Dianne Pilkington to Play Glinda in London Wicked

The London production of Wicked is getting a new witch: Dianne Pilkington will replace Helen Dallimore as Glinda in the hit musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre on July 16. Dallimore will play her final performance on July 14, and the Melbourne-born actress has been invited to star in the 2008 Australian premiere production of Wicked.

Pilkington has just completed a year-long engagement playing Grizabella in a national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Her other theater credits include playing Belinda in The Far Pavilions at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Mary in Tonight's the Night at the Victoria Palace, Belle in the national tour of Beauty and the Beast; Kim in the original cast of Boy George's musical Taboo at the Venue and Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Victoria Palace. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting.

Based on Gregory Maguire's best-selling novel, Wicked tells the untold story of an extraordinary friendship between two girls: the blond and popular Glinda and the misunderstood green girl, Elphaba, whose destiny is to become the Wicked Witch of the West. The musical features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and direction by Joe Mantello.

In addition to Dallimore, the London production of Wicked currently stars Kerry Ellis as Elphaba, Adam Garcia as Fiyero, Miriam Margolyes as Madame Morrible, Nigel Planer as The Wizard, Martin Ball as Doctor Dillamond, James Gillan as Boq and Katie Rowley Jones as Nessarose. Susie Blake will take over the role of Madame Morrible on April 2.