You’ve played Elphaba in productions since 2006. Does it take a kind of mental stamina to play one role for so long?
I’ve thought about this myself. How can I do a show for this long? But I honestly think its because the show is so wonderful and the character I play has so much detail. I get to sing the most amazing music that I still love and it’s still a challenge for me. I’m learning from the role every day. I honestly don’t think, if I was doing any other show, that I’d be able to do it for this long.
Do Elphaba’s awkward movements come naturally to you?
I’m a dag! I’m just that type of person who’s a little bit kooky. One of my favorite things is when I do something quirky on stage and I hear the audience laugh. I get a buzz from that. It comes very naturally.
What’s the most demanding part of your role?
The most difficult part—and my most favorite—is performing the number “Defying Gravity.” It’s the bit where I actually get to fly so it’s a big spectacle in itself. The song just soars, so that means it’s quite difficult to sing. I first sang it in 2003, before I’d joined the cast. Wicked had just opened on Broadway and I bought the CD. I started singing it because I loved the music so much and I remember thinking ‘I could never do that!’
How do you feel once you pull off that scene?
When I punch my broom in the air right at the end and I hear the audience respond, it hits me. It’s pretty amazing and sometimes my breath gets taken away.
Wicked runs through February 26, 2012 at Marina Bay Sands’ Grand Theatre $55-250 from Sistic.
