting. You can listen to her original music on all streaming platforms under the name Plain Austen. @plainausten
Blake Hammond (The Wizard) is also new to the WICKED family. On Broadway, he has had leading roles in Hairspray, Disney’s The Lion King, First Date, Billy Elliott, Elf, The Music Man, Living on Love, Sister Act, Kiss Me, Kate and On the Town. On tour, he has played Nostradamus in Something Rotten, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family, Sebastian in Cinderella and Rudolph in Hello, Dolly! Blake is the recipient of the LA Critics Award for his role in When Pigs Fly and the Carbonell and Chicago After Dark Award for At Wit’s End.
Aymee Garcia will be joining the National Tour of WICKED as Madame Morrible. Her Broadway credits include Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, Mama Bear in Shrek the Musical, and Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables. Her television and film credits include “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” “Slumberkins,” “Sesame Street” and Dear Evan Hansen.
Erica Ito (Nessarose) can be heard as Clara on the My Heart Says Go Studio Cast Recording and as the co-host of Seaweed Brain: A Percy Jackson Podcast. She attended the University of Michigan where she received her BFA in Musical Theatre. @seaweedbrainpodcast
Kingsley Leggs (Doctor Dillamond) has numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway credits, including Pretty Woman, Sister Act, The Color Purple, Miss Saigon and Little Shop of Horrors, to name a few. On tour, he has appeared in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Sister Act, Miss Saigon, Ragtime, It Ain’t Nothing but the Blues and Forbidden Hollywood. Kingsley’s film and television credits include Hello Again, “The Americans,” “The Good Wife,” “Law and Order: SVU” “One Life to Live” and “City of Angels.”
Xavier McKinnon will assume the role of Fiyero. He has toured in Disney’s Aladdin, Rent and Kinky Boots. His regional credits include Aida, Once on This Island, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages and Hairspray. @xmckinnon
Alex Vinh (Boq) is currently on Broadway in Kimberly Akimbo. His Off-Broadway and Regional credits include Snow in Midsummer at Classic Stage Company, Kimberly Akimbo at Atlantic Theater Company and Spring Awakening at TUTS. Alex attended Texas Christian University. @alexhvinh
Carly Augenstein will be the Elphaba Standby.
They join a cast which includes Joe Beauregard, Jennifer Mariela Bermeo, Remmie Bourgeois, Anthony Lee Bryant, Sean Burns, Matt Densky, Jenny Florkowski, Kayla Goldsberry, Rose Iannaccone, David Kaverman, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Lauren Leach, Colin Lemoine, Adelina Mitchell, Madison Claire Parks, Jackie Raye, Kat Rodriguez, Anthony Santos, Derek Schiesel, Wayne Schroder, Tregoney Shepherd, Brett Stoelker, Ben Susak, Mitchell Tobin and Justin Wirick.
The Broadway sensation Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”
With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade,” and by Time Magazine as “a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage.” NBC Nightly News calls the hit musical “the most successful Broadway show ever.”
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
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