A grande opening on broadway: Ariana Grande to hit Broadway as she lands dream job as the witch in theatre extravaganza Wicked (thesun.co.uk).
“Wicked” being the Broadway musical of “the untold story of the witches of Oz” based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, an alternative telling of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz (Wikipedia).
I [Current Bun’s newly promoted associate editor and Showbiz Reporter of the Year, Dan Wootton (pressgazette.co.uk)] can reveal the star is about to land musical theatre’s most spellbinding part—her first as a lead on Broadway—bagging her dream role as the witch in Wicked.
The singer, who began treading the boards aged 13, made clear she had set her sights on playing the role of Elphaba [the maligned but unnamed green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West in the L. Frank Baum book and the film but much misunderstood and redeemed in the Wicked retelling] when she joined Seth MacFarlane on Apple’s Carpool Karaoke series last August.
Excitedly admitting she would “do it tomorrow” if the role ever came her way.
A source said: “This is a huge feat for Ariana. The role of Elphaba is one of the most coveted parts to play on Broadway. Only a very select group of actresses have been chosen over its 13-year run and Ariana is in talks to take the gig. Bosses believe she’s got the acting talent to take it on and think it’s a bonus that her pop star appeal can pull in fresh audiences.”
Taking over the role from Jackie Burns, and the role originated by Idina Menzel—voice of Elsa in Frozen—on Broadway and the West End.
A source said: “This is a huge feat for Ariana. The role of Elphaba is one of the most coveted parts to play on Broadway. Only a very select group of actresses have been chosen over its 13-year run and Ariana is in talks to take the gig. Bosses believe she’s got the acting talent to take it on and think it’s a bonus that her pop star appeal can pull in fresh audiences.”
And potentially rewarding through critique for the 24-year-old, such as with praise given to Mexican singer and actress Danna Paola (Wikipedia) who took the role in the Spanish-language production at the age of 18, the youngest person to play the role and an ideal bridge for a child actress, similar to Ariana—although Ariana actually began her acting and singing career in the Broadway musical 13 before getting the role of Cat Valentine with Nickelodeon.
It should be stressed though that despite Dan Wootton’s “I can reveal” Grande has yet to confirm the news.
Updated 16th October 2018
Ariana Grande breaks silence amid claims she has ended engagement to Pete Davidson (metro.co.uk).
That Ariana’s ex Mac Miller’s death was the breaking point for their relationship (Latest Picks 15th Oct. 2018) certainly a sad situation for sure, but revealing in a tweet in which she seemingly purposefully failed to mention relationship speculation:
“Honored to be included in this celebration of 15 years of my favorite musical of all time 💚 wouldn’t miss it for the whole universe,” she tweeted; Ariana is going to be back on stage, filming the Wicked TV special on Monday and Tuesday.
Updated 18th October 2018
Admitting that she skipped dress rehearsal and almost didn’t make it but “delighted fans by belting out ‘The Wizard And I’ for the 15th anniversary of the show”….
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