Wicked Tour Star Stephanie J. Block Injured; First Preview Canceled

Tonight's scheduled first preview of the Wicked tour has been canceled. Star Stephanie J. Block cannot perform due to a minor injury she suffered during rehearsal, a production spokesperson told Broadway.com. Performances of the hit musical will now begin in Toronto on March 9 with Broadway understudy Kristy Cates playing Elphaba.

"[Block] is experiencing muscle spasms which are preventing her from performing," a production spokesperson said. "Ms. Block is expected to return in a few days."

Block performed the role of Elphaba during the early stages of Wicked's development and was the production's original standby, going on during the San Francisco tryout. She left Wicked before it hit Broadway in order to take the part of Liza Minnelli in The Boy from Oz. Her other theatrical credits include regional productions of Love A Piano, Fiddler on the Roof, James Joyce's The Dead, The Grass Harp and Funny Girl.

Cates is in the ensemble of the Broadway production of Wicked and covers the role of Elphaba. She has appeared off-Broadway in Boobs! The Musical. Her regional theater credits include John and Jen and Into the Woods.

Wicked is scheduled to play a seven-week engagement at Toronto's Canon Theatre. To make up for tonight's cancellation, a performance has been added on Sunday, March 13 at 7:30pm. All tickets for this evening's show will be honored at the Sunday evening performance.

In addition to Block, the touring company includes Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda, Carol Kane as Madame Morrible, David Garrison as The Wizard, Derrick Williams as Fiyero, Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose, Timothy Britten Parker as Doctor Dillamond and Logan Lipton as Boq.