“Wicked” Performances start February 10th and Tickets on Sale Now (More Info and Buy Tickets) 2/2007
"Wicked" Performances start February 10th and Tickets on
Written by Todd Elliot
LOS ANGELES PRODUCTION OF
“WICKED”
AT PANTAGES THEATRE
Performances begin February 10, opening night is February 21
Tickets now on sale
the New York Times just called, “one of the most successful shows in Broadway
history.” WICKED, which was developed, written and had its earliest readings and workshops
in
10, 2007; opening night Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
The new production of WICKED is being mounted specifically for
and will star Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty as Elphaba and Glinda. Both Espinosa and
Hilty appeared in their roles in the Broadway production of WICKED.
Emmy Award winner and Oscar nominee Carol Kane will appear as Madame Morrible and
veteran stage, screen and television star John Rubinstein plays The Wizard. Jenna
Leigh Green will appear as Nessarose. Kane and Green played their parts during the
sold out Pantages Theatre WICKED engagement in the summer of 2005 and both appeared in
the Broadway production. Kristoffer Cusick plays Fiyero, a role he has played on
Broadway and in
Adam Wylie, who made his Broadway debut as Jack in the recent revival of Into the
Woods, will play Boq. Wylie is also well known from playing Zach in the TV series
“Picket Fences.” Timothy Britten Parker plays Doctor Dillamond. He also appeared in
the 2005 Pantages Theatre engagement, and in
the original cast of Rent.
Last summer, WICKED was completely sold out during its seven-week run at the
Pantages Theatre. Earlier this year WICKED was completely sold out, breaking the house
record, during its two-week engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.
WICKED, by far the highest grossing show on Broadway and across the country,
currently has three companies in North America: on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre; on a
National Tour; and in a separate, open-ended engagement at
Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre.
In the last week of 2006, WICKED, once again set a new record for the highest
grossing week in Broadway history, breaking its own previous record. Remarkably, for the
same week, productions of WICKED also broke records as the highest grossing show
ever in
stop. WICKED was the previous record-holder in each market.
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen
Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It 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.
Winner of 15 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 Witch.
Tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com or www.BroadwayLA.org, by phone at
213-365-3500 or 714-740-
Hollywood Blvd.
866-755-3075 or online at www.nedgroups.com.
WICKED and
Producer Marc Platt said, “The reception to WICKED in
sold-out seven-week run in the summer of 2005 exceeded our wildest expectations. The
enthusiasm generated by the audiences at the Pantages Theatre – just a few short miles
away from my offices at Universal Studios where WICKED was created – was unlike the
response in any other city that the show has played. It was during that run that we
began to formulate the plan for a company of the show just for
Producer David Stone said, “After watching the excitement for WICKED at the Pantages
last year, we felt that there would be a wide audience base in Southern California
for a
long as the public’s demand for our show will allow.”
Martin Wiviott, General Manager of Broadway/L.A. said, “Since WICKED played here
last summer, we have been inundated with requests for when the show might return. It
has been one of the most popular musicals not just to ever play at the Pantages, but
to have ever been performed in
WICKED have chosen the Pantages for its home in
forward to a long run in
Producer Marc Platt calls the upcoming
homecoming for WICKED.” WICKED began ten years ago when Platt was president of
production at Universal Pictures. He had begun developing a film based on Gregory Maguire’s
novel.
At the same time, Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz was introduced to the
novel. His friend, author and Angeleno Winnie Holzman, coincidentally bought a copy
of the novel and called her agent and asked how she could get the rights. Schwartz
met with Platt to talk to him about doing WICKED as a movie. They quickly realized
that the story might be better served as a Broadway musical.
Beginning in 1999, Schwartz, Holzman and Platt met together for a year at Platt’s
offices at Universal, working out the story beat-for-beat. Then Schwartz went off to
do the music and Holzman went off to write the first draft of the book.
The first reading, of just the first act, was in spring of 2000 at the Coronet
Theatre. Work and readings continued in
reading of the entire book and score was held. At that time, producer David Stone,
director Joe Mantello and the rest of the creative team came on board. They began a
year-and-a-half schedule of readings and workshops, primarily at Universal Studios.
On May 28, 2003, WICKED had the first preview of its out-of-town tryout at
Francisco
official Broadway opening at the Gershwin Theatre on October 30, 2003, WICKED has been
sold out at virtually every performance, breaking house records with box office
receipts of over $1.3 million per week. It has been called “Broadway’s biggest
blockbuster” by the New York Times and “a cultural phenomenon” by Variety. The Washington
Post said WICKED is, “a breathtaking success story, of a magnitude the theater has not
witnessed since the peak years of The Phantom of the Opera."
WICKED features set design by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee, costume design by Tony
Award winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by
Tony Meola. The orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by
James Lynn Abbott.
The Grammy Award winning (Best Musical Show Album) original cast recording of WICKED
has just been certified ‘Platinum’ by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA), for sales of more than 1 million copies. Produced by composer Stephen
Schwartz for Decca Broadway, the album has been the fastest selling original cast
recording in years, and has regularly appeared on the list of Amazon’s top-selling albums.
It is currently #1 on Billboard’s Top Cast Album Chart, the position it occupied
when the chart debuted in January 2006.
About the cast of the
EDEN ESPINOSA (Elphaba) has performed the role of Elphaba to critical acclaim on
Broadway, as well as the
character in
through it’s Broadway run. You may have heard her on such recordings as HAIR (BCEFA
benefit recording), The Maury Yeston Songbook, Bright Lights,
McDaniel live at Joe’s Pub.
MEGAN HILTY (Glinda) played Glinda both on Broadway and the National Tour. She is a
graduate of the
Other credits include the world premiere of Vanities – The Musical (MVPAC), Cafe
Puttanesca (City Theatre), and Suds (Oregon Cabaret Theatre).
CAROL KANE (Madame Morrible) Stage: Wicked (Broadway and national tour); Larry
Gelbart’s Sly Fox; Control Freak, Signature, The Lucky Spot and Family Week by Beth
Henley; Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream; John
Cassavetes’ A Women of Mystery; Terrence McNally’s Frankie and Johnny; Feydeau’s He Hunts.
Television includes “Taxi” (two Emmys), “Pearl,” “Seinfeld,” “
“Chicago Hope” (Emmy nom.),“Beggars & Choosers.” and “The Year Without a Santa Claus.”
Film includes Carnal Knowledge, The Last Detail, Annie Hall,
Award nom.), Dog Day Afternoon, The World’s Greatest Lover, When a Stranger Calls, The
Princess Bride, Scrooged, The Lemon Sisters, The Pallbearer, Office Killer, Trees
Lounge, Addams Family Values, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, The Pacifier,
Cosmopolitan and The Key Man.
JOHN RUBINSTEIN (The Wizard) Broadway: Pippin, Children Of A Lesser God (Tony, Drama
Desk Awards), Fools, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Hurlyburly, M. Butterfly,
Ragtime. Off-B’way: Counsellor-At-Law (Lucille Lortel Award), Rosencrantz And
Guildenstern Are Dead. LA: Ragtime, Urinetown, Into The Woods, A Little Night Music,
Metamorphoses, Sight Unseen, Counsellor-AtLaw (Ovation, LADCC Awards). Original Andrew in Love
Letters. Films include:
Daniel, The Boys From Brazil, Zachariah, Getting Straight. Over 200 TV appearances;
starred in series “Family” (Emmy nomination) and “Crazy Like a Fox.” As a director, in
NY: The Old Boy, Phantasie, Nightingale; LA: Guys And Dolls, The Rivals; TV: “A Matter
of Conscience” (Emmy: Best Children’s Special), “Nash Bridges.” Composed scores to
films Jeremiah Johnson, The Candidate; TV: “
father of Jessica, Michael, Peter, Jacob, and Max.
KRISTOFFER CUSICK (Fiyero) creating the role of Fiyero for the
playing the role on Broadway with the Original Cast. Bway/Tours: Saturday Night
Fever OBC (Kenny, Gus u/s) and Rent (Angel) Film/TV: “Star Search,” “Big Break,”
“After Hours” (pilot/ Comedy Central), “Pretty Cool” (HBO). Debut CD, My Greatest
Desire and more information available at www.kristoffercusick.com
JENNA LEIGH GREEN (Nessarose). Direct from the Broadway cast of Wicked, Jenna
originated the role of Nessarose and covered the role of Elphaba (performed) on the 1st
national tour. Other NYC: bare (Dodger Theatricals). Recent NYC workshops include
Mask and A Room With A View. LA credits include Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden, Romeo
and Juliet, Into the Woods and West Side Story. TV/Film: Libby Chessler on "Sabrina
the Teenage Witch", "First Shot" (TBS), "A Friend to Die For", "Dharma and Greg",
"ER,"Cover Me" and "Open House.”
TIMOTHY BRITTEN PARKER (Doctor Dillamond) Broadway: Rent (Original cast, Obie
award), The Innocents, Runaways, The Visit, Wicked (also National Tour). Off-Broadway
includes Machinal (Public), Kenneth Lonergan’s The Heartsick Pioneer (Drama-Logue
award), The King of Connecticut. Founding member Naked Angels Theatre Company where
performed in 40 productions. Film: Quiz Show, Gold Coast. TV: Recurring on “Law & Order”
(Forensic Detective Hoeck), “NY Undercover.”
ADAM WYLIE (Boq) Broadway: Into the Woods (Jack). Recent Television: “Entourage,”
“Monk,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Veronica Mars,” “Avatar,” “Ben
Super Heroes.” Upcoming Films: Species, Quatro. Theatre:
Precious Sons (Freddie Jr), Sondheims 75th — Hollywood Bowl. www.adamwylie.com
Grammy Award-winning original cast recording available on Decca Broadway.
For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.
# # #
Calendar listing for WICKED
Venue: Pantages Theatre,
Performances begin Saturday, February 10 at 8 pm
Opening Night is Wednesday, February 21 at 8 pm
Showtimes: WICKED will play Tuesday through Friday evenings at 8 p.m., Saturdays at
2 pm and 8 pm and Sundays at 1 pm and 6:30 pm.
Special matinees at 2 pm – Thursday, February 22 (no Sun Eve 2/25), Wednesday,
April 4 (no Sun
available.
Previews February 10 – February 20 – $27.50, $52.50 and $80.50
Tickets: Phone – Ticketmaster at 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878
In-person – Pantages Theatre Box Office, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA and all
Ticketmaster outlets
Online – ticketmaster.com
Groups: 15 or more, call 866-755-3075
Information: www.wickedthemusical.com