The Tartan

For the past two weeks, we have been existing in a fugue state of nothing but “Wicked.” Neither of us have been able to see the first part of the musical’s movie adaptation at the time of this publication, so we’ve been rabidly combing YouTube archives for every Broadway bootleg we can get our hands on. As professional researchers and former amateur theatre kids, this unranked collection of some of the finest stage performers to grace the roles of Glinda and Elphaba is absolutely accurate, but by no means exhaustive. Enjoy. 

Elphaba

1. Jessica Vosk

I cannot believe this voice was hidden behind a finance job on Wall Street. Vosk is a national treasure and one of the most phenomenal casting choices in any show she graces. To make the vowel choices she does and get that clear, controlled sound —  she is superhuman. I’m convinced. Her Elphaba is strong, thrilling, and a little odd, but somehow I can get behind it. I’ll excuse every riff and every “wiz-erd” because she sounds like THAT and has one of the healthiest voices I’ve ever heard. Flying my V for Vosk so, so high.

2. Allison Luff

I have to take a moment to vocal nerd out over Luff’s Elphaba. She has such a bright, sweet voice, utilizes her mix, and has the most open high F I’ve ever heard in “Defying Gravity.” I’m in awe of her and I need to learn her ways — at 24, she was singing circles around veterans in one of the most prominent roles in theatre, and she never even made it to a Broadway stage. Beyond her phenomenal voice, she acts like such a sweet little baby in Act 1, and managed to transform with gravitas beyond her years in Act 2. I need her to be in everything immediately, because she is criminally underrated in every sense of the word. 

3. Eden Espinosa

She is the acting Elphaba, and the blueprint for taking liberties with the score. The infamous Eden riff lives in my memory. I think she absolutely shines the most in Act 2 — her “No Good Deed” is maybe one of the top three iterations of the song in 20 years — but her character choices are so distinct. It is so easy to play a lackluster Elphaba, and she is never anything but committed to the character. No wonder she’s a fan favorite!

4. Rachel Tucker

Tucker is my personal blueprint for how I sing Elphaba when I’m convinced I could’ve made it to off-Broadway if I had gone to a performing arts school. Her clean riffs, her diction, and her superhuman growl are all so distinct, and I can immediately tell when I’m listening to a recording of her singing. Everything sounds effortless in her voice, and I’m never shocked when a higher note, a newer vowel, a different choice works for her. 

5. Vicki Noon

I barely knew her before this week, and my life has been changed. I just know I heard her “No Good Deed” and cried. A perfect classic rendition of the song! When I found recordings of her other numbers, I was shocked by how clear and gorgeous her voice is. Truly one of the most underrated Elphabas — she plays her with an earnest nature few people truly tap into, and she is simply so refreshing. I wish she got infinitely more recognition.

6. Teal Wicks

I have little to say about Wicks; she’s just great. She sounds amazing all the time. She LOOKS amazing all the time. She has an insane gaze when she steps into character, and seeing her live would probably have given me permanent shivers. As much as I’m impressed by distinct vocal deviations from the score, I love when people stick to clean, classic choices, and she sings Elphaba with intense power the way she was originally written. 

7. Jackie Burns

I feel Margaret Hamilton reincarnated in Jackie Burns. This is the most terrified I’ve ever been watching an Elphaba, and it was sorely needed. She actually holds the title of longest-running Broadway Elphaba, and I can think of fewer people more deserving to hold the role. Her performance is strong-willed, self-deprecating, and anguished. And her vocals never slip up at the expense of a character choice. I’d go so far as to say she makes my top three.

Glinda

1. Megan Hilty

She took the Kristen Chenoweth blueprint and perfected it. Her rendition of “Thank Goodness” is flawless from every angle and all the way through. Her opt-ups are superhuman, and every minuscule acting choice has weight and intention behind it. The past week has featured us trying to “do the Hilty” (poorly screlting her personalized end of “Thank Goodness” to varying degrees of success). She’s the ultimate standard for what a Glinda should be. 

2. Annaleigh Ashford

I can never and will never stop talking about how much I love Annaleigh Ashford. In my opinion, she’s one of the most versatile actors on Broadway at the moment and is THE acting Glinda. In  Act 1, she’s silly and frivolous but endearing. She’s ditsy, never cruel. Her awkward, sporadic ballet in “Popular” makes me laugh without fail every time. She’s one of the funniest Glindas, but she also nails the tragedy of her character growing up and how sad she is by the end of the show. She deserves an enormous hug. 

3. Kristen Chenoweth

I’m of the opinion that Glinda is harder to play than Elphaba, and Chenoweth is where it all started. No one will ever originate a role like her again. Few will set so many vocal and character standards like her again. It’s no wonder Grande’s movie Glinda is said to emulate her so strongly — why mess with perfection? 

4. McKenzie Kurtz

She is the modern Glinda, and perfect for this era of Broadway. If I was given a pool of current stage actresses to pick from as a casting director, I’d pick her for this role any day. I wouldn’t even say that any of her choices are necessarily new or unique, but they’re tried and true. Vocally, she’s incredibly bright and strong, and as an actress, she makes a concerted effort to make Glinda feel refreshing and new 20 years later. 

5. Katie Rose Clarke

She has the best physicality of any Glinda known to man. She reminds me of a little preening bird, and the way she throws herself (and her legs) around is hysterical. Clarke is entertaining, especially in “Popular”, but she makes so many subtle choices in her sadder songs with her facials that take her from good to great. She never shies away from Glinda being a liar, or mean, or selfish, but has an underlying thoughtfulness that makes you question if she’s been genuine all along. And while she may be an acting Glinda first and foremost, her vocals are top-notch.

6. Rachel Potter

A total of three videos of Potter as Glinda exist, and it’s deeply upsetting. She’s a niche deep cut — an understudy on the second national tour who never got as many flowers as she deserves. She has the best subtle foreshadowing in “No One Mourns the Wicked,” a song where it’s easier to oversell the story, and her Glinda feels rooted in a kindness few emulate. She’s the rare benevolent and aloof Billie Burke-esque Glinda, and I wish I could see more.

7. Kara Lindsey

A true oddball at her core, the way I wish more people played Glinda. Hilarious and sweet and slightly strange, likened by my co-editor to a “little gremlin” in a not-inaccurate fashion. Lindsay has a fantastically resonant voice, perfect placement especially prevalent at the end of “Thank Goodness,” which carries her performance, but her distinct character choices make her a total treat to watch throughout Act 1.