The official theatre podcast that brings the biggest stars and creatives together in one place to discuss life in the arts.
Hosted by William J Connolly
elevenpodcast.com
@elevenPodcast
Sunday 27th September 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Wicked in the West End.
The magical untold story of infamous witches of Oz has helped teach audiences about the power of acceptance, defying expectations and understanding that we’re all deserve our chance to fly. Now, two decades later and over 7,500 performances later, the responsibility to tell this falls to two young actors helping to usher in a new era and put their mark on these infamous leading characters.
Direct from their dressing room just days before the official 20th anniversary celebrations, Elphaba and Glinda reflect on the “honour” of leading this historic company of Wicked, and why they just “couldn’t imagine doing the show with anybody else” but each other. We also explore the power of stepping into a huge role like Elphaba and why you’re honouring what came before – without losing your own magic – and why it’s never been about being anybody other than yourself.
We celebrate the joy of the original Broadway cast album with Idina and Kristin’s voices, including how that inspired them both as young performers, and why you have to learn to welcome and accept the pressures of singing a score that means so much to audiences .
And we explore the joys of a British accent – something that remains singular to the London production – the power of the Oz Dust Ballroom scene and how it remains both of their favourite moments to perform together each show, and how the power of acceptance within this story penetrates into their own lives outside of the theatre.
Plus, the relevance of a story that highlights political injustice, their collective frustrations at the lack of positive attitudes towards the phrasing of witch and what it’s like singing this score – and performing that act one closer – eight times every week.
“It’s a show that reflects society by showing people themselves on stage.”
Host: William J Connolly
Produced by: William J Connolly/Darren Bell
wickedthemusical.co.uk
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26 Sept 2026
Special Episode: Winnie Holzman
She’s the Tony-nominated and Drama Desk-winning playwright and screenwriter of Wicked who brought the magic of Oz to life through her thrillifying storytelling of its two most famous witches – both on stage with the musical and through the recent two-part blockbuster movies.
To mark 20 years of Wicked in the West End and her remarkable adaptation for the stage – which has welcomed more than 13 million people to over 7,500 performances in London alone – we take flight to celebrate two decades at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.
Direct from her home Stateside, it’s congratulotions all round as she shares wonderful memories of reuniting with her original creatives once again to begin their West End journey back in 2006 and how she sprinkled hidden gems of the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz movie into her musical script and how Gregory Maguire’s original novel, which kick-started this new chapter, inspired this smash-hit show we all love
She also walks through the origins of some of her favourite lines in the show, how she built signature scenes around key character arcs for her leading ladies, and her tight collaboration with Wicked’s music writer, Stephen Schwartz. Plus, the joy of having her work translated into different languages and cultures across the last two decades, the key plot throughline of the spoken dialogue – “It’s not lying, it’s looking at things another way” – and why Wicked is constantly asking audiences to “open your mind to a new point of view.”
She also talks through the development of the song What Is This Feeling? and why it was workshopped through different drafts and musical options during development, understanding that change is scary for principal characters – and also for humans, as she learnt fast when writing for Glinda – as well as the vitality of exquisite storytelling in her act two opener, Thank Goodness.
We also rejoicify her recent double box-office hit with Wicked on the big screen, why fans’ desire for the movie adaptation never went cold throughout the years – and why Wicked: Part One and Wicked: For Good were never about simply repeating the musical in a different medium. And she shares the swankified global power of the original Broadway cast album, memories of meeting Idina Menzel for her first Wicked audition back in 2001 – and how it changed the trajectory of Wicked forever. She also zooms in on Madame Morrible’s denouncement of Elphaba in Defying Gravity, and why spoken word in such a huge act one closing song helps her leading lady step into her power.
And why London is “very special to us” as she lauds the remarkable women who have led her show in the West End.
Host: William J Connolly
Produced by: William J Connolly/Darren Bell
wickedthemusical.co.uk
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24 Sept 2026
Special Episode: Jordan Litz
He’s the longest-running actor to play Fiyero in the history of Wicked on Broadway, performing an incredible 1,073 performances as the CEO of the brotherhood of the tight white pants.
Having first joined the show as an understudy and ensemble member on tour, he’s danced his way through life to leading the show on the road in the US, on Broadway – including during its 20th anniversary at the Gershwin Theatre – and now directly into its 20th celebrations this September, as the London production of Wicked marks two decades at the Apollo Victoria Theatre – something he labels as “the greatest experience of my life”.
Now here in London – a place and chapter that he labels as “so unexpected” – he reflects on his history-making time as the Winkie Prince, including how his time as an understudy under great leaders helped teach him about the power of teamwork, why there’s more to Fiyero than just his looks – and how he’s worked to ensure his portrayal allows the acting to lead first.
Plus, we explore both the similarities and differences between his performance and that of Jonathan Bailey’s in the recent blockbuster movie, what it was like playing Fiyero during the release of the two movies, and celebrate introducing his American portrayal to UK audiences, including the hilarious encounter around accents he had with its London stars when he first joined the West End cast.
And he reflects on the life-changing impact this show has had on his life, his family and his career: “This was not something that I thought was possible.”
Host: William J Connolly
Produced by: William J Connolly/Darren Bell
wickedthemusical.co.uk
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who has been a guest on eleven
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James Olivas
Teddy Kempner
Georgina Onuorah
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