All the Women Who Have Played Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway

With two films and two decades worth of witches, there is still no place like Oz.

March 04, 2026 By Julia Chambers

Over the last 23 years, Wicked—Broadway's now not-so-untold tale of the witches of Oz—has touched millions of hearts with its beloved story, lived inside the brains of theatre lovers rent-free with its unforgettable music, and continues to spread a timeless message about having the courage to stay true to what you believe in. This month, a new duo of witches enter the Gershwin Theatre, continuing two decades of undying friendship between the two leading witches of Wicked: Elphaba Thropp and Glinda Upland.

Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked's friendship between Elphaba and Glinda takes the classic story of The Wizard of Oz and turns it on its head. The musical transforms what the world thought it knew about the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good into Broadway's most iconic enemies-to-best-friends duo.

Since the musical first opened on the Main Stem, 48 actors have worn the pointy black hat of the intelligent and misunderstood emerald-skinned Elphaba, originally played by Idina Menzel. Meanwhile, 38 actors have slipped into the sparkling gowns of the bubbly blonde Glinda, originally played by Kristin Chenoweth. And that's not counting the two-part screen adaptation of Wicked, where Elphaba was played by Cynthia Erivo and Glinda was played by Ariana Grande.

Take a trip to the Emerald City in the galleries below, to see every leading witch who has graced the stage of the Gershwin Theatre since Wicked first opened October 30, 2003. These galleries also include standbys and understudies. We've tried to find photos of each women in costume, for those who we couldn't source a photo for, we used a headshot. We couldn't be happier to celebrate these women.