You know the hat. You know the green skin. But if you’re asking who played the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked, you’re actually asking about Elphaba Thropp. She isn't just a villain in a pointy hat; she’s a complex, misunderstood revolutionary who happens to have a killer high belt.
Ever since Wicked crashed onto Broadway in 2003, the role of Elphaba has become the ultimate "mountaintop" for musical theater performers. It’s a grueling part. You’re onstage for almost the entire show, wearing heavy prosthetic makeup, and screaming-singing notes that would shred most people's vocal cords. It takes a specific kind of powerhouse to pull it off.
The Woman Who Started It All: Idina Menzel
Honestly, it’s hard to talk about Elphaba without starting with Idina Menzel. She didn’t just play the role; she defined it. When the show opened at the Gershwin Theatre, Menzel brought a raw, rock-infused edge to the character that nobody expected. She wasn't just a "witch." She was a girl who felt like an outcast.
Menzel’s performance earned her the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. It’s funny looking back now, because before Wicked, she was known mostly as the "Rent girl." After this, she became a global icon. If you’ve ever heard "Defying Gravity" and felt chills, you’re likely hearing the echoes of Menzel’s original phrasing. She stayed with the show for over a year, eventually taking the broom to London's West End to open the production there too.
Cynthia Erivo and the Big Screen Leap
We can't ignore the massive shift happening right now. For the first time, Wicked has transitioned from the stage to a two-part cinematic event. Cynthia Erivo is the woman stepping into the green paint for the film adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu.
Erivo is an powerhouse. She’s already an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner (getting that "EGOT" status is basically her destiny at this point). What makes her take on the character so interesting is the vulnerability she brings. In the trailers and early footage, you can see a much more grounded, cinematic version of the character. She’s playing against Ariana Grande’s Glinda, and the chemistry is the backbone of the entire marketing campaign. Erivo’s version of the "Wicked Witch" is less about theatrical projection and more about the internal pain of being an outsider in Oz.
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The Broadway Successors: Stephanie J. Block to Jessica Vosk
Broadway didn't stop when Idina left. Far from it. In fact, the "Elphaba alumni" list is basically a who’s who of musical theater royalty.
Stephanie J. Block was actually the person who did the early readings of the show before it even reached Broadway. She eventually took over the role full-time and brought a totally different, more powerhouse-vocal approach. Then you have Shoshana Bean, who was the first person to replace Idina Menzel. Shoshana is a legend in her own right—she brought a soulfulness and R&B flair to the songs that changed how later actresses approached the score.
Then there is Jessica Vosk. Ask any hardcore "Wicked" fan (or "Ozians," as they call themselves), and they’ll tell you Vosk is often considered one of the best to ever do it. She played the role for the 15th anniversary and was known for her incredible comedic timing. Most people forget that Elphaba has to be funny. She’s sarcastic. She’s dry. Vosk nailed that balance between being a tragic figure and a witty teenager.
Why the Role is So Hard to Play
Playing the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked is an athletic feat. Seriously.
First, there’s the "green-ing." The actress has to arrive hours before the show to have Mac Chromacake (the specific green makeup used) applied to every visible inch of skin. It gets on everything. It’s in their ears, under their fingernails, and often takes hours to scrub off at night.
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Then there’s the lift. At the end of Act I, Elphaba has to be buckled into a mechanical lift while wearing a massive, heavy dress. She’s then hoisted high into the air—sometimes 20 feet up—while singing the hardest notes in the show. If the lift glitches, the actress is just stuck up there, dangling. It’s happened more than once.
International Stars and the West End
Over in London, Kerry Ellis became the definitive British Elphaba. She was actually hand-picked by Brian May (yes, the guitarist from Queen) to record some of the songs. She brought a very "British rock" sensibility to the part.
In other parts of the world, we've seen incredible performers like Willemijn Verkaik. She is a bit of a statistical anomaly in the theatre world. She has played Elphaba in four different languages: Dutch, German, English, and she even provided the singing voice for the character in the Dutch and German versions of Disney’s Frozen. Talk about a niche talent.
The Misconceptions About the Character
A lot of people go into the show thinking they are going to see Margaret Hamilton’s version of the witch from the 1939 movie. You know, the cackling, "I'll get you, my pretty" villain.
But the Wicked version—created by author Gregory Maguire and later adapted by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz—is someone entirely different. Her name is Elphaba (a play on L. Frank Baum’s initials: L.F.B.). She’s an animal rights activist. She’s a sister trying to protect her sibling. She’s a student who just wants to meet the Wizard.
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When you look at who played the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked, you’re looking at women who had to find the humanity in a monster. That’s why the role resonates so much. It’s about the fact that "wickedness" is often just a label we put on people who are different or who speak truth to power.
A Legacy of Green
The list of actresses is long. It includes stars like:
- Caissie Levy (who later opened Frozen on Broadway)
- Lindsay Mendez (who won a Tony for Carousel)
- Jackie Burns (the longest-running Broadway Elphaba)
- Ana Gasteyer (the SNL alum who proved she had serious pipes)
Each woman brings a different flavor. Some focus on the anger. Some focus on the sadness. Some, like Eden Espinosa, are famous for their "belting" ability—hitting those high F’s with a power that seems physically impossible.
What You Should Do Next
If you really want to understand the evolution of this role, you’ve gotta do a bit of a deep dive into the audio.
Start by listening to the Original Broadway Cast Recording with Idina Menzel. It’s the blueprint. But then, go find clips of Jessica Vosk or Cynthia Erivo. Notice how the character changes based on the actress's voice.
If you're planning on seeing the movie, go back and watch the 1939 Wizard of Oz first. Seeing the "end point" of the character makes the prequel journey in Wicked feel way more tragic. You'll see the subtle nods—the shoes, the broom, the bottle of green elixir—that explain exactly how a girl with good intentions became the most feared woman in Oz.
Keep an eye on the theater listings, too. The Broadway production is still running after two decades, and the touring cast is constantly cycling in new talent. Seeing a "new" Elphaba is part of the fun for fans. No two performers play her exactly the same way, and that's why we’re still talking about this show twenty years later.