Tony Award winner George Hearn assumes the role of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, replacing another Tony winner, Joel Grey, who departed the show mid June.

Jennifer Laura Thompson is now Glinda, the more popular witch originally played by Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth.

And, pop star Joey McIntyre replaces Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero, the love interest of both Glinda and Elphaba. Idina Menzel, who won a Tony Award for her work as Elphaba, continues in that role.

George Hearn won Tony Awards for his performances in La Cage aux Folles and Sunset Boulevard and was also nominated for his work in Watch on the Rhine, A Doll's Life and Putting It Together. Hearn's other Broadway credits include Meet Me in St. Louis; Ghetto; Ah, Wilderness!; Whodunnit; I Remember Mama; Sweeney Todd: An Almost Perfect Person; Hamlet; The Changing Room; 1776; and A Time for Singing.

Jennifer Laura Thompson received a 2002 Tony Award nomination for her performance as Hope Cladwell in Urinetown. She also appeared on Broadway as Ariel Moore in the original cast of Footloose as well as in the City Center Encores! production of Strike Up the Band. Off Broadway Thompson was seen in Tip-Toes, Little Fish and A Doll's Life and in the national tours of Carousel, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Former New Kids on the Block star Joey McIntyre is making his Broadway debut in Wicked. He has appeared Off-Broadway in tick, tick . . . BOOM! and in the Los Angeles Reprise! mounting of Babes in Arms. He was also seen in the film version of Jones and Schmidt's The Fantasticks and will be seen in the upcoming movie of "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding."

With a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and direction by Joe Mantello, Wicked features choreography by Wayne Cilento and plays the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street. Tickets are available by calling (212) 307-4100 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.