Who has played Elphaba in 'Wicked' in London?

Discover all the actresses who have played Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Alexia Khadime currently plays Elphaba.

Wicked tells the story of how Elphaba grew up to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked has been turning the Apollo Victoria Theatre green since 2006, with Elphaba defying gravity night after night.

Discover all the actresses to have played Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

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Alexia Khadime

Khadime made history as the first woman of colour to play Elphaba in Wicked in London. She’d previously starred in The Lion King, but audiences lapped up her inspirational performance, with Khadime winning a Woman of the Future award. Khadime will return as Elphaba in Wicked from 7 March 2023. Find out more about Alexia Khadime in Wicked.

Idina Menzel

Menzel originated the role of Elphaba on Broadway alongside Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, winning the 2004 Tony Award for best actress in a musical. After her Broadway engagement, she starred as Elphaba for the London opening, playing the role for three months. Menzel’s rendition of “Defying Gravity” has to date been listened to over 46 million times on Spotify.

Kerry Ellis

Kerry Ellis was the first British woman to play Elphaba, taking over the role after Idina Menzel. She first played Elphaba over a decade ago on 1st January 2007 and after a critically-acclaimed West End run, she then played Elphaba on Broadway from June to November 2008, before flying back into the cast at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for another 6 months. From August to October 2014, she joined the cast once again for a limited engagement.

Rachel Tucker

Finding nationwide fame on the television show I’d Do Anything, Rachel Tucker took over the role of Elphaba from 2010 to 2012 and 2016 to 2017. In 2015, Tucker was cast as Elphaba in the Broadway production, where she soared above the crowds of Oz for a year.

Louise Dearman

Dearman’s Wicked credits began in 2010 when she starred as Glinda opposite Rachel Tucker. So, when she was cast as Elphaba, Dearman became the first (and only) actress to play both Elphaba and Glinda.

Willemijn Verkaik

Having played Elphaba in four countries, Verkaik is the only actress to play the role in three languages: German, Dutch and English. Her Wicked journey started in Germany, where she performed in Stuttgart from 2007 to 2010. She then took on the role in the Dutch production in 2011 before making her Broadway debut in 2013. Verkaik’s West End debut came in 2014 however she was unable to finish her run due to picking up a back injury which meant she had to cut her run short. She took to the Western sky for the last time in the West End on 22 July 2017, having performed the role over 2,000 times in her career.

Jennifer DiNoia

DiNoia has starred in Wicked productions worldwide, appearing in the West End, as well as Broadway, Seoul and Sydney. She first started in Wicked as a swing for the Chicago production in 2006, before riding her broomstick in and out of the productions around the world before making her final landing on Broadway in 2016. Her Wicked career definitely hasn’t been for “One Short Day”.

Emma Hatton

After graduating from Loughborough University, Hatton then spent a year at London School of Musical Theatre. She became the standby Elphaba from 2013 to 2015, before landing the role full-time and making her first official performance on 2nd February 2015,carrying on in the role for over a year.

Alice Fearn

Alice Fearn took over the lead role in 2017, previously being the standby Elphaba. She lit up the Apollo Victoria with her groundbreaking performances, alongside Sophie Evans as Glinda. Her previous credits include Les Miserables, Shrek the Musical and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. She’s now following in the footsteps of Elphaba alum Rachel Tucker as Beverley and others in Come From Away.

Nikki Bentley

Bentley’s run as Elphaba was cut short due to a family emergency, but we’re looking forward to hearing her voice soar once more. You may have seen Bentley in West End musicals including Ghost, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Spamalot.

Laura Pick

Pick took over the role of Elphaba in February 2020, with her run cut short after the pandemic suspended performances. Wicked marked Pick’s West End debut. Pick will now play Elphaba in the musical's upcoming UK tour.

Lucie Jones

Lucie Jones took over the role of Elphaba in 2022. The Wicked star joined the show after appearing in many musicals: Waitress, Rent, and Legally Blonde to name a few. Jones defied gravity eight times a week as Elphaba in Wicked from 2022 to 2023.