WEBF Wishlist: Top 10…Dream Elphaba casting
She’s one of the most iconic roles in musical theatre history, singing one of the most iconic songs; but she’s also one of the most challenging. When Stephen Schwartz wrote the vocal part of Elphaba (nigh on two decades ago), he redefined the range of the modern musical theatre belt. Since Idina Menzel debuted her in 2003, a slew of stars have taken on the vocal behemoth that is Elphaba, with many still waiting in the wings to tackle this beast of a role. So here at WEBF, we’ve put our heads together and picked the top ten talents we want to see take to the Western Skies at the Apollo Victoria. So, Besties in no particular order:
Hiba Elchikhe
She’s currently treading the boards at the Apollo as Pritti Pasha in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, but we hope one day she’ll make the move to the London’s other Apollo, the greener one. Everybody who saw her jaw-dropping turn in Brooklyn at the Greenwich Theatre knows that Elchikhe would slay Elphaba if she got her vocal folds on that score and Besties, we’re here for it.
Aisha Jawando
Jawando is the current Ms Turner in Tina: The Musical in London’s West End and what a set of vocals she possesses. Anyone who saw her turn in The Greatest Show on BBC One knows that she was born to play Elphaba; not to mention her incredible performance as the witch in The Barn Theatre’s Secret Society of Leading Ladies, which tells us Jawando is a ‘Defying Gravity’ waiting to happen.
Lucie Jones
Obviously, Lucie Jones had to make this list, Besties. A clean belt and vocal range for days, Lucie Jones is a national sweetheart of musical theatre and quite rightly. She gave us Jenna fierceness in Waitress and now she’s dreaming the dream as Fantine at the Sondheim. Now all we need is her painted green and in that lift. We’ve heard her belt placement enough to know she belongs there.
Laura Harrison
The UK’s most recent Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show, Northern powerhouse Laura Harrison is an absolute must for that black dress. Anyone who witnessed her turn as Vivienne in the last UK tour of Legally Blonde knows she can belt out more than is required to don that black hat, not to mention the acting chops she proved she has when she took on Lucille in the Hope Mill Theatre’s inaugural production of PARADE.
Lauren Drew
Lauren Drew more than solidified her claim to the broomstick with her turn in the UK tour of SIX, not to mention melting the faces of the general public in the last series of The Voice, with one of the most impressive vocals this industry has ever seen. We stan Besties, and we want to see this Welsh queen in her national colour 8 shows a week.
Collette Guitart
Guitart is best known for super swinging her way through SIX in the West End, which is just testament to her vocal quality as a performer. Her performance in The Show Must Go On concert a few weeks ago left us shook Besties! Get her in that lift!
Emma Lindars
Emma Lindars in probably known for having one of the most ridiculous vocals in this industry. Smashing it as one of the original Divas in Priscilla to her insane belt riffing moments in Made in Dagenham, there is no question about Lindars being so very ozmopolitan.
Sarah Goggin
She was Sister Mary Robert in the last UK tour of Sister Act and after her spine-tingling performance of ‘Life I Never Led’, we just hope it leads her to that lift, because that vocal quality will soar through the Western Skies.
Nicole Raquel Dennis
The UK’s next Effie hardly needs an introduction because you know this would just be so right. There’s no question, NRD has the voice, the range and the fierce acting chops to take on this role tomorrow as displayed in her performance on The Greatest Show. So, can we make it happen please?
Emma Kingston
Anyone who had the privilege, nay HONOUR, to see Emma Kingston slay in In the Heights knows she could take this role on in her sleep. Soaring vocals, range and fierceness for days. We’re not mad about it Besties, we’re just mad it hasn’t happened yet!
There they are Besties, WEBF’s 10 future green witches. We know there are many more so who would you also like to see take to the Western Skies? Comment away!
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