Since opening in 2003 at the Gershwin Theatre, Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 14 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, and beginning March 4, Brazil) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese. The musical has amassed nearly $4 billion in global sales and has been seen by more than 49 million people worldwide.
The Broadway production currently stars Rachel Tucker as Elphaba, Carrie St. Louis as Glinda, Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible (Judy Kaye begins Feb. 16), Peter Scolari as The Wizard, Jonah Platt as Fiyero, Dawn E. Cantwell as Nessarose, Michael Genet as Dr. Dillamond and Zachary Noah Piser as Boq.
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.
