Riley Costello Pretended to Be Elphaba in His Garage & Now He's Boq in Wicked on Broadway

When Riley Costello first heard the Wicked cast recording almost sixteen years ago he was immediately hooked, and now he's going to the Ozdust Ballroom eight times a week as Boq in Wicked on Broadway. Costello stopped by Broadway.com's #LiveatFive for a "congratulotions" interview and to talk all about pretending to be Elphaba, watching bootlegs with Ariana Grande and more. "I'm in my favorite musical right now," he said to Beth Stevens. "It's just as fresh as it was when it first opened. It's an extremely out-of-body experience to be on stage. It's very overwhelming."

Costello always dreamed of flying high on Broadway, so much so that he created his own miniature Gershwin Theatre in his home. "I was 10 when the show first came out. I got the CD, fell in love, and needed to do it," he said. "I turned our garage into the theater and built sets that would make 'Defying Gravity' come to life. I had a fog machine and karaoke tracks and all the fabric for costumes and hats. I was really just Elphaba. That still is my dream role, I'm just waiting for the call."

When he was making his Broadway debut in 13: The Musical as an understudy, Costello and his fellow Wicked-loving co-star Ariana Grande would often spend their time watching their favorite green girls fly. "I remember when we were tutoring during 13, Ariana Grande and I would watch YouTube videos of Wicked instead of doing our homework. One time we ran into Eden Espinosa at a benefit concert and gushed at her."

The journey to Oz has been long for Costello, he had an "annual checkup" with the casting directors for a yearly audition before landing the role. "I got a cryptic email asking about my availability," he said. "I've not told anyone this but I went to the stage door at the Gershwin and I walked through the breezeway to put out all the good energy. To be in a show that I am a genuine fan of, I still pinch myself every day. My first apartment in the city when I moved here was across the street from the Gershwin. I really wish I could tell the kid in the garage what was gonna happen. I really realize how lucky I am."

See Costello in Wicked on Broadway!

Watch the full #LiveatFive episode below!