Norbert Leo Butz played the original Fiyero during the San Francisco tryout of the show, and opened the show on Broadway as part of the original cast. Shortly after opening Butz injured his back and was forced to take a seven week break from the show. His role was covered by Kristoffer Cusick, his understudy at the time, and then by Taye Diggs. He returned to the show in January 2004 and permanently left the production on July 14, 2004, alongside fellow cast members Kristin Chenoweth and Joel Grey.