Cynthia Erivo is all set to narrate a new audio edition of Gregory Maguire’s novel Elphie: A Wicked Childhood.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, the Wicked star said, “Narrating Elphie has been an extraordinary experience.”
“Exploring Elphaba’s earliest years — before the world knew her as the Wicked Witch — allowed me to connect with her in a profoundly new way,” explained the 38-year-old.
Cynthia noted that giving voice to her “earliest struggles and sparks of magic felt like uncovering the roots of someone I’ve come to know so intimately”.
The Grammy winner explained that Gregory’s storytelling is as “rich and evocative as ever”.
Cynthia also revealed that she feels “honoured” to help bring this new chapter to life for listeners.
On the other hand, author Gregory said in the statement that he never thought a story about the witches of Oz would be a hit.
“When I published Wicked 30 years ago, I really thought it was a one-off,” mentioned the writer.
Gregory pointed out, “However, as the world continued to complicate itself, I found I needed to return to Oz.”
“Writing Elphie gave me the opportunity to explore her backstory fully and to answer the questions I think we all ask about our heroes,” noted the author.
Gregory added, “What happens to shape a life, and what decisions build the person we become?”
For the unversed, Elphie is a novel to Gregory’s 1995 book, Wicked which was the foundation for the blockbuster musical and 2024 movie adaptation.
Meanwhile, Elphie's audiobook edition will be available on July 29 through HarperAudio.