“Defying Gravity” – the hit track from the Broadway musical “Wicked” – is one of the most iconic musical theatre pieces of this century. A duet between the lead characters Glinda and Elphaba, this power track wrapped up the first installment of the Wicked film, soundtracking its unforgettable grand finale while giving goosebumps to just about everyone who made it through to those closing movie moments.
But can you imagine four Elphabas singing the hit in harmony and sisterhood? You don’t have to—four Broadway queens have already made the dream come true, with their viral vid amassing over 5.3 million YouTube views to date!
For this magical viral clip, four leading ladies from Broadway’s rendition of Wicked reprise their roles for one song only. And despite not donning green-skinned, witch-hatted stage costumes, these ladies conjure up the Broadway/Hollywood glitz with their jaw-dropping voices alone!
Jackie Burns kickstarts this clip; the Connecticut-born Broadway star who took on the role of Elphaba from 2010 to 2011, appearing in the first national tour of Wicked. The actress returned to the role for the stage show’s 2017 to 2018 run — and from her first verse alone, it’s no wonder that Jackie stole the lead role for a second time. Pristine vocals, smiling through every syllable and soaring note, Jackie’s additions to this clip set a sky-high standard for the Broadway stars who follow her.
Texan actress Alyssa Fox, who played the lead role in 2023, joins the tune next, sliding into the first chorus with a floral and crystalline voice.
Then, Jenny DeNoia takes on the second verse, radiant and graceful as Alyssa watches on in awe. Jenny first became the standby actress for Elphaba in 2007, taking the lead role in London’s West End edition in 2014 and multiple other global stage versions, before flitting back to the US to play Elphaba on multiple Wicked tours, culminating in her final official Wicked gig in 2022. Jenny’s decade-plus of studying this character is magnified in this clip, while showing her true grace in sharing lyrics with three other star Elphabas.
Pennsylvanian actress Mary Kate Morrissey is the last to enter in song. She first starred as Elphaba full-time in 2017 and left the role in 2025, to be replaced by Lencia Kebede.
While this performance spurred some spellbound fans to tap into some musical theatre comedy, writing, “This is my Roman Empire” and “A multiverse of Elphabas? The Wizard doesn’t stand a chance!”, other fans took a moment to dive into what makes each of these actresses the perfect Elphaba. As one top commenter wrote, “I always like seeing the similarities and differences between multiple people who have played the same character and appreciating what different performers contribute to a role; especially for live theatre, where you can have so many people play a character across many years and across multiple productions of the same show. This is a wonderful example of that!”
These four Broadway queens have proven that their combined talent can redefine an iconic piece, creating a spellbinding harmony that resonates with fans worldwide. Their phenomenal rendition of “Defying Gravity” continues to captivate audiences with its remarkable power and unity. Discover more about this enchanting collaboration and explore further links below.