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Glinda Upland

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This article is about the musical character. You may be looking for the character of the same name from the series of novels.

Glinda Upland, also known as Glinda the Good, and formerly referred to as Galinda is the deuteragonist in the Broadway musical, Wicked.

History[]

Glinda is one of the two female leads of the musical as the musical focuses on her friendship with Elphaba (the young woman who would later become the Wicked Witch of the West).

In the novel, her role was minor, as she only appears a couple of times out of the Shiz setting, but in the musical her role was expanded. As in the novel, Glinda is characterized by her popularity and ambition and goes by the name of Galinda Upland (who hails from the Upper Uplands). Glinda is a very bubbly, perky, and popular girl. Unlike in The Wizard of Oz she has blonde hair instead of red hair and wears a blue dress instead of a ball-gown of light pink.

She and Elphaba cross paths while attending Shiz University, and while the two girls dislike each other at first, they eventually become best friends. Galinda enrolls in Madame Morrible's sorcery seminar, but is precluded from entering when Morrible decides to tutor Elphaba privately. Later, however, Elphaba convinces Madame Morrible to admit Galinda to the sessions. Galinda is rather irritated by Doctor Dillamond's constant mispronunciation of her name (he has difficulty pronouncing the first "a," and so calls her "Glinda," to which she often responds, "It's Galinda. With a 'Ga.'"). It is therefore somewhat ironic that she, herself, constantly makes the mistake of addressing Boq, a Munchkin boy who is infatuated with her, as "Bick" As in the novel, Galinda later shortens her name to Glinda (telling the Wizard that "the 'Ga' is silent" when she introduces herself to him). She does this to mark the firing of Dr. Dillamond, but also in an attempt to impress Fiyero, who she has a crush on.

Glinda

Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda

22

Glinda in the Helsinki Production.

When Elphaba decides to rebel against the Wizard, she offers Glinda the chance to go with her, but Glinda decides to stay behind and realize her opportunities with the Wizard, ultimately sealing her destiny to become "Glinda the Good." She shares a relationship with Fiyero, but is oblivious to his increasingly strong romantic feelings toward the now vilified Elphaba. When the two eventually run off together, Glinda is left heartbroken and enraged, but later realizes that Fiyero really does love Elphaba. She is present when the Wizard sends a mob of witch-hunters to kill Elphaba, and, unable to stand by while her friend is killed, she goes to Kiamo Ko to warn her of the impending danger. Before being supposedly melted by Dorothy, Elphaba makes Glinda promise not to clear her name, and gives her the Grimmerie, a legendary spell book. Glinda tells her that of all the friends she has had, Elphaba is the only one who really mattered, and the two Witches acknowledge that each has been changed by their friendship. Glinda then confronts the Wizard with the revelation that Elphaba was in fact his own daughter, and forces him to leave Oz, before having Madame Morrible arrested for murdering Nessarose, thus exacting long-overdue justice for Elphaba. She announces to the citizens of Oz that she will try to help them recover in the aftermath of the past few years, and that she wishes to truly earn the title of "Glinda the Good."

Musical Numbers[]

Glinda-bubble-tour

Susan Hilferty's sketch of Glinda's Bubble Dress

Solos[]

Solos (In A Duet)[]

Solos (In A Group Number)[]

Trivia[]

250px-Glinda cover
  • Susan Hilferty, the costume designer for Wicked, explained there are 25 different kinds of sequins used on the bubble dress.
  • The sequins on the bubble dress are all hand-sewn.
  • The bubble dress was intended to appear like a wedding dress or every girl's fantasy of a princess outfit.
  • There are 9 different fabrics used in the construction of the bubble dress.
  • The Popular dress has little rainbow stitches on the bodice.
  • All of the bags have a bit of glitter on them.
  • In L. Frank Baum's novel Glinda was the Good Witch of the South, it wasn't until the 1939 movie that MGM changed it to the North due to timing.
  • In the Wizard Of Oz Glinda wears a pink puffy dress but in Wicked she wears a blue dress.
  • The role of Glinda/Galinda was originated by Kristin Chenoweth.
  • Her name in the book was originally different and longer, but it was changed to match that of her musical counterpart.
  • Katie Rose Clarke stated in a Q&A on Twitter that during episode 4 of Fly Girl that the bubble dress that Glinda wears in the opening and closing of the show was 25 pounds. For Katie, it weighs at least 45 pounds.
  • Glinda's real name is Galinda, which she changed in honor of Doctor Dillamond, who always called her "Glinda" instead of Galinda.
  • Glinda calls Dorothy's dog, Toto "Dodo" when trying to warn Elphaba of the impending mob that is coming to kill her.

Portrayers[]

Megan Eden FG

Megan Hilty as Glinda with Eden Espinosa as Elphaba

Broadway[]

Broadway Standbys[]

  • Laura Bell Bundy (November 2003-August 2004)
  • Megan Hilty (August 2004-May 2005)
  • Stacie Morgain Lewis (May-December 2005)
  • Katie Adams (December 2005-April 2007, October 2007-February 2009)
  • Alli Mauzey (April-October 2007)
  • Lindsay K. Northern (Temporary April 2011)
  • Laura Woyasz (February 2009-August 2011; temporary 11/19 to 12/15, 2013)
  • Kate Fahrner (August 2011-November 2012)
  • Tiffany Haas (November 2012-February 2015)
  • Tess Soltau (February-November 2015)
  • Ginna Claire Mason (November 2015-February 2017)
  • Libby Servais (February 2017-January 2018)
  • Emily Mechler (January-December 2018)
  • Lisa Livesay (December 2018-June 2019)
  • Brittney Johnson (July 2019-December 2021)
  • Allie Trimm (December 2021-December 2022; February 2023-April 2024)
  • Allison Bailey (December 2022-February 2023)
  • Jennefer Newberry (April 2024-Current)

Broadway Understudies[]

  • Melissa Bell Chait (October 2003-March 2004)
  • Melissa Fahn (March-October 2004)
  • Stacie Morgain Lewis (October 2004- May 2005)
  • Megan Sikora (May 2005-June 2006; Also Nessarose u/s)
  • Heather Spore (June 2006-January 2018)
  • Sarah Jane Everman (July-September 2006)
  • Megan Sikora (September-November 2006; January 2007-April 2007)
  • Lindsay K. Northen (January 2007-April 2013; January 2014-September 2021)
  • Libby Servais (Temporary 2011)
  • Emily Mechler (April 2013-February 2015)
  • Emily Ferranti (November 2014-December 2015)
  • Brittney Johnson (June 2018-June 2019)
  • Celia Hottenstein (July 2019-April 2023; Also Nessarose u/s)
  • Beka Burnham (April 2023-Current; Also Nessarose u/s)

1st National Tour[]

1st National Tour Standby[]

1st National Tour Understudies[]

  • Katie Adams (March-December 2005)
  • Emily Rozek (March 2005-January 2007)
  • Annaleigh Ashford (December 2005-September 2006)
  • Laura Woyasz (September 2006-September 2007)
  • Christeena Michelle Riggs (January 2007-February 2008)
  • Melissa Bohon (September 2007-January 2009)
  • Meggie Cansler (February 2008- January 2009)
  • Stefanie Brown (also Nessarose u/s; January 2009-June 2010)
  • Marissa Lupp (January 2009-January 2011)
  • Lauren Ashley Zakrin (June 2010-June 2011)
  • Emily Ferranti (also Nessarose u/s; January-August 2011)
  • Alli McGinnis (June 2011- March 2012)
  • Megan Campanile (August 2011-February 2012)
  • Lesley McKinnell (February-March 2012)
  • Sarah Schenkkan (March 2012-August 2013)
  • Cassie Okenka (March 2012-January 2014; August 2014-March 2015; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Shanon Mari Mills (August 2013-March 2015)
  • Nikki Bohne (January 2014-August 2014)

Chicago Production[]

Chicago Understudies[]

  • Sarah Jane Everman (June 2005-April 2006)
  • Sara Jean Ford (June-January 2006; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Kate Loprest (January 2006-February 2007; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Erin Mackey (April-October 2006)
  • Kate Fahrner (October-November 2006; January 2007-April 2008; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Megan Sikora (November 2006-January 2007; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Cristin Boyle (February 2007-January 2009)
  • Michelle London (April 2008-January 2009)
    IMG 0904

    Lee Mead (Fiyero) and Louise Dearman (Glinda)

West End (London)[]

  • Helen Dallimore (September 2006-July 2007)
  • Dianne Pilkington (July 2007-March 2010)
  • Louise Dearman (March 2010-December 2011)
  • Gina Beck (December 2011-November 2013)
  • Savannah Stevenson (November 2013-September 2016)
  • Sophie Linder-Lee (Temporary; March-May 2015)
  • Suzie Mathers (September 2016-July 2017)
  • Sophie Evans (July 2017-July 2019, September 2021-January 2022 (Maternity cover))
  • Helen Woolf (July 2019-March 2023)
  • Lucy St. Louis (March 2023-Current)

West End Standbys[]

  • Annalene Beechey (September 2006-April 2007)
  • Dianne Pilkington (April-July 2007)
  • Sarah Earnshaw (July 2007-January 2011)
  • Chloe Taylor (February 2011-October 2012)
  • Lucy van Gasse (October 2012-November 2013)
  • Sophie Linder-Lee (November 2013-September 2015)
  • Carina Gillespie (September 2015-July 2017)
  • Maria Coyne (October 2017-March 2019 (Maternity cover))
  • Lisa-Anne Wood (July 2019-Current)
  • Charli Baptie (April-July 2019, September 2021-April 2022 (Maternity cover))
  • Christine Tucker (March 2024-Current (Maternity cover))

West End Understudies[]

  • Sarah Earnshaw (September 2006-July 2007; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Elinor Collett (September 2006-July 2007)
  • Caroline Keiff (July 2007-May 2009; also Nessarose u/s, Nessarose)
  • Pippa Lloyd (September 2008-May 2009)
  • Chloe Taylor (May 2009-March 2010)
  • Lucy Newton (March 2010-February 2011)
  • Zoë Rainey (February-December 2011; also Nessarose)
  • Sophie Linder-Lee (December 2011-November 2013)
  • Charlotte Scott (December 2011-October 2012; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Florence Andrews (October 2012-February 2013; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Michelle Francis (February 2013-May 2014; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Lauren Stroud (November 2013-October 2014)
  • Lauren James-Ray (May 2014 - September 2016; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Maria Coyne (October 2014-September 2015)
  • Helen Woolf (September 2015-July 2017)
  • Rosa O'Reilly (September 2016-July 2019; also Nessarose u/s, Nessarose)
  • Samantha Thomas (July 2017-July 2019, September 2021-March 2023, Maternity cover)
  • Joanna Sawyer (July 2019-March 2023)
  • Natasha Ferguson (July 2019-February 2020; also Nessarose, Maternity Cover)
  • Carina Gillespie (February 2020-March 2023; also Nessarose)
  • Christine Tucker (March 2023-March 2024)
  • Caitlin Anderson (March 2023-Current; also Nessarose)
  • Aimee Hodnett (March 2024-Current)

Los Angeles Production[]

  • Megan Hilty (February 2007-May 2008, October 2008-January 2009)
  • Erin Mackey (May-September 2008)
  • Emily Rozek (September-October 2008)

Los Angeles Standbys[]

  • Emily Rozek (February 2007-March 2008; October-December 2008)
  • Laura Woyasz (March-September 2008)
  • Natalie Daradich (December 2008-January 2009; also Nessarose u/s)

Los Angeles Understudies[]

  • Melissa Fahn (February-December 2007)
  • Amanda Flynn (February- December 2007)
  • Natalie Daradich (also Nessarose u/s) (December 2007-December 2008)
  • Alexa Green (December 2008-January 2009)
ValerieLink

Valerie Link as Alternate Glinda in the German production

Stuttgart Production[]

Stuttgart Alternates[]

  • Jana Stelley (October 2007-February 2009)
  • Valerie Link (February 2009-January 2010)

Stuttgart Understudies[]

  • Valerie Link (October 2007-February 2009)
  • Katrin Taylor (February 2009-January 2010; Final)

Melbourne Production[]

  • Lucy Durack (June 2008-August 2009)

Melbourne Standbys[]

  • Erin Hasan (June 2008-August 2009)

Melbourne Understudies[]

  • Liz Stiles (June 2008-August 2009)

San Francisco Production[]

San Francisco Standbys[]

  • Natalie Daradich (January 2009-February 2010; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Libby Servais (Februrary-September 2010)

San Francisco Understudies[]

2nd National Tour[]

  • Helene Yorke (March 2009-March 2010)
  • Natalie Daradich (March 2010-September 2011)
  • Tiffany Haas (September 2011-June 2012)
  • Jeanna de Waal (June 2012-March 2013)
  • Hayley Podschun (April 2013-April 2014)
  • Kara Lindsay (April-November 2014; October 2018-February 2019)
  • Carrie St. Louis (November 2014-December 2015)
  • Amanda Jane Cooper (December 2015-March 2017)
  • Ginna Claire Mason (March 2017-October 2018)
  • Erin Mackey (February 2019-September 2019)
  • Allison Bailey (September 2019-March 2022)
  • Jennafer Newberry (March 2022-April 2023)
  • Celia Hottenstein (May 2023-present)
  • Austen Danielle Bohmer (May 2024)

2nd National Tour Understudies[]

  • Libby Servais (March 2009-February 2010)
  • Michelle London (March 2009-August 2010; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Lesley McKinnell (February 2010-April 2011; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Rachel Potter (August 2010-February 2011)
  • Tiffany Haas (February-August 2011; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Lisa Livesay (April 2011-March 2012; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Marissa Miller (August 2011-August 2013)
  • Jillian Kates (March 2012-September 2013; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Lindsey Brett Carothers (August 2013-November 2014)
  • Whitney Brandt (November 2014-November 2015)
  • Kelly D. Felthous (September 2013-August 2014; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Beka Burnham (August 2014-April 2016, August 2017- September 2019; also Nessarose u/s, February 2023-March 2023)
  • Allison Bailey (November 2015-June 2019)
  • Emily Ferranti (April-May 2016)
  • Jillian Butler (May 2016-August 2017; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Jennafer Newberry (July 2019-March 2022)
  • Jackie Raye (September 2019-Current; also Nessarose u/s)
  • Chelsea Cree Groen (March 2022-February 2023)
  • Madison Claire Parks (April 2023-Current)

Tokyo Revival[]

  • Tomada Asako
  • Torihara Yukimi

1st UK/Ireland Tour[]

1st UK/Ireland Tour Standby[]

  • Chloe Taylor (September-October 2013;Temporary)

1st UK/Ireland Tour Understudies[]

  • Carina Gillespie (also Nessarose) (September 2013-July 2015)
  • Helen Woolf (September 2013-September 2014)
  • Victoria Farley (September 2014-July 2015)

Mexico City[]

  • Cecilia de la Cueva
  • Majo Perez (once a week)

Mexico City Standby[]

  • Crisanta Gomez

Mexico City Understudy[]

  • Liesl Lar (also u/s Nessarosa)

Seoul, South Korea[]

  • Jung Sun Ah (November 2013-June 2014)
  • Kim Bo Kyung (November 2013-June 2014)
  • Kim So Hyun (June-October 2014)

Seoul Understudy[]

  • Lee Ji Eun (November 2013-October 2014)

Sydney Production[]

  • Lucy Durack (September 2009-September 2010)

Sydney Standbys[]

  • Erin Hasan (September 2009-September 2010)

Sydney Understudies[]

  • Liz Stiles (September 2009-June 2010)
  • Taneel van Zyl (June-September 2010)

1st Australian Tour[]

  • Lucy Durack (January-September 2011)
Annette Heick Glinda

Annette Heick as Glinda in the Copenhagen production.

1st Australian Tour Understudies[]

  • Suzie Mathers (January-September 2011)
  • Allyce Martens (January-September 2011)

Oberhausen Production[]

  • Joana Fee Würz (March 2010-September 2011)
  • Valerie Link (March 2010-September 2011)

Oberhausen Understudies[]

  • Katrin Taylor (March 2010-March 2011)
  • Heather Carino (March-September 2011)

Scheveningen Production[]

  • Chantal Janzen (October 2011-July 2012)
  • Yvonne Coldeweijer (July 2012-January 2013)
  • Céline Purcell (October 2011-January 2013)

Scheveningen Understudies[]

  • Manon Novak (October 2011-January 2013)
  • Ianthe Tavernier (October 2011-January 2013)

Asian Tour Production[]

  • Suzie Mathers (December 2011-October 2012)

Asian Tour Understudies[]

  • Allyce Martins (December 2011-October 2012)
  • Claire George (December 2011-October 2012)
  • Stephanie Morrison (also u/s Nessarose; December 2011-October 2012)

Helsinki City Theatre Production (non-replica)[]

  • Anna-Maija Tuokko (2010-2011)

Helsinki Understudy[]

  • Emmi Kangas (2010-2011)
Foto8

Manon Novak as Galinda

Copenhagen Production (non-replica)[]

  • Annette Heick (2011)
  • Katrine Falkenberg (2011)

Copenhagen Understudy[]

  • Camille-Cathrine Rommedahl (2011)

2nd Australian Tour[]

  • Suzie Mathers (September 2013-May 2014; February-June 2015)
  • Lucy Durack (May 2014-February 2015)

2nd Australia Tour Standby[]

  • Suzie Mathers (May 2014; January-February 2015)

2nd Australia Tour Understudies[]

  • Justine Puy (September 2013-June 2015)
  • Monica Swayne (September 2013-June 2015)

Brazilian Production[]

  • Fabi Bang (February-December 2016)

Brazilian Understudies[]

  • Julia Duarte (February-December 2016)
  • Andreza Meddeiros (July-December 2016)
  • Thuany Parente (February-December 2016)

International Tour[]

  • Carly Anderson (July 2016-July 2017)

Internation Tour Understudies[]

  • Elizabeth Futter (July 2016-July 2017)
  • Amy Goodwin (July 2016-July 2017)

2nd UK/Ireland Tour[]

  • Helen Woolf (November 2017-January 2019)

2nd UK/Ireland Tour Understudies[]

  • Charli Baptie (November 2017-January 2019)
  • Grace Chapman (November 2017-January 2019; Also Nessarose u/s)
  • Amy Goodwin (November 2017-January 2019; Also Elphaba u/s)

São Paulo Brazil Revival (Non-Replica)[]

  • Fabi Bang (March - July 2023)

São Paulo Brazil Revival (Non-Replica) Understudies[]

  • Verônica Goeldi (March - July 2023)
  • Mariana Montenegro (March - July 2023)
  • Aline Serra (March 2023)

2nd Australian Tour[]

  • Courtney Monsma

2nd Australian Tour Understudies[]

  • Jordan Malone (August 2023-Current, also u/s Nessarose)
  • Emily Monsma (August 2023-Current)

3rd UK/Ireland Tour[]

  • Sarah O'Connor (December 2023-January 2025)

3rd UK/Ireland Tour Understudies[]

  • Megan Gardiner (December 2023-January 2025; Also Nessarose)
  • Lydia Gerrard (December 2023-January 2025)
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