NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Green tears were flowing when Lencia Kebede made history this week on becoming the first Black actor to assume the role of Elphaba full time in the Broadway company of 鈥淲icked.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to even pinpoint a single emotion because I feel that it changes like every five minutes,鈥� she told The Associated Press, still buzzing a day after her debut. 鈥淚 woke up and I still sort of felt in the world of Oz.鈥�
Kebede, a first-generation Ethiopian American from Los Angeles, spent five years touring with most recently in the role of Angelica Schuyler. Stepping into 鈥淲icked鈥� on Tuesday marked her Broadway debut.
鈥淒efying Gravity鈥�
Kebede had already gone through an emotional wringer by the time the curtain finally came down. She sings the Act 1 showstopper 鈥淒efying Gravity,鈥� shooting into the air and the power of the moment ripped through her.
鈥淲hen the lights went off at the end of the song, I started sobbing. Not like just a gentle tear. Viscerally, I had to release,鈥� she says.
"I really felt like I was flying, is the simplest way to put it. I felt like I鈥檓 doing it myself, though my own power 鈥� my vocal power, my emotional power, the power of all of my African ancestors."
鈥淚f I鈥檓 flying solo/At least I鈥檓 flying free/To those who ground me, take a message back from me/Tell them how I am defying gravity,鈥� she sang.
鈥淓veryone deserves a chance to fly,鈥� says Kebede. 鈥淚'm projecting this message that no matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from, you deserve liberation and you deserve empowerment in the way that the character feels in that moment. It just feels like I鈥檓 taking the entire audience in my arms.鈥�
Thank goodness it was intermission. 鈥淚 needed to regroup,鈥� she says, laughing. "My makeup artist was like, 鈥楯ust let it out, just cry, and then we can clean it up.鈥欌��
Who was watching Kebede's 鈥榃icked鈥� debut?
In the audience were some 60 family and friends 鈥� mom and her aunts and uncles, her many cousins, her boyfriend, pals from other shows, her agent and casting directors, even her college choir director.
鈥淢y whole family was in the audience 鈥� just everyone who I鈥檝e ever loved, with everyone who has loved me and supported me through my life is just like under me, lifting me and holding me,鈥� she says.
鈥淚t was just so important to me to have people there that I could share this moment with, so I could say to their faces, 鈥橧 couldn鈥檛 be here without a piece of your heart that you gave me.'鈥�
A sisterhood of Elphabas
The popularity of the hasn't dampened the appetite for the Broadway version, which opened in 2003 with songs by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Over Christmas, it took in a staggering $5 million over nine performances, marking the highest weekly gross in history for any Broadway show.
Kebede joins a sisterhood of green-clad Black women who have played Elphaba, a list that includes Saycon Sengbloh and both Broadway standbys; Brandi Chavonne Massey, a Broadway understudy; and Alexia Khadime, a full-time West End Elphaba.
Others who have played the role over the years include Shoshana Bean, Jessica Vosk, Eden Espinosa, Ana Gasteyer and, of course, who won a Tony Award in the role in 2004.
A career takes a turn
Kebede graduated from Occidental College in 2016 with a double major of diplomacy & world affairs and politics, intending on a career in law or public policy. By her senior year, she had an itch she needed to scratch.
鈥淚 just had this creative craving in terms of storytelling in the theatrical way that I was missing,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o I sat my mother down and I was like, 鈥楲ook, I think I need just a couple years to explore this creative endeavor.鈥欌��
Her first professional job was a production of 鈥淢emphis鈥� at Musical Theatre West and then a stint at Tokyo Disney and touring in 鈥淩ent.鈥� In addition to years on the road with 鈥淗补尘颈濒迟辞苍,鈥� Kebede also sang backup for Beyonc茅 during her Coachella rehearsals.
鈥淭he rigorous nature of touring, I think, prepared me immensely for this,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 do feel very equipped 鈥� physically, vocally, emotionally. I feel like I know how to take care of my body and my mind, how I need to cool down emotionally after such an intense experience for three hours.鈥�
A magical night
On debut night, Kebede tried to keep a set of mental screenshots, a reel of faces and feelings. As she turned to get backstage, she was feeling the love.
鈥淢y grandmother and my father passed when I was in high school and I just took a moment to connect with my angels,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was, oh God, it was electric.鈥�
Family came backstage after the show for photos and a tour, she was toasted at a nearby bar by friends, she finally ate something and then got home to try to sleep.
鈥淢y battery was dead. I mean, I couldn鈥檛 even move. I couldn鈥檛 move my face. I was just drinking my tea, playing calming jazz. I had to just turn it off,鈥� she says.
And then she had to do it all over again the next night.
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
