Wicked coming to Peoria, Illinois to perform at Peoria Civic Center Theater as it’s first downstate run, from October 13 through October 30.
The Peoria Civic Center is thrilled to host the premiere engagement of ‘Wicked’ in downstate Illinois,” states Debbie Ritschel, the Civic Center’s general manager. “The show itself is the biggest blockbuster to play on our stage in years. We expect ‘Wicked’ attendees to come to Peoria from at least five states.”
The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. The show has won 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tonys, and is the back story of the witches of Oz prior to Dorothy’s arrival.
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…).
Wicked Musical visiting next week at the Hult Center, when the touring production of “Wicked” flies into the Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall for a whopping 16 performances. The show opens Wednesday and runs through May 1, 2011 in Eugene, Oregon.
The show opened on Broadway in 2003. It immediately drew a lukewarm review from The New York Time’s Bill Brantley, who said
it was saved from total mediocrity only by the casting of Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda the Good Witch.
“She provides the essential helium in a bloated production that might otherwise spend close to three hours flapping its
oversized wings without taking off,” the critic wrote. But audiences saw things quite differently, and “Wicked” is still going strong on Broadway and around the world.
“Wicked,” “the best musical of the decade,” that broke box office records in Jacksonville in 2009, will return next year as part of The Artists Series. Wicked broke box office records and sold out in record time in 2009 here.
Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two 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. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for “the most complete and completely satisfying new musical in a long time” (USA Today).
Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday evening at 8:00PM, Saturday afternoon at 2:00PM, and Sunday at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM. (All times are subject to change).
Wicked, which had a hugely successful Broadway and touring run, will land in California Musical Theatre May 23-June 17, 2012.
In the 2011-12 Broadway Sacramento series, announced today, the popular musical prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” anchors the schedule of six shows. The four-week, 32-performance run of “Wicked” highlights the season’s new format, which has the other five productions running only one week. Each of those productions will be performed eight times.
Richard Lewis, executive producer of California Musical Theatre, predicted that this season will be particularly attractive to audiences. Season subscriptions and overall attendance have steadily declined for the Broadway Sacramento series over the past three years, forcing the shortened runs.
The final show of the season will be the long-awaited Sacramento debut of “Wicked.” Lewis said Broadway Series audiences have asked for the popular title for years.
“We announced ‘Wicked’ last September and the buzz has been really positive ever since,” Lewis said. “We feel we’re going to sell it out and sell it out very quickly.”
The Broadway Musical hit Wicked turned Children’s Hospital of Central California into “The Land Of Oz” Saturday. Cast members performed several songs from the Broadway Musical hit inside the hospital’s Guilds of Fame room.
Kids got up close and personal with the cast members, interacting with each of them.
The musical tells the story of “the Wicked Witch of the West” and “Glinda the Good Witch” before Dorothy and Toto arrived in Oz.
Wicked is currently being played at the Saroyan Theatre in Downtown Fresno from April 06 and continue through April 17, 2011. Buy Wicked Fresno CA Tickets – Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Saroyan Theatre Fresno Convention Center Ticket Orders over $350!
Amanda Jane Cooper will join the first North American touring company of Wicked in the role of Glinda, beginning with the Tuesday, April 19 performance at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Amanda Jane Cooper to Be New Glinda in Wicked
Cooper joins a cast that includes Jackie Burns (Elphaba), Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Mark Jacoby (The Wizard), Justin Brill (Boq), Stefanie Brown (Nessarose), Colin Hanlon (Fiyero), Paul Slade Smith (Dr. Dillamond), and Mariand Torres (Standby for Elphaba).
The Ft. Lauderdale engagement of Wicked is currently running through April 24 at the Broward Center. Good seats are still available.
Wicked will be visiting The Benedum Center, Pittsburgh PA from September 7 and continues through October 2, 2011. After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in 2008, Wicked, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to Pittsburgh, with performances at the Benedum Center, from September 7 through October 2. Wicked is a season special, part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Broadway Across America and Pittsburgh Symphony.
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…).
Wicked returning to Birmingham, Alabama which was quite successful during its first long run here in 2009. The musical based on a book about the witches in “The Wizard of Oz” is still going strong on Broadway, and its national tour is still among the country’s most sought-after.
Almost every seat was sold during Wicked’s 2009 engagement in Birmingham, and is still one among the most popular shows touring the country. This is an Equity show, meaning the actors more than likely will have Broadway credits under their belts.
Wicked flows in to Saroyan Theatre, the biggest musical theater production Fresno has ever seen. Wicked tells the story of the witches from the “Wizard of Oz,” opens Wednesday night in Fresno and runs until Sunday, April 17, 2011
Each of “Wicked’s” 16 performances are expected to sell out, or at least come close, meaning downtown eateries are looking at upward of 2,000 people finding their way to the area every day of the run.
“This is the first time we’ve had a long-running Broadway show,” says Jan Minami, interim president and CEO of PBID Partners of Downtown, what was once the Downtown Association. “It’ll reach a different and obviously broader audience,” she says. “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity.”
Wicked at Saroyan Theatre – Performance Schedule:
Tuesday to Thursday: 7:30
Friday: 8pm
Saturday: 2pm & 8pm
Sunday: 1pm & 6:30pm
Special Matinee on Thursday, April 7 at 2pm
The availability of best Wicked tickets for the Fresno debut are currently on weeknight performances and the special matinee performance on April 7!
