Olivia Valli brings humor and heart to ‘Wicked’s’ lead role

For someone playing the Wicked Witch of the West, Olivia Valli seems almost too kind, caring and humble.  

If the woman wearing the pointy, dark hat and green makeup could ask an actual Wizard of Oz for a wish, Valli, 29, said, “I think I would ask for something for other people.”  

Instead of asking for more flying monkeys or the death of a certain lovable terrier, she would wish for illnesses to be cured or for people to not live in poverty.

That might seem odd for the familiar witch from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” But for the new Elphaba in the national touring production of “Wicked” — stopping at the Wharton Center today (May 10) through May 28 for a return visit — revealing a different side to the well-known character is what the show is all about.   

The musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.”  

Besides the 1939 film with Judy Garland, there have been multiple remakes and spinoffs of Baum’s original story. “The Wiz” debuted on stage in 1974. That was followed by a 1978 film starring Diana Ross as Dorothy. Andrew Lloyd Webber supplied the music for yet another “The Wizard of Oz” musical that opened in 2011. So, why do we need another spinoff like “Wicked”?

“We need a story about the witches — the power of their friendship and rising to who they are,” Valli said. “Why would anyone not want to see witches running around and singing their faces off? Who doesn’t want to see someone painted green flying around in a big, beautiful dress in a bubble? People say, ‘There’s no place like home.’ I say there’s no place like ‘Wicked.’”

The musical’s worldwide popularity is reflected by how often it has appeared at the Wharton Center. The national touring company performed there in July 2007, July through August 2008, June through July 2012 and November 2016. Wharton was scheduled to host another tour in April 2020, but it was canceled due to COVID-19 safety restrictions.

“Wicked’s” many runs on the Cobb Great Hall stage are only rivaled by musicals like “The Lion King” and “Hamilton.”

For “Wicked’s” return, Valli, who was Elphaba’s understudy in the national touring company from 2016 to 2019, will finally get the chance to play the lead.

“As I got older, I was thinking that maybe it wasn’t going to happen,” she said. “But here I am. It’s really wild.”

“I bring a lot of knowledge to this role. It’s very emotional for me now,” she added. “It takes years to understand Elphaba.”

Valli is well suited for the role.  

“I really relate to Elphaba because, in a lot of ways, I felt like an outcast. I was too loud.  I was too bold.  I was too much — and Elphaba is considered to be too much,” she said. “Elphaba and I only know how to be ourselves. We don’t know how to play it safe for the comfort of others.”

That unapologetic manner, as well as Elphaba’s compassion and strength, is what drew Valli to the part. She aims to be relatable and show that, overall, Elphaba just wants to help other people.

“I’ve added a lot of heart to it,” she said. “I’ve added a lot of humor to it. It’s not a funny role, but she has a dry humor.”

Valli makes sure all audience members, even those in distant balconies, stay engaged by looking up and having a powerful voice with a lot of forward projection. She believes in her role so that others — even those far away — will believe in Elphaba.

Another captivating element of the show is Elphaba’s trademark green makeup, which takes 45 minutes to apply.

“We have a really incredible makeup artist who takes her time to make sure the makeup doesn’t transfer and that I still look pretty,” Valli said.  “Just because you’re painted green doesn’t mean you’re this hideous ogre from ‘Shrek.’”

Since graduating in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in musical theater from Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey, Valli has worked consistently in “high-intensity shows.” After getting 11 chances to play Elphaba as an understudy, she moved on to play Frankie Valli’s ex-wife in an off-Broadway production of “Jersey Boys.”  

Since Frankie Valli is her grandfather, playing Mary Delgado in the musical meant she played her real-life grandmother.

For the past year, she’s played Vivian Ward — a role made famous by Julia Roberts — in the national touring company of “Pretty Woman” to rave reviews.

“I just finished my contract with ‘Pretty Woman,’ and I said to myself, ‘I want to audition for (Elphaba) again,” Valli said. “I wanted to see if this is something I’m really meant to do.”

She secured the part and made her debut May 2 at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Her contract lasts one year, and she expects to be wearing green nail polish for at least the next 12 months. 

“Coming back to this cast, there’s a familiarity about it,” she said.  

Despite the new cast members, Valli said that everyone was “so kind and welcoming.” 

“It’s pretty rare in companies,” she said. “It genuinely feels like a family.”