Earlier this week, it was announced that Lencia Kebede (Hamilton, Rent) will make history when she takes over the role of Elphaba beginning March 4 at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre.

Although Black actors have played the not-so-wicked witch in an understudy and standby capacity, Kebede will be the first Black actor to play the role full-time. She will succeed Mary Kate Morrissey, who plays her final performance March 2. Notably, in 2022, Brittney Johnson made history as the first Black actor to play the role of Glinda full-time on Broadway.

The Broadway casting news comes as the first of the two-part film adaptation of the international hit musical—featuring British-African actor Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and pop star Ariana Grande as Glinda—breaks box-office records around the world. The film also recently picked up Oscar nominations for both its leads.

Watch Kebede share her history-making casting news in the Instagram post below, and get a sneak peek at her take on the musical's anthem, "Defying Gravity."

It was also announced that 13's Allie Trimm will join the cast as Glinda March 4. Trimm, previously a standby for the role, will succeed Alexandra Socha. Additional new principal casting will be announced at a later date.

Wicked began previews on Broadway October 8, 2003, with an official opening October 30. The original cast included Tony winners Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as, respectively, Elphaba and Glinda. Currently the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, the production celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2023.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

The Joe Mantello-helmed production features musical staging by Wayne Cilento, scenic design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Meola, projections by Elaine J. McCarthy, wig and hair design by Tom Watson, music supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott. Casting is by the Telsey Office.

Wicked won 2004 Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Menzel), Best Costume Design (Hilferty), and Best Scenic Design (Lee).

The musical, which reopened on Broadway September 14, 2021, following the pandemic shutdown, is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone.