Oz is about to get a big shake up.
On Broadway, “Wicked” is getting its first ever Black actor in one of the two leading roles. Brittney Johnson will take over as Glinda on February 14, 2022. Now the show will have some R&B soul. Count me in.
No word on why the current Glinda, Ginna Claire Mason, is stepping down. Mason had a much trumpeted elevation to Glinda after appearing in touring companies and then commanding the Broadway spot beginning this fall after the pandemic break.
Johnson is a Broadway vet already with credits for “Sunset Boulevard” and “Les Miserables.” Original Glinda Kristen Chenoweth clearly thought she was talented enough to include in her “For the Girls” revue on Broadway two years ago.