Modesto’s Lindsay Pearce returns to ‘Wicked’ on Broadway, makes ‘Tonight Show’ debut
Broadway and Modesto native Lindsay Pearce came back in a big way this week, capped off with an appearance Friday on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
The Modesto Junior College alum was cast as the lead role of Elphaba the “Wicked Witch of the West” in the Tony-winning musical “Wicked” at the start of 2020. She stepped on her first Broadway stage Feb. 25 that year painted in her character’s green skin. But then, just two weeks later, the Great White Way and really the whole world shut down with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Broadway closed its doors March. 12, 2020 and Pearce and the rest of the company were promised their roles back when it returned. But the actress and, again, the world had no idea it would take a full year and a half — almost to the day — for the lights to go back up and the musical to return to the stage. Audiences were back inside New York City’s iconic Gershwin Theatre Sept. 14 for the show’s grand reopening.
After performing in the hit musical’s first show back earlier this week, Pearce posted an emotional Instagram video thanking fans, the cast, crew and entire production of “Wicked.”
“What happened tonight was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had the privilege of experiencing,” she said, saying she was “humbled” and “so full of gratitude and so full of love.”
The return of “Wicked” was made even more special by a surprise appearance by Broadway superstar Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” on the Gershwin stage in 2003.
Modesto native sings for Jimmy Fallon, national audience
Pearce finished off her first week back on Broadway with her first appearance on “The Tonight Show.” She performed on the late-night talk show with her co-star Ginna Claire Mason, who plays Glinda alongside her in the Broadway production.
The duo performed a medley of “Popular” and “The Wizard and I,” two hits from the production that has taken home three Tony, a Grammy and seven Drama Desk awards.
The reopening for “Wicked” saw three other mega-hit Broadway shows return that night: “Hamilton,” “The Lion King” and “Chicago.” The reimagination of the “Wizard of Oz” origin story is the fifth longest-running production in Broadway history.
When she was initially cast as Elphaba, Pearce made the cross-country trip from her Los Angeles-area home to live full-time in New York. The singer and actor got her foundation in Modesto, performing on local stages since she was 6 years old with Opera Modesto, Denair Gaslight Theater, Sonora’s Stage 3 Theatre, Turlock Youth Performing Arts and Modesto Junior College.
In 2010 she won the inaugural Valley Talent Project (then called Valley’s Got Talent), which introduced her to fellow Modesto native and Emmy-winning Hollywood casting director Robert Ulrich. She went on to be cast in “The Glee Project,” a reality competition spin-off of the hit show “Glee,” which led to a recurring appearance on the musical series.
She moved to Southern California to pursue her acting career, landing a guest spot on “Grey’s Anatomy” and a recurring role on the Freeform show “Recovery Road.”
She called being cast as Elphaba for her first Broadway show “the role of a lifetime” before her big debut in early 2020. But after the pandemic hit, she returned to the West Coast.
Early in the pandemic last year, Pearce spoke with The Bee about the show closing and her hopeful return to the stage.
“I am very, very lucky and privileged to have a job to come back to,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll ever complain about this job ever again. I feel like in my heart I was complaining about how hard it (being in the show) was before this happened. But I won’t ever complain again. I miss that job so much.”
Last month, Pearce and the rest of the “Wicked” cast returned and began full rehearsals on Aug. 23 — some 529 days since the show’s last performance.
Videos posted on YouTube by fans of the reopening night performance show the crowd — who were masked and had to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to attend — standing and cheering wildly as Pearce belts out Elphaba’s signature song “Defying Gravity” as she flies high above the stage.
This story was originally published September 19, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
