A wicked role

Actor Kristoffer Cusick made quite an entrance the night the musical “Wicked” opened at the Pantages.

The Glendale resident plays Fiyero, the prince who creates a love triangle between the two witches, Elphaba, the green witch, and Glinda the good witch. The story relates what happened before Dorothy arrives in Oz.

In one scene, Cusick, as Fiyero, swings out onto the stage on a rope and jumps from it in an effort to rescue everyone, he said.

“But the stage was slick on opening night and I slipped and fell on my butt,” he said. “The audience is laughing and the actors are trying to hold it together, but laughing. A lot of people I talked to after the show said they thought it was part of the show. But it’s mortifying when you are not supposed to do something.”

The veteran performer said he went on with the scene like nothing ever happened. His ability to stay in character could be attributed to his familiarity with the role.

Cusick was the understudy for Fiyero in the Broadway production of “Wicked” in 2003 and opened the Chicago show in the role in 2005. And when they were casting the part for the Los Angeles production, he was chosen.

Lisa Leguillou, associate director of “Wicked” at the Pantages, has watched his evolution in the part over the years.

“Whenever I hear him sing on stage, as an audience member, I feel well taken care of,” she said. “His voice is just excellent. I don’t ever worry, ‘Is he going to have problems vocally?’ He’s so connected to his instrument, his voice, it’s effortless.”

He’s also a very giving performer on stage, she added, he listens and reacts really well to his fellow actors.

“That’s important because the story needs to be related so you are not watching the technique,” she said. “He’s charismatic, handsome and charming to watch as Fiyero. I see the love he has for Glinda and Elphaba. You really get that with him.”

Ronn Goswick, executive director of the Valley Musical Theatre, has seen “Wicked” three times, the last time with Cusick in the role, he said.

Cusick has been the best Fiyero because Cusick puts a real honesty into the role, Goswick said.

“The other two gentlemen were, like, doing what they were told to do,” Goswick said. “Move here. Do that. Look at her. All the things we don’t want to see on stage. But Kristoffer’s movements are natural, which goes back, I think, to his being a dancer. He’s one of the triple threats around. He’s comfortable dancing, singing and acting.”

Cusick has been singing, dancing and acting most of his life. In 1997, he joined the first national tour of “Rent” as a member of the ensemble and an understudy, and later played the role of Angel.

Then he landed his first original Broadway cast show, landing the role as Kenny in “Saturday Night Fever” and was the understudy for the role of Gus.

Getting the part of Fiyero in the Los Angeles production of “Wicked” was a long road, Cusick said.

He was living in Burbank and met Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics for “Wicked,” at a workshop at Disney Studios.

After many calls between Schwartz’s office and his agent, Cusick got to read the script for the musical and loved it. In the Chicago production, he played opposite Ana Gasteyer from “Saturday Night Live,” who played Elphaba.

“It was cool, opening the role in Chicago and working with Ana Gasteyer,” he said.

“It was amazing to work with her. She’s a brilliant comedian and actress. She has this stellar voice, and acting chops that rival anybody who has ever played the role of Elphaba.”

He believes there is a special chemistry between the actresses in the Los Angeles production, Eden Espinosa as Elphaba and Megan Hilty as Glinda. They worked together in the Broadway production, he said.

“We matched up really well so they put us together to come here and open the Los Angeles company,” he said.