Some actors will do anything for their art. In the case of the smash hit Broadway musical ‘Wicked,’ that means being painted green.

Onstage, actress Vicki Noon casts a spell on the audience as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s not just fancy stage lighting giving her a unique hue–she’s actually painted green!

Makeup supervisor Joyce McGilberry talks to us as she applies the paint. She explains, “I want to get the green on as quickly as possible, so I’m using a sea sponge to apply it on her hands.”

The makeup magic happens backstage, about an hour before the show. The process requires Joyce to re-apply paint and powder several times. It’s not as easy as it looks. Vicki jokes about the time she tried to do it herself, “You know, the first time I ever tried to do it by myself, for fun, it turned out horrible!!”

For the Seattle native, the chance to be a lead in ‘Wicked’ is like a real-life fairy-tale. “I feel really lucky, I’m extremely grateful to be given this opportunity,” Vicki says.

The 25-year-old admits she misses home though, and it helps to have a confidante. She says, “Sometimes I’ll talk to Joyce about that, how I’m missing home, feeling homesick.”

The final touches include eye makeup, hair, and costuming. Then the wicked witch comes to life! “It doesn’t get old… I get to go out and have fun with my friends for 3 hours, so it’s pretty cool,” Vicki exclaims.

‘Wicked’ runs through August 8 at the Marcus Center For The Performing Arts. You can still get tickets, but you better buy them soon. Click here to Buy Wicked Milwaukee WI Tickets. Buy now and save $20 on your next order over $250.

{Via Today’s TMJ4}

On Monday, August 2, the National Touring Company of ‘Wicked’ will host ‘Witches’ Night Off’, an evening of adult cabaret performances featuring cast and crew members of the company. Net proceeds of the event will benefit the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin.

The performance will be the cast’s gift to ARCW, which this year is marking its 25th anniversary in the fight against AIDS. ARCW is home to the ARCW Medical Center, Wisconsin’s largest provider of HIV medical, dental and mental health care.

Produced by the company members themselves, the show is an opportunity for them to step out of their ‘Wicked’ roles and perform in vignettes of music, dance and comedy. The performance will be held at the Nancy Kendall Theater on the campus of Cardinal Stritch University beginning at 7:00 p.m.

In addition, there will be live and silent auctions where guests can bid on autographed ‘WICKED’ memorabilia as well as opportunities to view ‘WICKED’ make-up artists turning Elphaba green prior to a performance. The cast will also offer the chance to be the qualifi ed highest bidder for a walk-on role in a ‘WICKED’ performance during the last week of its run at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

‘Witches’ Night Off ‘is suitable for mature audiences and is part of an ongoing effort by the cast members of ‘WICKED’ to support charitable causes that advance ‘WICKED’s’ theme of acceptance and illuminate the musical’s message that people should not be judged on first impressions. In its five years on the road, the casts and crews of ‘WICKED’ have raised more than $1 million in donations for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, which has provided fi nancial support to the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin since 1996.

“It is so thoughtful of these cast members to donate their time and talents to the fight against AIDS on an evening that would normally give them a much-deserved break,” said Dan Mueller, Chief Development Officer of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin. “Their efforts along with the generous participation of all those attending will help people with HIV get the care they need to live longer, healthier lives. ‘Witches’ Night Off’ will be a fantastic anniversary gift to the patients of ARCW. Buy your tickets now!”

{Via abc}

The Broadway hit “Wicked” opens today at The Uihlein Hall Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Milwaukee WI, but crews spent all day Tuesday setting up for its glitzy four-week run.

The musical, an expansion on “The Wizard of Oz,” follows the Wicked Witch of the West through her childhood, explaining just how she got her name. The show is known for its dazzling production, catchy music, and heartfelt storyline of growing up different, according to show’s production stage manager, Bryan Landrine.

“It’s got great music. We’ve got flying witches, flying monkeys. The set’s fantastic. There’s a lot of artistic things in the show that really pique people’s interest,” Landrine said.

It takes a lot of help to set up for a show as logistically challenging as Wicked. In all, the production company hired 90 temporary workers from Milwaukee, and it plans to retain 40 of them for the run of the show. But all the work is worth it, Landrine said, to bring top-notch Broadway entertainment to Milwaukee.

“We bring the big experience here, that’s the whole thing with wicked, we bring a ton of stuff. It really looks like the Broadway show,” said head carpenter Justin Klynsma.

Tickets are still available for most performances, ranging from $32 to $149. The production company is also offering day-of-performance tickets to patrons aged 8 and up in a lottery. Winners will be able to purchase a limited number orchestra seats for $25 each day of the show.

“Wicked” runs through Aug. 8. Buy Wicked Milwaukee WI Tickets, Save $10 on Wicked Ticket Orders over $350! Code AFF$10