On Saturday, a day after Maddox turned 10, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt treated their eldest to a matinee performance of Wicked. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s plan, as they took their brood out in London today to see the West End smash hit musical Wicked. The family had clearly fallen under the production’s spell too, and were seen beaming broadly as they left Victoria’s Apollo Theatre to get a car back to their base in Richmond.

Daughter Shiloh, five, in particular seemed smitten by the show, and left clutching a cute winged monkey, a stuffed toy version of one of the show’s fantastical characters. She and Maddox were joined by sister Zahara, six, and Pax, seven with three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne deemed a bit too young for the afternoon’s entertainment.

Brad, 47, however was far more casual in a dark indigo shirt, denim jeans and black boots. He had taken some time out from filming his latest movie World War Z in London to join his family for the matinee performance.

Angelina, 36, looked rather dressed up considering. Angelina certainly wants to make sure her children are seeing all the sights London has to offer, and last week, took them to the city’s Aquarium while Brad was busy.

The cast members were said to be delighted to have the famous family come to see their Wizard of Oz themed show. ‘There was definitely a big excitement backstage! Everyone was on a high,’ a Wicked cast member told Us Weekly. The family did not sit in a VIP box but sat in the orchestra area and were surrounded by a few empty, reserved seats to maintain their privacy. ‘They were very happy and quite quiet,’ the cast member said of the Jolie-Pitts. ‘The children seemed fascinated by the spectacle.’

The family are currently living in Richmond, west London, renting a lavish £10million home while Brad finishes filming. Angelina has already been seen popping into a toy shop in Richmond to buy her children presents, including water pistols and pretend money. Brad is in the capital filming his new zombie movie, World War Z. He is also producing the film, an adaption of Max Brooks’s novel.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Kids Images at Victoria’s Apollo Theatre:

Buy Wicked Apollo Victoria Tickets, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

After finishing out of No.1 for three consecutive months, the long-running hit musical Wicked regains the top on TicketNews’ exclusive events rankings for July 2011.

Although no stranger to the top of the rankings, “Wicked” is the fourth event to fill the No. 1 slot in as many months. Previously the Top Event for June, Paul McCartney’s summer tour stayed strong in July with a fourth-place finish.

TicketNews’ Monthly Top Events for July 1-31, 2011

 

{Via TicketNews}

Wicked West End has announced that Rachel Tucker will continue in her starring role as Elphaba into 2012. Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible), Nikki Davis-Jones (Standby Elphaba) and Chloe Taylor (Standby Glinda) are also all continuing in their roles.

UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: “Since first joining our cast in March 2010, Rachel has thrilled audiences and critics alike with her powerful and passionate performance as Elphaba. We are all absolutely thrilled that Rachel has now decided to continue leading the company with her extraordinary professionalism and great dedication to the role – we couldn’t be more proud of her success”.

Louise Dearman (Glinda), Mark Evans (Fiyero), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Julian Forsyth (Dr Dillamond), Zoe Rainey (Nessarose) and Ben Stott (Boq) will all play their final performances on Saturday 10 December 2011.

Wicked recently celebrated its landmark 2000th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. This “hugely popular musical” (The Times) has now been seen by almost 4 million people and grossed in excess of £135 million at the UK Box Office since its West End premiere in 2006.

The production is now booking through 27 October 2012 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG. Buy Wicked Apollo Victoria Theatre Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked London, United Kingdom Ticket Orders over $350!

Wicked returns to Cincinnati OH in November 2011. After breaking box office records during its last visit to the Procter and Gamble Hall at Aronoff Center, Wicked, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to Cincinnati as part of the fifth third bank broadway in Cincinnati.

Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Friday, August 26 at 9:00 a.m. and may be purchased from an authorized ticket agent in person at the Broadway in Cincinnati Box Office downtown in the Mercantile Center at 120 East 4th Street. Wicked Procter and Gamble Hall at Aronoff Center performances start on November 02, 2011 and continue through November 26, 2011.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony® Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed…).

“We are overjoyed to celebrate the return of Wicked to Cincinnati this November”, said Broadway in Cincinnati General Manager, Genevieve Miller. “This spectacular show is an audience favorite with immense appeal, and we look forward to this title bringing a spirit of excitement to downtown Cincinnati and the Tri-State area. We’re all looking forward to experiencing the thrill of Wicked again.”

Wicked Procter and Gamble Hall at Aronoff Center Schedule:
Tuesdays-Fridays at 8:00PM
Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM
Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM
Thursday, November 3rd at 1:00PM
Monday, November 21 at 8:00PM
Friday, November 25th at 1:00PM

Wicked will be performing till November 26, 2011 at Procter and Gamble Hall at Aronoff Center. Buy Wicked Cincinnati OH Tickets, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

Wicked Returning to Detroit Michigan. Wicked broke box office records and sold out in a record time in 2006 and 2008. Wicked, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will be returning to Detroit Michigan with performances at the Detroit Opera House from Wednesday, December 7 thorugh Saturday, December 31 (New Year Eve). Tickets for the return engagement are on Sale Online.

“I’m thrilled to bring Wicked to Detroit once again,” said Alan Lichtenstein, Executive Director of Broadway in Detroit. “The national tour is of the same caliber as the Broadway production and overwhelmingly received by Detroit audiences. The producers of Wicked should be complimented for sending out such a high-quality show. ”

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One – born with emerald green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Wicked Detroit Opera House Performance Times:
* Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
* Wednesday and Thursday matinees at 1:00 p.m.
* Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m.
* Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m.

Exceptions:
      No performances on Dec. 25
      On Dec. 31 at 6:30 p.m
      No evening performance on December 24
      No matinees on December 7, 14, 15
      Matinee on December 24 and 31 at 1:00 p.m.
      Special Monday evening show on Dec.26 at 8:00 p.m.

Wicked will be performing till December 31, 2011 at the Detroit Opera House, located at 1526 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226. Buy Wicked Detroit MI Tickets, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

The touring musical Wicked, now parked at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium until Aug. 7, is a high flier.

Whether it’s the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West levitating on her broomstick or Glinda the Good’s perky descent from the sky on a bubble machine, this is a show that floats on theatre magic.

Right from the start, Eugene Lee’s set grabs audience attention with some pretty jaw-dropping mechanical gizmos — a smoke-blowing dragon poised above the proscenium stage and a backdrop of timed cogs, wheels and gears that open and close like spells in a book of enchantment.

But the heart of Gregory Maguire’s story, a precursor to Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, lies with two young women that meet at sorcery school.

Elphaba is an intelligent, magically talented witch that smarts at being treated like a pariah by her peers because she has green skin. Her leading rival is Galinda, later known as Glinda, a vain, cosmetically-perfect gal constantly surrounded by adoring sycophants.

They end up as constantly bickering, unenthusiastic roommates. But over time the duo forges an ironclad friendship that withstands the greatest crisis Oz must face.

Through their contrasting personalities director Joe Mantello (Assassins) puts society under a microscope. He examines our preference to embrace image over substance and take the easy road over performing hard, noble acts.

But it’s the dark, power-hungry undertones of the Wizard’s attempt to silence dissenters in the Land of Oz that resonates sharply with the corrupt politicking within our own modern world.

Ultimately the three-hour musical challenges idealism versus reality, life versus death and friendship versus politics as Elphaba develops a sympathy for the oppressed. And it definitely confronts the certainties of love when both women fall for the same man, Fiyero, a playboy prince.

Stephen Schwartz’s heavily thematic music and lyrics, resembling more a film score than a traditional musical, soars with a certain majesty and beautifully illustrates the characters’ many moods.

In this coming-of-age story, both women undergo major personal discoveries. The multi-faceted Anne Brummel as Elphaba is a belter, a vocal powerhouse that stomps around the stage in heart-churning numbers such as I’m Not That Girl and Defying Gravity.

Equally balanced against Brummel’s robust personality is Natalie Daradich’s Glinda, a singer with a crystal soprano voice that outdoes herself in Popular. She is also a gifted comedienne that imbues her ditsy character with squeaks and coos yet morphs throughout the show into one of Emerald City’s great leaders.

David Nathan Perlow as Fiyero, the pampered campus stud is loaded with roguish charm and Michelle London’s Nessarose adds a controlling shrewish subtext.

Jody Gelb’s Madame Morrible, the school’s self-serving headmistress, is appropriately evil and Martin Moran’s Dr. Dillamond, the talking goat-professor compassionately personifies the oppressed.

Kenneth Posner’s striking light design, Tony Meola’s complex sound design and Susan Hilferty’s elegant costumes also get a special nod for artistic expression.

Complete Review {Via St. Albert Gazette}

See Wicked at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium performing through Sunday, August 07. Buy Wicked Edmonton Alberta Canada Tickets, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

First Lady Michelle Obama, and her daughters Sasha and Malia, spent the evening of Friday, July 15 in the Presidential Box at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC catching a performance of the ever ‘popular’ musical Wicked. But that was not the first time the three have seen Broadway’s biggest blockbuster. Michelle and her daughters first saw the musical in its sit-down engagement in their hometown of Chicago in 2007, and then again in 2008 before the family moved to Washington, DC.

Winner of 35 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

The cast of the national tour is currently headed by Dee Roscioli as Elphaba, Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible and Mark Jacoby as the Wizard.

Declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly, Wicked currently has 7 productions: New York, London, Japan, Germany, two concurrent North American National Tours, and an Australian tour. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

{Via BroadwayWorld.com}

Wicked is currently playing the Kennedy Center Opera House through Sunday, August 21.

See The Best Musical of the Decade – Wicked Musical
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Wicked is Touring Western Canada starting June 1st 2011, completes in Vancouver and Calgary, moving to Edmonton to start performances from July 20 through August 07, 2011.

Wicked tells the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and poses the question; are people born evil or are they victims of circumstance? Your answer might change after watching this incredible musical that blends beautiful costumes, catchy music and splendid acting and intricate details.

Catch the show as you follow along with the “wicked witch” Elphaba and the “white witch” Glinda and learn all of the dirty little secrets of the yellow brick road. With other colourful characters along the way, the audience is treated to a mischeviously delightful time. Audiences will be able to piece together pieces of the original Wizard of Oz while learning why the Tin Man doesn’t have a heart and why the lion is so scared. And don’t forget about the Scarecrow…

Wicked also spurs some laughs and the show is coming hot off the news that its now the highest-grossing broadway musical in Canada — ever!

Wicked runs until August 07, 2011 at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Buy Wicked Edmonton, Alberta Canada Tickets Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 off on Orders over $350!

Wicked is performing at the Kennedy Center Opera House from June 15 to August 21, 2011.

Wicked is delightful, and the current production at the Kennedy Center compelling even the most cynical among us to look past the hollow political subplots and schlocky jokes and just enjoy what’s essentially a heartfelt paean to being an outsider.

The Broadway mega-hit, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, is based on Gregory Maguire’s book of the same name, which filters The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. Whatever her ugly black wardrobe and entourage of sinister flying monkeys might have you believe, said Wicked Witch was once Elphaba, a neglected teenager whose father rejected her (green skin is apparently an impediment to paternal bonding), but whose scary exterior belies a tender heart and an enviable ability to perform magic.

Dee Roscioli, who has performed Elphaba more times than any other actress, is almost flawless in the role, managing to portray the character’s wounded core with just enough complexity to avoid cliché.

It’s almost impossible not to enjoy this show, with slick, seamless direction from Joe Mantello, spectacular songs, and the aura of a perennial hit. It’s wicked fun.

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Wicked announced that tickets are now on sale up to Saturday October 27th next year. Wicked is set to continue its run in front of those on London, GL theatre.

The news comes after the musical passed its 2,000th landmark performance, which has entertained nearly four million people and generated more than £135 million at the box office.

During its time at the Apollo Victoria theatre, the production has picked up a number of prizes, including the 2010 Olivier Award for Most Popular Show and the Whatsonstage.com gong for Best West End Show in 2010 and 2011.

It is based on a novel by Gregory Maguire which tells the story of a friendship between two girls who meet up as sorcery students, with the pair going on to be Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked Cast Currently, Rachel Tucker (Elphaba), Louise Dearman (Glinda), Mark Evans (Fiyero) and Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible) are starring in the production.

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