Wicked Tour will make a stop at Jacksonville Florida next week for the performances at Times Union Ctr Perf Arts Moran Theater starting January 04 through Sunday, January 22, 2012.

The first stage version played on Broadway in 1902. The musical “The Wiz,” which featured a black cast, was a Broadway hit in 1975 and a movie in 1978. Last year, The Artist Series brought a meticulously faithful-to-the-movie stage version of “The Wizard of Oz” to the Moran Theater.

Like many Americans of his generation, Stephen Schwartz, 63, got his first exposure to the world of Oz when he watched an early television screening of the 1939 movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”

Unlike most of those who fell under the spell of the iconic movie, Schwartz got a chance to create his own variation on the Oz story when he wrote the music and lyrics for “Wicked.” That musical has been running on Broadway since 2003 and a touring production will come to Jacksonville Wednesday, January 04 2012 for 31 performances over 19 days.

Schwartz said that Oz’s ongoing appeal is partly attributable to the fact that it is, like “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars,” an archetypal quest story.

What “Wicked” also does, Schwartz noted, is take that beloved story and “turn the whole thing on its head.”

At the time he became aware of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” Schwartz had sworn off Broadway. The composer, who launched his career with the Broadway hits “Godspell” (1971) and “Pippin” (1972), spent the 1990s writing music for animated films such as “Pocahantas,” for which he won two Academy Awards.

But Schwartz said he knew as soon as he read “Wicked” that he yearned for Broadway again.

Read the complete story {Via Jacksonville.com}

Wicked will play at Times Union Ctr Perf Arts Moran Theater through January 22, 2012. Buy Wicked Jacksonville FL Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Times Union Ctr Perf Arts Moran Theater Tickets Orders over $350!

Wicked is the perfect family treat for all of the family to enjoy this Christmas! Wicked has just announced that they are holding some extra shows during the festive period on Thursday 22nd December and Tuesday 27th December at 2:30pm!

If you think you know the Wicked Witch of the West, think again… When Dorothy famously triumphed over the Wicked Witch, we only ever heard one side of the story. Gregory Maguire’s acclaimed 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, re-imagined the land of Oz, creating a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum and first published as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl, Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths.

Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The spectacular, multi award-winning stage musical, with music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, has become the most spellbinding and successful new musical in years. ‘A major hit with audiences and critics alike’ (BBC News), Wicked won the 2010 Olivier Award for Most Popular Show and the 2010 and 2011 Whatsonstage.com Award for Best West End Show. The Evening Standard raved: ‘A wicked and wonderful vision of Oz. A remarkable kaleidoscope of magical shocks, surprises and sensations, Wicked works like a dream.’

{Via Entertainment-Focus.com}

Buy Wicked Tickets Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350! Also Use Code HOL2011 for FREE SHIPPING! Check the Complete Wicked Tour Dates.

Wicked is currently performing at Detroit Opera House, Detroit Michigan. Wicked will run through December 31 at the Detroit Opera House.

The music in Wicked is wonderful and the costumes are very beautiful. The stage sets and special effects, particularly the Wizard’s facade, are extremely well. Both Anne Brummel (Elphaba) and Tiffany Haas (Glinda), are inspired performances as actors, providing beautiful and chilling vocals throughout the entire play in both solos and duets.

Wicked musical is simultaneously comedic and dramatic and, combined with the great acting and musical talent, supported the subtext of the play very well. Wicked would be a great experinced musical of great fun, music and stories at the Detroit Opera House and you must not miss this highly recommended musical Wicked who is interested in music, theater, or opera.

Wicked will play at Detroit Opera House through December 31, 2011. Buy Wicked Detroit MI Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Detroit Opera House Tickets Orders over $350! Also Use Code HOL2011 for FREE SHIPPING!

Wicked is currently performing at the Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles CA. Los Angeles first encountered Wicked in 2005 when it broke box office records. It returned two years later for an extended run that lasted two years. Now Wicked is back, leaner but still a terrific crowd-pleaser. The cast is smaller as is the orchestra but that all goes to make the show seem even more intimate.

Wicked is the story of two witches, Elphaba, the unfortunate girl with the green skin, and the blonde and perfect Glinda. They grow up together and become rivals for the attention of the handsome Fiyero. They also eventually differ in their stands towards the Wizard’s regime and policy of taking speech away from animals. Elphaba sides with the animals and is called the Wicked Witch of the West while Glinda the Good becomes known as the Good Witch of the North.

If all this sounds familiar it is because Wicked is a parallel story to the famous L. Frank Baum story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Wicked, the book, concerned the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked, the musical has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz with a book by Winnie Holzman. When the musical opened on Broadway it was drubbed by the New York Times and received decidedly mixed notices, but went on to get ten Tony nominations, winning three, six Drama Desk Awards, and the Grammy. It opened in 2003 and to this day remains the top grossing show on Broadway on a regular basis. The show has spawned numerous international productions and two national tours. It remains the 14th longest-running Broadway show in history.

The cast is the all-around best I have seen and I have seen the show twice before. Katie Rose Clarke has a blast with Glinda and squeezes every possible laugh as well as exploiting the poignant moments in the script. Mamie Parris is a feisty Elphaba. Boy, can these women sing!

Mark Jacoby is the Wizard and does more with the role. The same can be said of Liz McCartney as Madame Morrible. Kyle Dean Massey is a revelation as Fiyero. Who knew Fiyero could dance? Stephanie Brown is an exceptional Nessarose. And it is nice to see Los Angeles native Kevin McMahon as part of this talented cast.
{Via blogcritics.org}

Wicked will play at the Pantages Theatre through January 29, 2012. Buy Wicked Los Angeles CA Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Pantages Theatre Tickets Orders over $350!

Wicked will be performing at Capitol Theatre – Utah from July 19, 2012 through August 26, 2012. Wicked tickets could benefit Salt Lake City students. Salt Lake City School District patrons can score a “wicked” deal this holiday season — tickets to one of Broadway’s hottest musicals and a donation to the district, all in one purchase.

Parents, students and anyone else interested in the smash musical “Wicked” — coming to Salt Lake City in July and August — will soon be able to purchase tickets to the show while simultaneously donating to the district’s education foundation.

The sale is expected to raise thousands for the district by selling 900 tickets, according to district spokesman Michael Williams. Previous sales for shows such as “Mary Poppins” and “The Lion King” have netted big bucks ­— about $50,000 over four years.

“For a while we turn our offices into a ticket master,” Williams joked.

The sale of traveling show tickets has been used to benefit Utah nonprofits for more than a decade, starting with the musical “Rent,” according to Elisabeth Nebeker of MagicSpace Entertainment, which books the Broadway Across America tours. Nonprofits buy tickets at a discounted group rate, then sell them at face value with revenues benefiting their organizations.

For “Wicked,” Salt Lake is joined by the Canyons School District, which joins the fundraiser for the first time. The Granite School District now is considering a fundraiser during another show run, Nebeker said.

With school budgets skinnier than ever, districts are turning to fundraisers such as the “Wicked” sale to raise additional dollars for programs beyond the core curriculum, Williams said. Many districts have started their own 501(c)3 foundations to help pay for programs taxpayer dollars will not fund.

The foundation uses the funds raised from touring shows to pay for arts and music programs in the district, Williams said. Schools apply for aid, which they can use, say, to build scenery and make costumes for a musical or secure stage rights.

Read the complete story {Via The Salt Lake Tribune}

Buy Wicked Salt Lake City UT Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Capitol Theatre Utah Tickets Orders over $350!

Wicked Broadway grossed $1,656,955 and had a 91.8% attendance rate, about 8% less than the previous Thanksgiving week. The 33 shows on the boards grossed $23,795,690, slipping around 16.7% from the previous week’s totals.

Below are the Top 13 Grosses from BroadwayWorld.com for the week ending December 04, 2011.

1. The Lion King – (MINSKOFF) $1,682,555
2. Wicked – (GERSHWIN) $1,656,955
3. Hugh Jackman, Back On Broadway – (BROADHURST) $1,520,929
4. Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – (FOXWOODS) $1,385,685
5. The Book Of Mormon – (EUGENE O’NEILL) $1,374,003
6. Jersey Boys – (AUGUST WILSON) $1,045,834
7. War Horse – (VIVIAN BEAUMONT) $958,523
8. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying – (AL HIRSCHFELD) $902,752
9. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever – (ST. JAMES) $796,869
10. Sister Act – (BROADWAY) $787,283
11. Mary Poppins – (NEW AMSTERDAM) $784,417
12. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert – (PALACE) $740,283
13. Billy Elliot: The Musical – (IMPERIAL) $728,353

{Via BroadwayWorld.com}

Wicked will be visitng Sacramento California next year May. Wicked Sacramento Community Center Theater performances start on May 23, 2012 and continue through June 17, 2012.

Wicked Sacramento Tour Schedule:
Tuesdays through Saturdays – 8:00 p.m.
Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
May 27, Sunday evening performance – 7:30 p.m.

Ticket are Sale Online. Ticket buyers are invited to Community Center Theater Box Office on Saturday, December 3. If you could not make it, Try getting the Wicked Sacramento Community Center Theater Tickets Online.

Visit Broadway Sacramento for more details on box office sales.

Wicked, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Disney’s Enchanted, Academy Award winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), is based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. Wicked, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® Award and 3 Tony® Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

It is likely that the Sacramento engagement of Wicked will sell out in record time. Patrons are urged to purchase their Wicked Sacramento Community Center Theater Tickets early.

Wicked be will performing at Sacramento Community Center Theater in Sacramento CA for a limited 4 weeks, from May 23 to June 17, 2012. Buy Wicked Sacramento CA Tickets – Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Sacramento Community Center Theater Ticket Orders over $350!

Mega hit musical, Wicked returns to Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre Wednesday, November 30 for a limited holiday engagement through January 29, 2012.

When Wicked first played the Pantages in 2005, it broke box-office records and sold out in record time. The musical returned two years later to begin an extended engagement that would go on to run two years, becoming one of the longest-running Broadway musicals in L.A. history.

Wicked Los Angeles Leading Cast are Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda and Mamie Parris as Elphaba with Liz McCartney as Madame Morrible and Mark Jacoby as The Wizard. Also featured are Stefanie Brown as Nessarose, Justin Brill as Boq, Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero, Paul Slade Smith as Dr. Dillamond and Mariand Torres as the Standby for Elphaba.

The cast also includes native Los Angeles residents Lauren Boyd, Napoleon W. Gladney, Brenda Hamilton, Alli McGinnis and Kevin McMahon. Rounding out the company are Megan Campanile, Antonette Cohen, Rick Desloge, Melanie Field, Luis Augusto Figueroa, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald, Renee Lawless-Orsini, Philip Dean Lightstone, Marissa Lupp, Michael Mahany, Sterling Masters, Christopher Russo, Adea Michelle Sessoms, Carla Stickler, Brandon Tyler, Shanna VanDerwerker, Nicky Venditti and Mikey Winslow.

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.

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