Don’t look to the western sky; Elphaba’s not there. Newcomer Sheridan Adams is bringing Wicked home to Melbourne skies.
By Tayla Ham November 26 2023
In her own words, Sheridan Adams was “very, very lucky” to be cast as Elphaba in Wicked, which opened at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in August 2023.
With rave reviews in Sydney, Wicked announced a transfer to The Regent Theatre in Melbourne as of March of 2024, meaning Adams can perform her dream role to her home audiences.
Adams, a relative newcomer to the professional Australian theatre stage, had always dreamed of playing the role of Elphaba. It can be challenging even for established actors to land iconic roles like the green-skinned, gravity-defying witch. However, it is almost unheard of for new or unrepresented talents like Adams to secure such a coveted role.
“One of the hardest things in musical theatre sometimes is even just getting in the room and getting an audition… It doesn't really matter who you are, if you're a big star or not, it's sometimes hard to get into spaces,” Adams said. Part of the difficulty getting into these spaces is that casting directors usually work directly with agents, especially when casting for lead roles.
Adams explained that, at the time of the Wicked auditions, she didn’t have an agent and was not represented. Even though she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Musical Theatre) from The Victorian College of the Arts - one of Australia’s most prestigious musical theatre training programs, and had worked professionally in ensemble roles in Tick, Tick… BOOM! (Storyboard Entertainment) and Cruel Intentions (David Venn Productions).
Wicked held an online open call, allowing anyone to submit a self-tape to audition for the ensemble. Being unrepresented was a hurdle, but it didn’t stop Adams. “I sent through a video of me singing, hoping that they would see it,” she said.
Out of more than 2000 self-tapes, only a select few were invited for an in-person ensemble audition and dance call. Adams was among them.“And from then on, I was really, really grateful that they saw me for callbacks for Elphaba material. And I didn't really know that they were taking me seriously for the lead really until I got the phone call after around five or six auditions,” Adams said.
“It feels very lucky that I've kind of started my career, basically,” Adams said. Elphaba is an iconic musical role, which can launch the career of the actress who lands this role. Australian musical theatre great Jemma Rix’s first major role was covering and then taking over as Elphaba in the first Australian Wicked tour in 2008.
While Adams’ said she is adoring living in Sydney for the show, she’s excited to bring the show back to her home town. “There's probably going to be so many more people that I know who are so special to me in my life that actually able to come… I think it is kind of special playing to a home crowd,” Adams said.
Additionally, performing at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne will fulfil another dream for Adams. “It's at the theatre where I first saw Wicked when I was 16… I love The Regent Theatre. I think every person who's kind of grown up in Melbourne has always wanted to perform a musical in that theatre,” she said.
Defying Gravity, the song that made Elphaba famous, says, “everyone deserves the chance to fly.” Adams explained how “the creative team entrusted me to play Elphaba in my first major production, in my third overall, and only two years out of university”, made her feel very lucky.
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