WICKED opens this week on Wednesday, April 22! We asked The Wonderful Wizard of Oz himself, Tom McGowan, about life on tour, dream roles, and all of his WICKED favorites. See the full interview below:

WICKED is such an iconic musical. What was your first connection to it (seeing the tour years ago, cast recording, first show you saw on Broadway, etc.)?
My introduction to Wicked came when my daughter, Mary, watched the Tony Awards for 2003. She asked to get the cast album, and she and her friend, Sara, spent the entire summer playing Glinda and Elphaba in the back yard. Sometimes two shows a day!

What excites you most about performing in WICKED every night?
Aside from still loving the show after being a part of it on and off for 17 years, I know Wicked is many young people’s very first show, and they have such a powerful reaction to seeing this great musical about 2 young women learning to navigate their friendship.

What’s the most challenging part of performing in WICKED?
I always say that The Wizard has the easiest in job in the building, but still, 8 shows a week is no joke! We have to discipline ourselves offstage so the we have all the energy we need onstage.

Touring means lots of travel. What’s your go-to way to make each new city feel like home?
I really enjoy the tour life, especially exploring each new city. I actually don’t decorate my dressing room or hotel room while away. It helps remind me that this is work and I’m providing for my family back home. Many people do like to have pictures around and other things to make them comfortable.

Do you have any backstage rituals or pre-show routines that help you get ready for the show?
The Wizard doesn’t make his first entrance until very late in Act One, so I make sure to come down right before the curtain goes up so I can say hi to everyone and connect with the cast. I also like to watch at least one scene from backstage every night. It helps me remind me what a great show it is and what a talented group of people I’m working with.

If you could swap roles with another character in WICKED for one night, who would it be and why?
Oh, it would be Madame Morrible without question! It’s a terrific villain role and I’ve had the privilege to see many amazing actresses play the role. I also wish I could sing like Fiyero, but that’s not happening.

What’s one small detail in the show that audiences might not notice, but you love?
The details on the costumes that you can only see if you are sitting very close, always amazes me. So many of the costumes have OZ patterns everywhere.

If you weren’t an actor, what profession would you pursue?
I come from a long line of teachers and I think it’s a noble profession. I probably would have pursued a career in education if I hadn’t gotten the breaks to have had a lifetime as an actor.

If you could give advice to young performers dreaming of being on a Broadway national tour, what would you tell them?
Training is essential. Especially for musical theatre. You can go to college and grad school for acting, which is what I did, or you can take voice, dancing, and acting classes. It is not an easy business to break into, even with a lot of talent, luck and timing play a big part. You can certainly start in school and local shows and work your way up. My main piece of advice for everything is be nice to everybody, and be reliable.

What is your dream role?
I got to play Falstaff a couple of summers ago, which was a real bucket list role. There are a couple of other Shakespearean and Moliere roles I’d like to tackle. I’m now too old for all my favorite musical roles!!

Tickets to WICKED are on sale now online at HammonsHall.com, by phone at 417-836-7678 or at the Hammons Hall box office at 525 S John Q. Hammons Parkway. The show is recommended for audiences ages 8+. Performances are made possible through generous support from Great Southern Bank.

Ticket buyers are reminded that for Juanita K. Hammons Hall productions, HammonsHall.com is the only official retail ticket outlet and the only way to guarantee that you are paying face value for legitimate tickets for all performances at Hammons Hall. Ticket buyers who purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party should also be aware that Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, Missouri State TIX, and/or Celebrity Attractions are unable to reprint or replace lost or stolen tickets and are unable to contact patrons with information regarding time changes or other pertinent updates regarding the performance.