By BROADWAY.COM

The blockbuster Broadway musical Wicked celebrated another landmark on December 17 when Tony winner Susan Hilferty’s gorgeous Elphaba costume was inducted into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Hilferty’s design joined pieces from the musicals Rent, Hello Dolly!, The King and I, Cats and The Lion King in the museum’s permanent entertainment collections. The dress, hat and broom that are featured in the current “American Stories” exhibit were originally made and worn on Broadway by actress Mandy Gonzalez. To commemorate the occasion, Broadway cast members Donna Vivino and Tiffany Haas sang selections from the show. In the photo above, Hilferty is joined by the acting director of the museum, Marc Pachter, and a sketch of the costume.

Read the news {Via BROADWAY.COM}

Wacth Wicked Musical live on stage at the Gershwin Theatre.

Tony winner Stephen Daldry, director of Billy Elliot: The Musical, is now the frontrunner to direct Universal’s big screen adaptation of the blockbuster musical Wicked, according to Deadline.com. Directors previously rumored to helm the project include Ryan Murphy, Rob Marshall, J.J. Abrams and James Mangold. No casting or start date for the project have been announced.

Wicked musical opened on October 30, 2003 and won three Tony Awards. A reimagining of the classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of two of Oz’s most famous characters, the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good.

The Broadway production of Wicked currently stars Jackie Burns as Elphaba, Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda, Richard H. Blake as Fiyero, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible and Adam Grupper as The Wizard. Wicked is currently touring in San Diego, CA and Ottawa, ON Canada.

West End musical Wicked has picked up three prizes at the inaugural Mousetraps, a new set of awards voted for by young people.
A scene from Wicked, which has won three prizes at the new Mousetrap awards

Wicked Musical show won for best ensemble and show I would most recommend to a friend, while its home the Apollo Victoria also won the most welcoming venue award.

The awards were organised by Mousetrap Theatre Projects, a charity that helps disadvantaged young people attend theatre in the West End. More than 350 young people aged between 15 and 23 voted for the winners.

The winners details:

Most welcoming venue – Apollo Victoria

Show I would most recommend to a friend – Wicked

Best score – Les Miserables

Outstanding performance – Sheridan Smith for Legally Blonde

Sexiest Cast – Chicago

Best play – War Horse

Show that shouldn’t have closed – Spring Awakening

Best stage design – The Lion King

Best Ensemble – Wicked

Best Musical – Les Miserables

News {Via TheStage.co.uk}

Broadway hit musical Wicked was a big success as 30,000 people and $2.37 million came through the Plaza Theater last month, said El Paso city leaders. Wicked musical during its Feb. 1-12 run at the Plaza Theatre shattered box office records.

The musical reached a record gross of $2.37 million and is now El Paso’s most successful touring Broadway show. Approximately 5,100 tickets were purchased by visitors outside the El Paso area, bringing an estimated economic impact of $1.8 million.

“The success of Wicked in El Paso was unprecedented; El Pasoans were thrilled,” said Bryan Crowe Assistant General Manager of the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Centers. “When discussions were initiated over two years ago about the opportunity to bring this national blockbuster to El Paso, we dared to believe this community would respond and make WICKED the tremendous success it was. We hope this success will help pave the road for similar long term engagements in the future,” he said

“We are so pleased that audiences were spellbound by the show’s two-week engagement and we hope ‘Wicked’s’ popularity meant big business for area merchants,” said Steven Traxler, president of Chicago-based Jam Theatricals.

“‘Wicked’ kept us very busy, with a 66 percent increase in sales during the two-week period,” Angela Geske of the Garden Restaurant said. “We were full with dinner reservations throughout the time that ‘Wicked’ was at the Plaza Theatre.”

“Wicked” was part of the 2011-2012 El Paso Electric Broadway in El Paso series. Musical lovers may expect more shows, including “100 Years of Broadway,” “Straight No Chaser,” “Mamma Mia!” and “The Rat Pack is Back.”

Wicked is currently running at Tempe, AZ and Norfolk, VA. Buy Wicked Chrysler Hall Tickets Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!

Kristin Chenoweth will get a star-studded celebration at the Drama League Gala. Broadway favorites Cheyenne Jackson, Laura Benanti and Joel Grey are among the stars who will head to the Pierre Hotel on February 6 to help the Drama League honor Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth at their 28th annual gala, A Musical Celebration of Broadway. The evening’s all-star tribute, directed by Evan Pappas, will support the Drama League’s famed Directors Project.

In addition to Grey, Jackson and Benanti, the evening’s guests will include Elaine Paige, Donna Murphy, Debra Monk, Andrew Lippa, Marlo Thomas, Brent Barrett, Carole Shelley, Josh Young, David Elder, Marni Nixon, Jason Graae, Eden Espinosa, Kevin Clash from Sesame Street, as well as original and current cast members from the Broadway musical Wicked.

The show will include selections from Chenoweth’s impressive resume, featuring numbers from Wicked, Glee, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Candide, Promises, Promises, Steel Pier, The Apple Tree, the TV adaptations of Annie and The Music Man and more.

Read the complete news {Via Broadway Buzz}

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:

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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 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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It’s flyaway time for the “Wicked Years” series. “Out of Oz,” the fourth and final volume of Gregory Maguire’s million-selling take on “The Wizard of Oz,” will come out on Nov. 1.

Publisher William Morrow announced Wednesday that “Out of Oz” will feature all sorts of magical mayhem, with the Emerald City plotting an attack on Munchkinland, while the Cowardly Lion runs for his life. Young Dorothy pops in for “something more than a cameo.”

Maguire’s “Wicked,” published in 1995, was adapted into the long-running Broadway musical of the same name. His other books include “Son of a Witch” and “A Lion Among Men.”

{Via Mercury News}

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