It’s not that easy being green – or performing one of musical theatre’s most demanding roles, eight shows a week. Sheridan Adams shares how playing Elphaba helped her find her voice.
On Wednesday 18 January 2023, I knelt on the floor of Southern Cross Station with a phone in my hand, grappling with the overwhelming feeling that the trajectory of my life had shifted in a single moment. It had shifted in the way I had only dreamed of since I was a child. I had just learned that I got the part: Elphaba, in Wicked. Unbeknown to me, there would be – and will be – many more of those moments. Phone calls, opening nights, surgeries, anniversaries and seemingly inconsequential meetings that will come to stitch the tapestry of my life.
Now in its 22nd year on Broadway, Wicked remains one of the most enduring and celebrated musicals of all time. The production is as relevant as ever, not just because of its unforgettable score, ingenious lyrics and dazzling design – but also because the story of one green girl resonates with so many audiences around the world.
For many, witnessing the magic of Wicked has quite literally changed them for good. Beneath its humour and spectacle lies a story that doesn’t shy away from the complexity of being human. For me, Wicked asks us to reflect on our lives. How can we rise up from adversity, challenge the status quo and step into our power no matter the cost? How can we learn to accept the parts of ourselves the world has told us to hide?
I am incredibly grateful to be one of the many actresses who has stepped into Elphaba’s shoes night after night. But what connects me most of all to Elphaba’s transformation is that it awakened my own. Like Elphaba, I was bullied at school. Presently, I’m learning to navigate social anxiety and discover my neurodiversity in adulthood – to accept and understand parts of myself that I had yet to see.
On Friday 25 August 2023, I took my first bow as Elphaba. In the beginning, being on stage and under her (green) skin was scary! I grappled with meeting people’s expectations, as well as my own. There were bright lights, transitioning sets, marks and high notes to hit. Perfectionism took its hold.
From that first bow until now, I find myself acutely aware of every moment. Routine, repeated and ultimately finite – the process consists of reminders that I am living my dream. Sitting in my dressing room, watching in the mirror as “landscape green” is painted on my skin. Completing my pre-show checklist: confirming Elphaba’s glasses, checking her green letter is in my blazer’s right pocket, a vocal warm-up with my trusty straw. Running downstage, suitcase in hand, making my entrance from behind the set’s huge clock face. Lights blinding, smile beaming into the darkness of the crowd. Being zipped into the magnificent Act Two dress, and pinning on my iconic witch’s hat.
And of course, perhaps my favourite of them all, being able to perform ‘Defying Gravity’. Elphaba rises in the darkness, the orchestra swells. I feel the weight of the heavy broom in my arms, I can see our incredible cast below, our musical director conducting from the pit. Some nights I notice audience members lit up in the first few rows, tightly holding hands or gripping one another’s arms. In the immediate blackout, I’m often emotional listening to the crowd’s response – waiting in the air, to come back down to be greeted by our stage managers and crew.
On Monday 6 January 2025, I had vocal surgery. I’d had to step away from the show for eight months, to recover from a muscle bleed in my larynx. And as surreal as it is to say, I now look back on that experience with gratitude. It has given me strength, perspective and a deeper connection with my craft.
I have so much love and grace for that past version of Sheridan. I wish I could go back in time, take her hand and tell her that she was going to be okay. That she was not alone. That many performers have suffered in silence, and injuries are not uncommon. I wish I could tell her this chapter would enable her to manifest a stronger relationship with her voice. That it was time to trust her instincts, close her eyes and leap. It was time to try defying gravity.
And on Wednesday 23 April 2025, after patience, support and love from many people in my life, I returned to the world of Wicked, where our tour has brought us all the way to Seoul, South Korea. I truly believe that in the darkest moments, there is light. That in times where you feel the most isolated or broken, there is always a choice to get back up. How lucky am I that Elphaba taught me that?
by Sheridan Adams @sheridanadams
Sheridan Adams is a musical theatre performer, currently starring as Elphaba in the Australasian tour of Wicked.
Published in ed#750
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