With a singing voice that features both power and range, Ariana Grande has been a key fixture in the pop world in recent years, but also holds a passion for acting and specifically, Broadway. If rumors are to be believed, she could be approaching a personal dream role, as the singer is reportedly in talks to make her debut on the Great White Way in the role of Elphaba of Wicked.
Grande is known for her acting on Nickelodeon’s Victorious and Sam & Cat, as well as Fox’s Scream Queens. As for Broadway, she actually had a role in the 2008 musical, 13, as well as the recent NBC production Hairspray Live.
Last year, while taking a seat next to Seth Mcfarlane on an episode of Apple Music’s Carpool Karaoke: The Series, Grande admitted that one of her dream roles would be to play Elphaba in the award-winning musical, Wicked. She said that if she had the chance, she would “do it tomorrow!”
“I was a huge theater nerd my whole life, still am,” Grande told Mcfarlane. “It’s what I put on when I need to restore my soul and heal myself. It brings you back to home.”
After making this statement, Grande is now allegedly ‘in talks’ to take on the role as Elphaba – the Wicked Witch of the West from the classic story The Wizard of Oz. Elphaba’s role has been filled by American actress Jackie Burns on and off over the last six years, as well as Tony-Award-Winning actress Idina Menzel during the original production. Grande definitely has big boots to fill – especially because a pop star has never taken on the role before. However, Grande’s appearance in the musical could draw in an entire new crowd.
“This is a huge feat for Ariana,” A source told The Sun. “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.”
Wicked, which debuted on Broadway back in 2003, has remained one of the best-selling theatrical productions in the world. Even 15 years after its launch, it still sells plenty of tickets – productions of the musical were the sixth-highest selling across all theatre events in 2017. So far in 2018, the production is fifth, trailing only Hamilton, The Lion King, Dear Evan Hansen and The Book of Mormon, according to data provided by Ticket Club.
