Bean was convinced that Menzel would return for the evening show after the injury, as she only had a few shows left in her career as Elphaba.
The Crazy Day Shoshana Bean Had to Replace Idina Menzel in Wicked After She Broke Her Rib
Hey everyone! Have you seen the Wicked movie or the Broadway show? It’s one of the coolest musicals ever, with the green witch Elphaba singing “Defying Gravity.” But did you know about the super dramatic day in 2005 when the original star, Idina Menzel, got hurt on stage? Her standby, Shoshana Bean, had to jump in with almost no warning. Recently in 2026, Shoshana talked about it again on a podcast, and it’s still such a wild Broadway story!
What Happened on That January Day in 2005
It was Saturday, January 8, 2005, at the Gershwin Theatre in New York. Idina Menzel was playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch. This was supposed to be one of her last performances — she was getting ready to leave the show after more than a year.
During the big “melting” scene near the end of the matinee (when Elphaba is supposed to melt from the bucket of water), something went wrong with the trap door on stage. The elevator platform went down too early, and Idina fell through it. She cracked a lower rib. It hurt so bad that they had to stop the show for about 45 minutes. An ambulance even came to take her to the hospital — still in her full green makeup and costume!
While all this was happening, the crew rushed to get her standby ready. That standby was Shoshana Bean. She had to get into the green makeup, wig, and costume super fast (people say it took only about 7 minutes!). Shoshana finished the last few minutes of the show. The audience was shocked but supportive.
Shoshana Steps In
Shoshana wasn’t just any understudy — she was about to officially take over the role of Elphaba on January 11 anyway. But because of the injury, she had to perform the Saturday evening show and the Sunday matinee too (which was supposed to be Idina’s big final performance).
Imagine being a Broadway actress and suddenly having to play one of the biggest roles in the world with almost no time to prepare. Shoshana later said it felt awkward because everyone in the audience had come to see Idina’s last shows. She felt like an “imposter” at first, but she did an amazing job.
The next day, January 9, Idina couldn’t sing because of her broken rib. But she still showed up for her “final bow.” She came out on stage in a red tracksuit (not the green costume), said some funny words like “I melted and melted,” and got a huge 5-minute standing ovation. The crowd went crazy with love and cheers. Shoshana had let Idina come out for the very end of the show as a nice gesture.
What Shoshana Bean Remembers Now (in 2026)
More than 20 years later, Shoshana Bean is still a big Broadway star (she’s been in shows like Hairspray, Waitress, and more). In a recent 2026 podcast interview, she talked about that wild weekend again. She remembered how fast everything happened and how she had to “get greenified” in minutes. She also shared how much she respected Idina and how special it felt (and a little weird) to step into such a famous role early.
Idina has also talked about it kindly, saying she appreciates what Shoshana did for her that day.
Why This Story Is So Cool
This story shows how tough and prepared Broadway actors have to be. Understudies and standbys practice a lot because anything can happen — a cold, a voice problem, or even a stage accident! It also proves how kind theater people can be to each other. Even though Idina was hurt and sad about missing her last full show, she still came back to say goodbye to the fans.
It makes me think about teamwork. The whole cast, crew, and even the audience worked together to make the show go on. That’s the magic of live theater — it’s never perfect, but it’s always exciting!
Have You Seen Wicked?
If you’ve watched the Wicked movie with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba or seen the stage show, who is your favorite witch — Elphaba or Glinda? Would you want to be a standby on Broadway someday? It’s a huge responsibility!