Wicked: P.J. Benjamin assumes the role of 'The Wizard'

P.J. Benjamin will join the cast of the Broadway musical Wicked on 28 Jul 2008, playing 'The Wizard of Oz. He assumes the role from Lenny Wolpe in the role created on Broadway by Joel Grey.

P.J. Benjamin has previously played the role of 'The Wizard' in the National tour production of the musical, and was recently seen off-Broadway as 'Joe Boyd' in Encores! summer production of 'Damn Yankees.'

Benjamin's Broadway credits include six years as the put-upon husband 'Amos Hart' in Chicago, 'Ain't Broadway Grand' (1993), 'Wind in the Willow's' (1985), 'Sophisticated Ladies' (1981 revival), 'Charlie and Algernon' (1980), 'Sarav�' (1979) and 'The Pajama Game' (1973 revival).

Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on the 30 Oct 2003, following previews from 8 Oct 2003, and is currently booking through to 24 May 2009.

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Wicked currently features Kerry Ellis (Elphaba), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Lenny Wolpe (The Wizard), Jayne Houdyshell (Madame Morrible), Aaron Tveit (Fiyero), Cristy Candler (Nessarose), Steven Skybell (Doctor Dillamond, Witch�s Father) and Logan Lipton (Boq).

Wicked has music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire.

The musical is directed by Joe Mantello, with choreography by James Lynn Abbott, scene design by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by Tony Meola.