Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's international hit musical Wicked becomes the ninth longest-running production in Broadway history when it plays its 5,462nd performance at the Gershwin Theatre December 4 at 2 PM, surpassing Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
Since opening in 2003, Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries and has been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean, and Portuguese. Winner of over 100 international awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, the musical has amassed nearly $4.2 billion in global sales and has been seen by over 50 million people worldwide.
The Broadway company currently stars Jennifer DiNoia as Elphaba, Kara Lindsay as Glinda, Sheryl Lee Ralph as Madame Morrible, Peter Scolari as The Wizard, Michael Campayno as Fiyero, Dawn E. Cantwell as Nessarose, Michael Genet as Dr. Dillamond, and Zachary Noah Piser as Boq.
SEE WHERE OTHER SHOWS STAND ON THE ALL-TIME LONG-RUN LIST
Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, which turned every Oz myth inside out, Wicked explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. The two main characters meet at Shiz, a school where both hope to take up sorcery. Glinda is madly popular and Elphaba is, well, green. By a misunderstanding, they wind up roommates and, after an initial period of mutual loathing, begin to learn something about each other. Their life paths continue to intersect through a shared love, entry into the Emerald City and interaction with the Wizard himself. Eventually, their choices and convictions take them on widely different paths.
Wicked features a score by Schwartz, a book by Holzman, direction by Joe Mantello, and musical staging by Wayne Cilento. The production also features scenic design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Meola, projections by Elaine J. McCarthy, wig and hair design by Tom Watson, music supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott. Casting is by Telsey & Company/Craig Burns, CSA.
Wicked won 2004 Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Idina Menzel), Best Costume Design (Susan Hilferty) and Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee). The Gershwin Theatre is located in Manhattan at 222 West 51st Street. For more information visit Wickedthemusical.com.
(Updated December 4, 2016)
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