Reinders, who created the role of Glinda for the sit-down Chicago production of the Stephen Schwartz musical, replaces Megan Hilty, who is currently playing the part of the curly-locked witch.

Wicked also currently stars Eden Espinosa (Elphaba), David Garrison (the Wizard, Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose), Sean McCourt (Dr. Dillamond) and Robb Sapp (Boq).

Kate Reinders received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Actress in a Principal Role—Musical for her performance in the Chicago mounting of Wicked. She was most recently on Broadway in the Beach Boys musical Good Vibrations and has also been seen on Broadway in Gypsy, Into the Woods and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Reinders' other theatrical credits include The Sound of Music, A Year with Frog and Toad and Nerds.

With a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, Wicked began previews on Broadway Oct. 8, 2003, after a summer tryout at San Francisco's Curran Theatre.

Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, which turned every Oz myth inside out, Wicked explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. The two main characters meet at Shiz, a school where both hope to take up sorcery. Glinda is madly popular and Elphaba is, well, green. By a misunderstanding, they wind up roommates and, after an initial period of mutual loathing, begin to learn something about each other. Their life paths continue to intersect through a shared love, entry into the Emerald City and interaction with the Wizard himself. Eventually, their choices and convictions take them on widely different paths.

The Broadway company - directed by Joe Mantello - plays the Gershwin Theatre. Tickets are available by calling (212) 307-4100 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.