Headshot of Tom McGowen and the poster for the National Touring Production of Wicked. Images sourced from IMDB and the Orpheum Theatre.
By Kaydon Webber
Tom McGowen, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Speaks Behind the Scenes of Wicked
June 16th, 2026
The National Tour of Wicked will open at the Orpheum Theatre at the end of June and run through the first week of July. Written by composer Stephen Schwartz, the musical follows the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda in a classic “don’t judge a book by its cover” tale. As they navigate societal prejudices and differing worldviews, the two must unravel the corruption and false promises of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Playing the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is Tom McGowen, a veteran actor who has been with the show for 17 years. “This is my fourth or fifth time on tour because I love the show,” McGowen says. “It is 95% the same size and scale as it is in New York. A lot of good shows come in, but very few come in with 13 semi-trucks and 300 costumes.”
McGowen is a seasoned actor who has appeared in numerous popular films and television shows. Some of his previous acting credits include Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Birdcage, and many more. In his 50s, McGowen landed the role of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the national touring production of Wicked and has been a part of the show ever since, performing as the Wizard in more than 2,500 productions across the country.
“I had no idea when I started Wicked that this was going to turn into years and over a decade of my life, and I’m so grateful that they keep thinking of me,” McGowen says.
While Wicked is a touring production, it also employs local talent, with much of the ensemble and crew comprised of local theater professionals. McGowen also gave insight into how he keeps each performance fresh.
“I will tell you what’s helped me is to not focus on myself. What helps me, really, is to focus on the actors playing Elphaba because she has a three-hour story to tell, and if I don’t help her push her train along, then I haven’t done my job for that night,” McGowen says.
As the man behind the curtain invites audiences to peek into his world, McGowen concludes by saying, “For something like Wicked, there are a lot of performances where, as the lights are going down, the audience starts cheering because they’re so excited to see it. We hear that and we’re like, ‘They’re here. They’re ready. They’re excited.’”
The National Tour of Wicked will perform at the Orpheum Theatre from June 17 through July 5. More information about Wicked can be found at o-pa.org.
