When the currently running touring production of Wicked wraps up its engagement at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre on January 27th, it will mark the 9 year anniversary for company member Justin Wirick. Though he hasn’t updated his bio for the program for over a year, his own calculations have him completing somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,500 performances in the Stephen Scwhartz/Winnie Holzman musical.
When we spoke on the phone he paused for a moment after taking in these statistics. “The time goes by so fast on tour,” he says, “because you are counting time in terms of cities, not months. I’m always moving around.”
Wirick’s first exposure to the show came in 2004 when he saw the musical in New York starring the original cast. When it was announced that there would be a sit-down production in Los Angeles in 2006, he wanted more than anything to be a part of the show.
“A year later in August 2007,” he says, ” I auditioned for Wicked in LA. I made it to the end and I think I was just put into the files for whatever track I was right for. I got a phone call a couple months later. I had started [a job] at Radio City. It was my opening night when I got the call. I didn’t want to burn any bridges, so I turned the show down.”
A couple offers to join the show in Europe came his way, but again, he was previously committed to other projects (including a tour of West Side Story in Asia) that precluded him from accepting.
“Then a spot opened on the second national tour. ‘Would you like that?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’ I could tour the States. I got my Equity card. I understand what a golden opportunity this was. And that hasn’t gone away. I love this show so much.”
Wirick has been in the same role during his entire time with Wicked. “My track is called the ‘Tumble Track’ because there are two parts in the show where I tumble. I get to a be a flying monkey, a student, an Ozian guard and a citizen of Emerald City.”
His first night – in 2010 – was probably not unlike many others who have stepped into an already-running Broadway musical. “I remember running into people twice. I kind of remember being anxious and wanting to get it over with.” Though he did have the usual rehearsals when someone new joins a show, it felt to Wirick like, “they are pushing you out there and you have to figure it out.”
No matter how passionate one is about the work they do, it would seem that there’s a major challenge in keeping motivated day after day. “This past year, for the first time, I’ve been experiencing some physical things – neck stuff and back stuff. But the majority of it is mental and psychological. On the days when I’m tired or really not feeling it, all I have to do is think about the witches and what they are doing out there. I’ve worked with so many witches. I’m on my 21st or 22nd green girl. For some people it’s just a job. For me, I’ve dedicated my entire 20s to this show. I’m staying here for a while.”
Being at the Pantages is the realization of a dream for Wirick who also saw the show there in 2008 and hoped to one day be on that stage. “It’s surreal. I don’t think it’s actually hit me. I went out into the audience the first night after the theatre was all cleared and tried to find the vicinity of where I sat. I have specific memories of the show and thinking, I want to be up there so much – more than anything. Ten and half-years later, here we are.”
Wirick is a regular organizer within the company of special events and fundraisers for organizations such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Actors Fund. Though they only do 2-3 benefits a year, they didn’t want to pass up a chance to hold one here in Los Angeles. “This is definitely a special event,” he reveals. “We all love the holidays, so we always love doing the holiday-themed benefit. It’s called A Wicked Wonderland.”
The show, which takes place on Monday, December 10th at the Montalban Theatre on Vine Street, gives the cast an opportunity to stretch muscles that aren’t used in Wicked, while still being of service to the community. “It makes us feel talented again. We get to dance different choreography or sing something different and we get to watch each other show off our own specific talent that isn’t used in the show. It’s a reset button and it’s great for company morale. This is our 38th benefit.”
With over 6300 performances so far on Broadway and countless performances on the road, Wicked has inspired millions of people. But what inspires someone like Wirick to spend nearly a decade of his life in the show?
“It’s a magical thing that only those of us in the show can understand. When we are on the stage we are in the world we create. I often forget the audience is there. I think we all do. Even nine years later, I’m coming up with new character choices. We all do create this world that feels very real on stage.”
Before we conclude our conversation, I ask him about a quote by L. Frank Baum, the man who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the novel that inspired the film and also inspired novelist Gregory Maguire to write the book that became this musical. Baum said, “Never give up. No one knows what’s going to happen next.” I wondered if that was Wirick’s mantra as well.
“It’s a scary thing having had this consistency with the show and always moving around. I don’t know when or how I’m ever going to settle in one place. I don’t know what’s going to come after this. I think Wicked will probably be the end of my performing career. I want to do something else. Anything is possible. Yes, things may be scary, but you have to give it a chance.”
Main Photo by Joan Marcus
All other images courtesy of Justin Wirick from his Facebook Page