Teal Wicks
Encyclopedia
Teal Wicks is an American singer and stage actress, best known for her performance as Elphaba
in the Broadway
, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
productions of the musical Wicked
.
in Sacramento. She graduated UC Irvine
in 2005 with a degree in Drama and Honors in Musical Theatre. She was active in the UCI Theatre program, and had lead roles in productions including Chicago
, Hair
, and Cabaret
. She is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta
at UCI.
On May 12, 2011, Wicks was feted by the UCI Alumni Association along with other distinguished individuals during the 41st annual Lauds & Laurels ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. She was conferred the honor of Distinguished Alumna of the Claire Trevor School Of The Arts.
in the Los Angeles
production of the musical Wicked
during the fall of 2007, after six auditions for multiple roles with several Wicked productions. She officially took over the standby role on January 1, 2008, with her first performance taking place on January 9. On May 13, 2008, she was offered to take over the lead role of Elphaba from Caissie Levy
in the Los Angeles production.
During her five months as Elphaba, she performed alongside Megan Hilty
, Erin Mackey
, Laura Woyasz and Emily Rozek in the role of Glinda
. Her final performance was on October 28, 2008. Original Los Angeles castmember Eden Espinosa
replaced Wicks in the role three days later. Wicked Los Angeles closed on January 11, 2009, and was one of the most financially successful musicals in Los Angeles theatre history.
was chosen to originate the role of Glinda. The San Francisco production opened on February 6, 2009.
Both Wicks and the San Francisco production received critical acclaim, including:
The SF Chronicle:
"This Sacramento native (Wicks) is dynamite in the talent department, with a soaring singing voice and a way of balancing her character's vulnerability and wickedness. It's the performance that really defines this particular production."
The Contra Costa Times:
"The cast, particularly Wicks and Kassebaum, is outstanding. The two leads are flat-out incredible, with voices that must be heard to be believed and acting chops that squeeze every bit of nuance out of the material created"
The SF Examiner:
"Teal Wicks plays the role with incredible heart, showing with both subtlety and all-out emotion how the slighted girl born with green skin is simply misunderstood."
Wicks performed during the production with both Academy Award winner Patty Duke
and Emmy Award winner Carol Kane
, both as Madame Morrible. Wicks also performed alongside Natalie Daradich and Libby Servais (standbys) and Alexa Green (understudy) as Glinda. Wicks was on leave from the production from the end of March until early May 2009, during which the role was covered by Vicki Noon
.
The Wicked San Francisco production was seen by nearly one million people during its first year, according to The Best of Broadway, and averaged over $1.0 million in weekly grosses at the box office, according to Variety Magazine. Wicked was named "Musical of the Decade" during 2009 by Entertainment Weekly.
Wicks played her final performance as Elphaba on February 28, 2010, after performing the role over 500 times during a two year period between the Los Angeles and San Francisco productions. Eden Espinosa
once again replaced her, the first being in L.A.
Wicks' performance in San Francisco won her many fans and inspired the San Francisco-based Wicked fan group known as "the TWickies" (the name coming from "T.Wicks"). The TWickies were die-hard fans of Wicked in San Francisco even after Wicks' departure and remain loyal followers of her career today.
Wicks was chosen as the "Favorite Elphaba", among all the actresses who have played the role, in an online February 2010 poll with over 65,000 voters.
An online poll was conducted on December 2010 to vote for Who is the "Wicked" Personality of the Year. Wicks has been awarded after winning the poll with over 20,000 votes (42%) leading by almost 8,000 votes.
in the role. Wicks departed the role on September 25th, along with co-star Katie Rose Clarke
. They were succeeded by Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz
. Teal performed the role on Broadway for nearly 8 months, whereas Clarke will have appeared as Glinda for nearly two years.
Wicks was named Broadway's Hottest Girl 2011 along side Aaron Tveit
as Broadway's Hottest Guy 2011 in an online poll, over 10,000 votes were cast.
musical, Pippin
, a role that she also reprised at the Goodspeed Opera House
.
It is inspired by the lives of historical figures Max Beckmann
, Franz Marc
, Hannah Höch
, and Marie Curie
.
This is the first and so far only musical that Stephen Schwartz
is producing. According to Schwartz "The Blue Flower is the most creative and original piece of musical theater that I have ever encountered in my life. The story is beautiful, relevant, and compelling for our times. The music is amazingly accessible." And when asked about his producing venture he replied "Yes. It’s my first and probably my only one. In other words, I am doing this not because I want to be a producer, but because this particular show is something that I believe in and want to bring to other people."
Wicks has been receiving rave reviews, including
TheaterMania:
"Meanwhile, it's Marie's loss of Franz that occupies the emotional core of the story. Wicks, though herself young and fresh, manages to plumb several lifetimes' worth of sorrow in her two laments: "Eiffel Tower" (about the Parisian idyll that Marie and Franz will never get to enjoy) and "(Let It) Slide through Your Hands" (a moving ballad that touches on the acceptance that death forces upon us). As she sings, you may have the sensation that, for one profound moment suspended in time, all around you are steeped in their own memories of loved ones now lost."
The Patriot Ledger:
"And I’m recommending that they just round up this cast and take them into a studio to create a cast recording. The voices are beautiful, led by the remarkable gifts of Wicks, who produces a sweet and soulful sound. Her “(Let It) Slide Through Your Hands” is a tender and touching highlight of the show."
Dig Boston:
"Lucas Kavner and Teal Wicks as the war-torn lovers Franz and Maria make the tragic story palpable and supremely moving."
Boston Globe:
"The songs that work best are the ones that speak most directly. Wicks and Kavner team up for “Love,’’ a touching duet, and Wicks delivers a wrenchingly heartfelt version of “Eiffel Tower,’’ in which she mourns the dead Franz: “Each day is like no other/ No century like another/ In a river every moment passing new/ This day was like no other/ I climbed the Eiffel Tower/ And saw the rooftops from the angel’s view.’’"
Boston Herald:
"... we ache for her when Wicks lets loose on the gorgeous ballad “Eiffel Tower.”"
Wicks was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Maria by the 2011 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) in February 2011. She was also nominated for Outstanding Musical Performance at the 2011 Elliot Norton Awards which recognize excellence in Greater Boston Theater. Although she did not win the individual award, The Blue Flower took home the Best Musical award plus five others during IRNE award ceremonies held on April 25, 2011 at the Boston for the Arts Cyclorama. The show also took home Outstanding Local Musical Production and Outstanding Design (Large Theater) at the Elliot Norton Awards held last May 23, 2011.
fall of 2011. Previews began on October 14 and opened on November 9. Her co-stars are Meghan McGeary who also reprised her role, Marc Kudisch
, Sebastian Arcelus
, Joseph Medeiros, Julia Osborne, Graham Rowat and Aaron Serotsky. The show runs till November 27, 2011.
Reviews:
Back Stage:
"Wicks soars on the moving Act 1 closer, "Eiffel Tower," in which Maria deals with Franz's death"
"I particularly loved an icy, regimented Charleston danced by a grieving black-clad Maria"
Variety:
"Teal Wicks, a replacement Elphaba in "Wicked," is a wonderful find as Maria; she closes the first act with an exquisite solo, "Eiffel Tower," and combines well with Arcelus for "Love.""
The Official Blog of the Arts Initiative at Columbia University:
"I have to say, though, as far as singing goes, Teal Wicks absolutely stole the show with this virtuosic performance. Overall, head voice, chest voice & mix are each beautifully developed in Ms. Wicks, but the truly impressive part is how effortlessly she weaves back and forth between them. Sometimes I heard elements of all three registrations at different points within the same word. She has truly mastered the many facets of her voice, and it is that facility that allows her to be as expressive as she is. With an instrument as refined and capable as hers, she can fully embody musical phrases with all the subtext and emotion of the composer & lyricist’s intentions. She has a myriad of vocal tools at her disposal and is a true virtuoso with each one. It is not every day that I see singers with such versatility and mastery of the subtleties of the human voice. I’m certain we can expect many more great things from Ms. Wicks in the future."
New York Times:
"Teal Wicks, as Maria, sings with an expressiveness and richness of tone that enchants"
Time Out New York:
"Wicks is poised to emerge as a major star"
History News Network:
"The strength of The Blue Flower is the talented ensemble cast of Sebastian Arcelus (Franz), Marc Kudisch (Max), Meghan McGeary (Hannah) and Teal Wicks (Maria). They are good actors and good singers (especially Wicks). Wicks sings a soulful ballad at the end of act one, from on top of the Eiffel Tower, that’s dazzling....
The songs have a familiar ring to each other, but Wicks’ act one sendoff is a gem, as are a few powerful ballads in act one."
as Clarisse. In 2007, she appeared in the New York City Center
Encores!
production of Stairway to Paradise. Wicks originated the role of Turandot in the World Premier of Turandot: The Rumble for the Ring at the Bay Street Theatre. She also appeared in 1776 as Martha Jefferson at the Goodspeed Opera House. She was also involved in the reading of The $trip, a dance musical which features music and lyrics by Lance Horne.
In between her engagements with Wicked LA and SF, Wicks participated in a workshop for Prometheus Bound
in New York, playing the role of "Io". Prometheus Bound is a rock-infused musical from Spring Awakening's
Tony-winning lyricist and book writer Steven Sater
.
Wicks starred in Most Likely to Die: A Slasher Musical, a part of New York Musical Theatre Festival's 2010 Developmental Series.
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
productions of the musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
.
Education
Wicks attended Natomas High SchoolNatomas High School
Natomas High School is a high school in the Natomas Unified School District located in the Natomas neighborhood of Sacramento. It is located at 3301 Fong Ranch Road. The school mascot is the nighthawk...
in Sacramento. She graduated UC Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
in 2005 with a degree in Drama and Honors in Musical Theatre. She was active in the UCI Theatre program, and had lead roles in productions including Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
, Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, and Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
. She is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Alpha Theta , also known as Theta, is an international fraternity for women founded on January 27, 1870 at DePauw University, formerly Indiana Asbury...
at UCI.
On May 12, 2011, Wicks was feted by the UCI Alumni Association along with other distinguished individuals during the 41st annual Lauds & Laurels ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. She was conferred the honor of Distinguished Alumna of the Claire Trevor School Of The Arts.
Wicked Los Angeles
Wicks was cast as the standby for ElphabaElphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
production of the musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
during the fall of 2007, after six auditions for multiple roles with several Wicked productions. She officially took over the standby role on January 1, 2008, with her first performance taking place on January 9. On May 13, 2008, she was offered to take over the lead role of Elphaba from Caissie Levy
Caissie Levy
Caissie Shira Reiser , known professionally as Caissie Levy, is a Canadian stage actress and singer.-Early Life:...
in the Los Angeles production.
During her five months as Elphaba, she performed alongside Megan Hilty
Megan Hilty
Megan Kathleen Hilty is an American stage and television actress.- Early years :Hilty was born in Bellevue, Washington and is the daughter of Jack and Donna Hilty. She attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School in Redmond,...
, Erin Mackey
Erin Mackey
Erin Mackey is a stage actress/singer, best known for playing the role of Glinda in the Chicago, Los Angeles and Broadway productions of Wicked.-Career:...
, Laura Woyasz and Emily Rozek in the role of Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. Her final performance was on October 28, 2008. Original Los Angeles castmember Eden Espinosa
Eden Espinosa
Eden Erica Espinosa is an American singer and stage actress, who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of the musical Wicked....
replaced Wicks in the role three days later. Wicked Los Angeles closed on January 11, 2009, and was one of the most financially successful musicals in Los Angeles theatre history.
Wicked San Francisco
Wicked co-creator Stephen Schwartz said in a 2009 interview that his team had assembled an "all-star line-up, in terms of people who have really done a good job and scored very well in their roles in these other cities." for the newly planned San Francisco production of Wicked. Wicks was chosen to originate the role of Elphaba, and co-lead Kendra KassebaumKendra Kassebaum
Kendra Kassebaum is an American theatre actress who has performed in many different musicals , and is most noted for her role as Glinda in the first national tour, Broadway, and San Francisco casts of Wicked.- Biography :Kendra Kassebaum was born May 12, 1973, in St Louis, Missouri...
was chosen to originate the role of Glinda. The San Francisco production opened on February 6, 2009.
Both Wicks and the San Francisco production received critical acclaim, including:
The SF Chronicle:
"This Sacramento native (Wicks) is dynamite in the talent department, with a soaring singing voice and a way of balancing her character's vulnerability and wickedness. It's the performance that really defines this particular production."
The Contra Costa Times:
"The cast, particularly Wicks and Kassebaum, is outstanding. The two leads are flat-out incredible, with voices that must be heard to be believed and acting chops that squeeze every bit of nuance out of the material created"
The SF Examiner:
"Teal Wicks plays the role with incredible heart, showing with both subtlety and all-out emotion how the slighted girl born with green skin is simply misunderstood."
Wicks performed during the production with both Academy Award winner Patty Duke
Patty Duke
Anna Marie "Patty" Duke is an American actress of stage, film, and television. First becoming famous as a child star, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16, and later starring in her eponymous sitcom for three years, she progressed to more mature roles upon playing Neely...
and Emmy Award winner Carol Kane
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
, both as Madame Morrible. Wicks also performed alongside Natalie Daradich and Libby Servais (standbys) and Alexa Green (understudy) as Glinda. Wicks was on leave from the production from the end of March until early May 2009, during which the role was covered by Vicki Noon
Vicki Noon
Vicki Noon is an American theater performer, who played the lead role of Elphaba on the Second National Tour of Wicked, a role she had previously covered in various other productions of the musical.-Early life:...
.
The Wicked San Francisco production was seen by nearly one million people during its first year, according to The Best of Broadway, and averaged over $1.0 million in weekly grosses at the box office, according to Variety Magazine. Wicked was named "Musical of the Decade" during 2009 by Entertainment Weekly.
Wicks played her final performance as Elphaba on February 28, 2010, after performing the role over 500 times during a two year period between the Los Angeles and San Francisco productions. Eden Espinosa
Eden Espinosa
Eden Erica Espinosa is an American singer and stage actress, who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of the musical Wicked....
once again replaced her, the first being in L.A.
Wicks' performance in San Francisco won her many fans and inspired the San Francisco-based Wicked fan group known as "the TWickies" (the name coming from "T.Wicks"). The TWickies were die-hard fans of Wicked in San Francisco even after Wicks' departure and remain loyal followers of her career today.
Wicks was chosen as the "Favorite Elphaba", among all the actresses who have played the role, in an online February 2010 poll with over 65,000 voters.
An online poll was conducted on December 2010 to vote for Who is the "Wicked" Personality of the Year. Wicks has been awarded after winning the poll with over 20,000 votes (42%) leading by almost 8,000 votes.
Wicked Broadway
Wicks most recently appeared in the Broadway production of Wicked in the lead role of Elphaba. She made her Broadway debut on February 1, 2011 replacing Mandy GonzalezMandy Gonzalez
Mandy Gonzalez is an American actress and singer, who most recently finished a 10-month run as Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked.-Early life and education:...
in the role. Wicks departed the role on September 25th, along with co-star Katie Rose Clarke
Katie Rose Clarke
Katherine "Katie" Rose Clarke is an American musical theater actress. Originally from Friendswood, Texas, she first came to national attention for her portrayal of Clara Johnson in the Broadway production, the live PBS broadcast, and the national tour of The Light in the Piazza...
. They were succeeded by Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz
Chandra Lee Schwartz
Chandra Lee Schwartz is an American theatre performer, who most recently played Glinda on the first National Tour of Wicked from Friday, 21 August 2009, through Sunday, 17 April 2011. She originally starred alongside Donna Vivino as Elphaba, who was later replaced by Jackie Burns...
. Teal performed the role on Broadway for nearly 8 months, whereas Clarke will have appeared as Glinda for nearly two years.
Wicks was named Broadway's Hottest Girl 2011 along side Aaron Tveit
Aaron Tveit
Aaron Kyle Tveit is an American theatre and film actor originally from Middletown, New York. He is known for originating the roles of Gabe in Next to Normal and Frank Abagnale Jr...
as Broadway's Hottest Guy 2011 in an online poll, over 10,000 votes were cast.
Pippin
Wicks performed in the lead role of Catherine for the 2006-2007 National Tour of Stephen Schwartz'sStephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
musical, Pippin
Pippin (musical)
Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto...
, a role that she also reprised at the Goodspeed Opera House
Goodspeed Musicals
Goodspeed Musicals, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, was formed in 1959 to restore the Goodspeed Opera House, located in East Haddam, Connecticut, to its original Victorian appearance. Each year, Goodspeed...
.
A.R.T. - American Repertory Theater Production
From December 2010 through January 8, 2011, Wicks was playing the role of Maria in American Repertory Theater's The Blue Flower. According to A.R.T. "The Blue Flower rides the twisted rails of history and the tangled love interests of three artists and a scientist, from Paris during the Belle Epoque, through the battlefields of the Great War and beyond."It is inspired by the lives of historical figures Max Beckmann
Max Beckmann
Max Beckmann was a German painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and writer. Although he is classified as an Expressionist artist, he rejected both the term and the movement...
, Franz Marc
Franz Marc
Franz Marc was a German painter and printmaker, one of the key figures of the German Expressionist movement...
, Hannah Höch
Hannah Höch
Hannah Höch was a German Dada artist. She is best known for her work of the Weimar period, when she was one of the originators of photomontage.-Biography:...
, and Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
.
This is the first and so far only musical that Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
is producing. According to Schwartz "The Blue Flower is the most creative and original piece of musical theater that I have ever encountered in my life. The story is beautiful, relevant, and compelling for our times. The music is amazingly accessible." And when asked about his producing venture he replied "Yes. It’s my first and probably my only one. In other words, I am doing this not because I want to be a producer, but because this particular show is something that I believe in and want to bring to other people."
Wicks has been receiving rave reviews, including
TheaterMania:
"Meanwhile, it's Marie's loss of Franz that occupies the emotional core of the story. Wicks, though herself young and fresh, manages to plumb several lifetimes' worth of sorrow in her two laments: "Eiffel Tower" (about the Parisian idyll that Marie and Franz will never get to enjoy) and "(Let It) Slide through Your Hands" (a moving ballad that touches on the acceptance that death forces upon us). As she sings, you may have the sensation that, for one profound moment suspended in time, all around you are steeped in their own memories of loved ones now lost."
The Patriot Ledger:
"And I’m recommending that they just round up this cast and take them into a studio to create a cast recording. The voices are beautiful, led by the remarkable gifts of Wicks, who produces a sweet and soulful sound. Her “(Let It) Slide Through Your Hands” is a tender and touching highlight of the show."
Dig Boston:
"Lucas Kavner and Teal Wicks as the war-torn lovers Franz and Maria make the tragic story palpable and supremely moving."
Boston Globe:
"The songs that work best are the ones that speak most directly. Wicks and Kavner team up for “Love,’’ a touching duet, and Wicks delivers a wrenchingly heartfelt version of “Eiffel Tower,’’ in which she mourns the dead Franz: “Each day is like no other/ No century like another/ In a river every moment passing new/ This day was like no other/ I climbed the Eiffel Tower/ And saw the rooftops from the angel’s view.’’"
Boston Herald:
"... we ache for her when Wicks lets loose on the gorgeous ballad “Eiffel Tower.”"
Wicks was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Maria by the 2011 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) in February 2011. She was also nominated for Outstanding Musical Performance at the 2011 Elliot Norton Awards which recognize excellence in Greater Boston Theater. Although she did not win the individual award, The Blue Flower took home the Best Musical award plus five others during IRNE award ceremonies held on April 25, 2011 at the Boston for the Arts Cyclorama. The show also took home Outstanding Local Musical Production and Outstanding Design (Large Theater) at the Elliot Norton Awards held last May 23, 2011.
Second Stage Theatre Production
Wicks reprises her role as Maria in an Off-Broadway production of The Blue Flower at Second Stage TheatreSecond Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theatre is an award-winning contemporary Off-Broadway theater company.-Mission:The theatre's mission is to give new life to contemporary American plays and to produce the world premiers of new plays by both established and emerging playwrights...
fall of 2011. Previews began on October 14 and opened on November 9. Her co-stars are Meghan McGeary who also reprised her role, Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.-Early life and education:...
, Sebastian Arcelus
Sebastian Arcelus
Sebastian Arcelus is an American actor. He has made a career in theatre on Broadway, regionally, and internationally. He made his Broadway debut in Rent, first as a swing, covering the male ensemble roles as well as Mark and Roger, and then as Roger...
, Joseph Medeiros, Julia Osborne, Graham Rowat and Aaron Serotsky. The show runs till November 27, 2011.
Reviews:
Back Stage:
"Wicks soars on the moving Act 1 closer, "Eiffel Tower," in which Maria deals with Franz's death"
"I particularly loved an icy, regimented Charleston danced by a grieving black-clad Maria"
Variety:
"Teal Wicks, a replacement Elphaba in "Wicked," is a wonderful find as Maria; she closes the first act with an exquisite solo, "Eiffel Tower," and combines well with Arcelus for "Love.""
The Official Blog of the Arts Initiative at Columbia University:
"I have to say, though, as far as singing goes, Teal Wicks absolutely stole the show with this virtuosic performance. Overall, head voice, chest voice & mix are each beautifully developed in Ms. Wicks, but the truly impressive part is how effortlessly she weaves back and forth between them. Sometimes I heard elements of all three registrations at different points within the same word. She has truly mastered the many facets of her voice, and it is that facility that allows her to be as expressive as she is. With an instrument as refined and capable as hers, she can fully embody musical phrases with all the subtext and emotion of the composer & lyricist’s intentions. She has a myriad of vocal tools at her disposal and is a true virtuoso with each one. It is not every day that I see singers with such versatility and mastery of the subtleties of the human voice. I’m certain we can expect many more great things from Ms. Wicks in the future."
New York Times:
"Teal Wicks, as Maria, sings with an expressiveness and richness of tone that enchants"
Time Out New York:
"Wicks is poised to emerge as a major star"
History News Network:
"The strength of The Blue Flower is the talented ensemble cast of Sebastian Arcelus (Franz), Marc Kudisch (Max), Meghan McGeary (Hannah) and Teal Wicks (Maria). They are good actors and good singers (especially Wicks). Wicks sings a soulful ballad at the end of act one, from on top of the Eiffel Tower, that’s dazzling....
The songs have a familiar ring to each other, but Wicks’ act one sendoff is a gem, as are a few powerful ballads in act one."
Additional roles
In 2006, Wicks performed in the New York Premier of Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. The novel presents a future American society where reading is outlawed and firemen start fires to burn books...
as Clarisse. In 2007, she appeared in the New York City Center
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
Encores!
Encores!
Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City...
production of Stairway to Paradise. Wicks originated the role of Turandot in the World Premier of Turandot: The Rumble for the Ring at the Bay Street Theatre. She also appeared in 1776 as Martha Jefferson at the Goodspeed Opera House. She was also involved in the reading of The $trip, a dance musical which features music and lyrics by Lance Horne.
In between her engagements with Wicked LA and SF, Wicks participated in a workshop for Prometheus Bound
Prometheus Bound
Prometheus Bound is an Ancient Greek tragedy. In Antiquity, this drama was attributed to Aeschylus, but is now considered by some scholars to be the work of another hand, perhaps one as late as ca. 415 BC. Despite these doubts of authorship, the play's designation as Aeschylean has remained...
in New York, playing the role of "Io". Prometheus Bound is a rock-infused musical from Spring Awakening's
Spring Awakening
Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. It features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Set in late-19th century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of...
Tony-winning lyricist and book writer Steven Sater
Steven Sater
-Life and Career:Born in Evansville, Indiana, Sater attended Washington University in St. Louis as an undergraduate. Due to an apartment fire Sater was forced to jump from his balcony and damaged his spine, as well as several other limbs...
.
Wicks starred in Most Likely to Die: A Slasher Musical, a part of New York Musical Theatre Festival's 2010 Developmental Series.
Theatre Credits
| Start Date | Production | Role | Notes and Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 14, 2011 - November 27, 2011 | The Blue Flower | Maria |
|
| February 1, 2011 - September 25, 2011 | Wicked Wicked (musical) Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard... |
Elphaba Elphaba Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little... |
|
| July 28, 2011 | Wired | Evelyn/Princess |
|
| June 2011 | Home Front |
|
|
| December 1, 2010 - January 8, 2011 | The Blue Flower | Maria |
|
| October 14, 2010 | NYMF's New York Musical Theatre Festival The New York Musical Theatre Festival is an annual three-week fall Festival which presents more than thirty new musicals at venues in New York City's midtown theater district... Most Likely to Die: A Slasher Musical |
Jenny |
|
| January 2009 - February 2010 | Wicked Wicked (musical) Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard... |
Elphaba Elphaba Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little... |
|
| December 2008 | Prometheus Bound | IO |
|
| May/October 2008 | Wicked Wicked (musical) Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard... |
Elphaba Elphaba Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little... |
|
| January/May 2008 | Wicked Wicked (musical) Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard... |
Standby for Elphaba Elphaba Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little... |
|
| 2007 | 1776 | Martha Jefferson |
Goodspeed Musicals Goodspeed Musicals, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, was formed in 1959 to restore the Goodspeed Opera House, located in East Haddam, Connecticut, to its original Victorian appearance. Each year, Goodspeed... |
| 2007 | Turandot: Rumble for the Ring | Turandot |
|
| 2007 | Stairway to Paradise | Ensemble |
Encores! Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City... New York City Center New York City Center New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall... |
| March 15 – 18, 2007 | Nerve Ensemble's The $trip | Bride |
|
| 2006–2007 | Pippin | Catherine |
Goodspeed Musicals Goodspeed Musicals, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, was formed in 1959 to restore the Goodspeed Opera House, located in East Haddam, Connecticut, to its original Victorian appearance. Each year, Goodspeed... |
| April 1–2, 2006 | Waiting on the Z Train | Madison |
|
| March 16 - April 23, 2006 | Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. The novel presents a future American society where reading is outlawed and firemen start fires to burn books... (NY Premiere) |
Clarisse |
|
| School of Jesus Fish | Franny |
|
|
| The House of Bernarda Alba | Adela |
|
|
| Hair | Shelia |
Claire Trevor School of the Arts The Claire Trevor School of the Arts is a fine arts school at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA. The four departments housed in the school consist of dance, drama, music, and studio art. The school has both an undergraduate program as well as a masters program. It was named in... |
|
| Cabaret | Sally Bowles |
University of California, Irvine The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA... |
|
| Chicago | Velma |
University of California, Irvine The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA... |
|
| Romeo and Juliet | Soloist/Rosaline |
Claire Trevor School of the Arts The Claire Trevor School of the Arts is a fine arts school at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA. The four departments housed in the school consist of dance, drama, music, and studio art. The school has both an undergraduate program as well as a masters program. It was named in... |
|
| Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal |
|
Charity Appearances & Performances
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2007 | Justin Bond (They Long to be) Close To You | The Zipper Factory |
| October 15, 2007 | "Performers For Peace" a benefit concert in support of: Physicians for Peace and Collaborative Play Productions | Triad in NY |
| September 25, 2008 | The House of Blues Sunset Strip presents LANCE HORNE & THE ONE NIGHT STANDS | Foundation Room at the House of Blues |
| May 19, 2008 | Art4Life 2 | Avalon Hollywood |
| February 22, 2009 | 29th Annual Academy of Friends Gala A Night of Superheroes, Villains, & Divas | Fort Mason Center, San Francisco |
| October 26, 2009 | Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert | Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco |
| December 7, 2009 | REAF "One Night Only" Holiday Cabaret | J'LaChic Theatre San Francisco |
| January 8, 2010 | Family Violence Prevention Fund Family Violence Prevention Fund Futures Without Violence is a US-based 501 nonprofit focused on ending domestic and sexual violence... |
Presidio, San Francisco |
| January 25, 2010 | The Women of Wicked: In Conversation and Song | Museum of Performance & Design Museum of Performance & Design The Museum of Performance & Design, formerly the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum, is located in San Francisco, California in the historic War Memorial Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue... (MPD) |
| February 8, 2010 | REAF "All You Need Is Love 2" | Marines Memorial Theatre, San Francisco |
| October 2, 2010 | UCI "A Celebration of Stars - The 2010 Medal Awards" | Bren Events Center Bren Events Center Donald Bren Events Center is a 4,984-seat, indoor multi-purpose stadium, on the campus of the University of Irvine, in California.-Construction and history:... , UC Irvine |
| February 28, 2011 | NewMusicalTheatre.com LIVE | Canal Room Canal Room Canal Room is a music venue located at 285 West Broadway between Canal Street and Lispenard Street in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The space was formerly known as "Shine". It underwent a $1 million renovation in 2003 by owner Marcus Linial, a former J Records star... |
| March 28, 2011 | Drew Gasparini at Joe's Pub | Joe's Pub Joe's Pub Joe's Pub at Public Theater is a nightclub that hosts live performances regularly. The venue, which is a non-profit operation, is located at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City... |
| May 16, 2011 | "NEO7" A Concert Celebration Of Emerging Musical Theatre Writers Benefiting The York Theatre Company | York Theatre York Theatre The York Theatre is an Off-Broadway theatre at 619 Lexington Avenue at the corner of 54th Street in the East Midtown section of Manhattan, New York City. It is dedicated to the production of new musicals and concert productions of forgotten musicals from the past. Each season consists of three or... , NY |
| June 27, 2011 | Prospect Theater Company's benefit "Make Our Garden Grow" | Battery Gardens, Harbor View Room |
| August 4, 2011 | 106.7 Lite fm Presents Broadway in Bryant Park 2011 | Bryant Park Bryant Park Bryant Park is a 9.603 acre privately managed public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan... , NY |
| October 3, 2011 | Fall Into The Nova - Ars Nova's Benefit To Support Emerging Artists | Ars Nova Theater |
Television
| Date | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 7, 2011 | MTV's The Seven | Herself | A Wicked backstage tour with Jay Manuel of America's Next Top Model |
| March 18, 2011 | NBC's In The Wings | Herself | Premiere Episode |
Discography
| Date | Title | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2011 | You Never Heard My Song | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | Comes And Goes | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | Deeply Blue | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
| January 2011 | I Know He's Out There | You Never Heard My Song - EP | iTunes |
External links
- Kendra Kassebaum and Teal Wicks Headline SF Company of Wicked, December 17,2008
- Teal Wicks interview With Sacramento TV Station
- Wicked Co-Creator Stephen Schwartz interview
- Wicked SF and Wicks SF Examiner Review 2/09/09
- She's a little green, perfect for the part (Sacramento Bee, February 9, 2009) [paid archive]
- Musical's return to S.F. is a 'Wicked' pleasure (Sacramento Bee, February 10, 2009) [paid archive]
- Review of Teal Wicks Last Show in San Francisco 2/28/10
- Fans of Teal Wicks Facebook Fan Page with Numerous Photos, Videos and Links
- Teal Wicks Music on iTunes
- Teal Wicks Facebook page with occasional updates from Teal Wicks herself
- Teal Wicks, Wicked’s Newest Elphaba, Talks Rent, Idina and Her Tenacious ‘Twickies’