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This weekend, Broadway’s Lencia Kebede joined Good Morning America to discuss her turn as Elphaba in the Broadway production of the hit musical Wicked. Joining the long-running show in March, Kebede made history as the first Black actress to play Elphaba on Broadway full-time.
“It is the largest honor a person could ever carry,” said Kebede of her history-making turn as the beloved character. “As a child, I always dreamt of making a positive impact on the world around me, and I never knew how that would happen, but it came in the most perfect form.”
She also recalled her first bow in the show, which also marked her Broadway debut: “Once the doors finally close and I get to go on stage for my bow, I just throw everything to the wayside and just listen to the audience, tried to connect with people with my eyes, and it was just one of those platinum, core memories that I will never forget.” Watch the full interview here.
Kebede is a proud first-generation Ethiopian-American, Lencia graduated from Occidental College majoring in Diplomacy & World Affairs and minoring in Politics. Before Wicked, she spent five transformative years in Hamilton (Angelica Schuyler; previously Woman 5), toured nationally and internationally with Rent (Joanne), and sang backup for Beyoncé Knowles Carter.
Currently the 4th longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked is currently in its 22nd year on Broadway. Part 1 of the blockbuster film adaptation opened on November 22, 2024, becoming the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical. The second part, Wicked: For Good, will hit theaters on November 21, 2025.
