SOMETHING 'WICKED' THIS WAY FLIES ... AND 2 SOUTHLAND ACTRESSES ARE COMING HOME WITH IT.

Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Writer

In ``The Wizard of Oz,'' it's Dorothy Gale who clicks the heels of her ruby slippers together, intones, ``There's no place like home,'' and promptly returns to the land of black and white.

But, for the national tour of the ``Oz''-inspired musical ``Wicked,'' which pays its first visit to Los Angeles in mid-June, it's the witches of Oz who are homeward bound. Actresses Jenna Leigh Green of Simi Valley and Stephanie J. Block of Orange County (by way of Whittier) play, respectively, Nessarose and Elphaba, better-known as the future wicked witches of the East and West.

``This is actually the first time since I moved to New York that I'll actually be coming home and actually have time to relax in L.A., not have to feel stressed and rushed,'' says Green, a Simi Valley High School graduate whose parents still live in the area. ``I'll be working, but it will be kind of like a vacation as well.''

``One of the things that led me to accept the tour,'' says Block, ``was that I knew I'd be coming to my home town with a big spectacular musical. I get to be home with my family and my boyfriend, to have loved ones and friends in the audience every night. I keep an apartment in New York City, but as far as using the word 'home,' I think Southern California will always be my home.''

Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, ``Wicked'' charts how bookish, green-skinned Elphaba (Maguire created her name from the initials of ``Wizard of Oz'' scribe L. Frank Baum) turned wicked, tracing a school-days rivalry with the beautiful and much more popular Glinda (played by Kendra Kassebaum). Nessarose has an important role as well, given her dalliance with a Munchkin who later turns out to be ... well ... better not to spoil it. But even without Dorothy putting in an appearance, ``Oz''-ophiles should find plenty to tickle their fancy. Carol Kane, David Garrison and Derrick Williams round out the cast.

Written by ``My So Called Life's'' Winnie Holzman with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (``Pippin,'' ``Godspell''), the musical was an instant smash when it opened on Broadway in late 2003, capturing three Tony awards and recouping its entire investment in record time. The six-week L.A. stint at the Pantages Theatre - after stops in Toronto and Chicago - is almost entirely sold out prior to its opening.

So not a bad head of steam under which to return home. And, in Block's case, to continue her ``Wicked'' journey.

The path to riding Elphaba's broom stick actually began several years earlier, when Block created the role during the musical's early workshop days. She was playing Holocaust savior Ruth Gruber in the musical ``Haven'' at the University of Judaism in 2001 when the call finally came that ``Wicked'' was headed to Broadway following a pre-Great White Way tryout in San Francisco. One slight hitch: Instead of continuing as Elphaba, Block would join the production as an understudy to leading lady - and eventual Tony Award winner - Idina Menzel, a former star of ``Rent.''

``They said, 'We love you, we think you're fantastic, but we need someone (to play Elphaba) who has already opened a Broadway show,' '' recalls Block. ``When you invest two years in a part that I just adored, that really reverberated in me - yeah, it was heartbreaking. But I knew, somewhere down the road, I would be playing this role.''

Block did her ensemble and standby duty in San Francisco, and when ``Wicked'' went to Broadway, she left the cast to play Liza Minnelli opposite Hugh Jackman's Peter Allen in ``The Boy From Oz.'' It was Block's first Broadway leading role and won her much critical praise.

When that show closed, the tour of ``Wicked'' was in formation and Block was needed again, this time to wear the pointy black hat and green makeup on a full-time basis on the road.

Prophecy fulfilled. Journey completed.

``To segue from 'The Boy From Oz'' back to ('Wicked'), it really worked out for the best,'' she says. ``I got two fantastic experiences and credits instead of just the one.''

Elphaba - as anyone who has attempted the role can attest - is a part to be coveted. A role for a strong, lower-range, belting voice (the high sopranos will be Glindas), Elphaba is smart, political, morally in the right and seriously powerful. Plus she flies. Teenagers and anyone into dramatic girl power will relate, as the fan mail indicates. Block, the frequent recipient of fan mail and assorted green treats, certainly does.

``Looking back on my preteen years, I wasn't pretty. I didn't have lots of friends. I was on my own a lot, and I did a lot of searching during my younger years,'' says Block. ``I feel Elphaba is very much the same. She knows what she has to do and that it will be kind of a lonely road as she walks that path. I look at this character as a woman who is trying to make good.''

The role can also be a back-breaker. Menzel suffered a cracked rib that knocked her out of the final performances of her final Broadway performances. Block, too, was forced to miss several shows before the first tour previews when a cable attached to her harness broke free, flipping the actress over in midair and causing a back injury.

Block is back to eight performances a week, though still ``on the mend.'' While she was out (a torturous experience - ``I hate to miss shows, period,'' she says) one of the understudies who filled in was none other than Jenna Leigh Green, who quickly discovered that it's no picnic being wicked.

Green, who played the nemesis of ``Sabrina, the Teenage Witch'' for three seasons, attracted the attention ``Wicked's'' creators based on her work in the off-Broadway musical ``bare.'' She had auditioned as a possible Broadway replacement for Glinda. That role wasn't a perfect fit, so she came back to read and sing for the role of Elphaba. A year later, when the tour was being cast, the producers offered her Nessarose and Block's understudy.

And even though Green has had the opportunity to wear Elphaba's cape and pointy hat, she wishes she hadn't.

``Stephanie is the rock of our company. She's so strong, and everybody - whether she knows it or not - looks up to her,'' Green says. ``What I was unprepared for was the physical stamina this role takes. I knew it would be difficult, but as much as I prepared myself, I had no idea it would take every ounce of my energy and air supply. By the end, I just wanted to find Stephanie, give her the biggest hug and say, 'How do you do this eight times a week?' I could barely stand up.''

A major Stephen Schwartz fan, Green had also read Maguire's novel, but didn't see the show until the possibility of auditioning for it materialized. The show was, of course, sold out, so she secured a ticket ``somewhere in the boondocks where the actors were like dots.

``And I was blown away by the immensity of it,'' says Green, ``It's huge, like going back to a traditional big Broadway show. And at the same time, it had a beautiful, amazing story. I think Stephen and Winnie did an amazing job of taking a wonderful but extremely long and difficult book and translating it so people ages 6 to 60 would want to see it. I applaud them both.''

Evan Henerson, [phone]

evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com

WICKED

Where: Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday; through July 31. Previews begin June 17. The opening is June 22.

Tickets: $30 to $89. Information: [phone] or visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.wickedthemusicaltour.com.

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Photo:

Jenna Leigh Green, left, is Nessarose, and Stephanie J. Block is Elphaba, in the L.A. engagement of ``Wicked.''