Wicked: Derek Klena to play Fiyero

Derek Klena will make his Broadway debut when he assumes the role of 'Fiyero' in the Broadway production of Wicked on 28 May 2013. Klena assumes the role from Kyle Dean Massey who will play his final performance on 26 May 2013.

Klena will star opposite Lindsay Mendez who, as previously reported, assumes the lead role of 'Elphaba' also on the 28 May 2013.

Klena was most recently seen off-Broadway as 'Eddie Birdlace' in 'Dogfight,' directed by Wicked's Joe Mantello and co-starring Mendez at Second Stage Theatre. Prior to that, he portrayed 'Tommy Ross' in 'Carrie' at MCC. Regionally he's been seen in 'Hairspray' (Link), 'Glory Days' (Will), 'Happy Days' (Richie), 'Cinderella' (Prince), 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' (Joseph) and 'Big River' (Huck).

The Broadway musical Wicked opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 Oct 2003, following previews from 8 Oct 2003 and is currently selling tickets through to 05 Jan 2014.

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.

The musical currently stars Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda), Adam Grupper (The Wizard), Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Kyle Dean Massey (Fiyero), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), Tom Flynn (Doctor Dillamond) and F. Michael Haynie (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.

Derek Klena