WICKED, the smash hit West End musical, is proud to announce that Louise Dearman, who played ‘Glinda’ to huge acclaim from March 2010 to December 2011, will return to star as ‘Elphaba’ from Monday 29 October 2012. It is the first time that a leading lady will have starred in both roles in the nearly decade-long history of the global musical phenomenon.

Louise Dearman is a musical theatre star, recording artist and presenter. In addition to ‘Glinda’ in WICKED, her major musical theatre roles have included: ‘Eva Peron’ in EVITA, ‘Grizabella’ in CATS and ‘Sarah Brown’ in GUYS AND DOLLS. She has released two albums, including the recent ‘Here Comes The Sun’.

Louise Dearman commented: “As an actress, you strive to challenge yourself to play as many diverse roles as possible throughout your career, and right now I feel like the luckiest girl in the history of musical theatre. I still can’t quite believe that in two months’ time I’ll be back in Wicked, but this time I won’t come and go by Bubble, I’ll be on a broomstick!"

UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: “From her wonderful erformance as Glinda, audiences already know that Louise possesses a stunning voice and remarkable acting abilities, so we are genuinely excited to now welcome her back to Wicked as Elphaba. We have all been awestruck by the way Louise has channelled her incredible talents to inhabit this iconic role, and I’ve no doubt that audiences will be equally thrilled”.

Also on Monday 29 October 2012 will join the West End WICKED company Ben Freeman (Fiyero), Louise Plowright (Madame Morrible), Sam Lupton (Boq), Hayley Gallivan (Standby Elphaba) and Lucy van Gasse (Standby Glinda), together with Katie Rowley Jones who will return to star as Nessarose, the role she originated in 2006. Gina Beck, Keith Bartlett and Christopher Howell, will continue in their current starring roles as Glinda, The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond respectively.

The multi award-winning WICKED has already been seen by over 4.5 million people since its West End premiere in 2006 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. It is now one of the Top 20 longest-running musicals in West End history.

WICKED has music and lyrics by Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and is directed by two-time Tony Award winner and Olivier nominee Joe Mantello. Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

From Monday 29 October 2012, Wicked will star: Louise Dearman (Elphaba), Gina Beck (Glinda), Ben Freeman (Fiyero), Louise Plowright (Madame Morrible), Keith Bartlett (The Wizard), Christopher Howell (Doctor Dillamond), Sam Lupton (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Hayley Gallivan (Standby Elphaba), Lucy van Gasse (Standby Glinda), Florence Andrews, Gemma Atkins, William Bozier, Oliver Brenin, Lauren Brooke, Philip Catchpole, Aisling Duffy, Chlöe Hart, Jacqueline Hughes, Robert Jones, Sophie Linder Lee, Tania Mathurin, Marc McBride, Stacey McGuire, Tom Muggeridge, Sean Parkins, Michelle Pentecost, Stuart Ramsay, Lindsay Taylor, Paulo Teixeira, Justin Thomas, Hannah Toy, Matt Turner, Oliver Watton and Jason Winter.

WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. UK Executive Producer: Michael McCabe.