Thinking “Wicked?” Visit LA’s Pantages Theatre for the “wickedest” experience yet

If you haven’t seen “Wicked” the musical, you are probably living your life under a rock. All joking aside, the hit Broadway production has been turning heads and garnering major critical acclaim since it opened in New York in 2004. Now, three years later, the musical is still riding on the coattails of success and playing in both international and US theaters - and one of those is Los Angeles’s Pantages Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. What makes this theater so special? The historic building, constructed in 1930 for $1.25 million, was one of the most stunning venues of its time, hosting film premiers such as Judy Garland’s “A Star is Born” and later - in the 1950s - housing the annual Academy Awards ceremonies, according to the theater’s Web site.
The Emmy Awards were also held at the theater in 1977 but were then moved to Pasadena. Pantages’ stage has been graced by high-profile actors and actresses, such are Marie Osmond, Kevin Costner and Brooke Shields and in 1999, when the theater hosted the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, big time stars Julia Roberts, Will Smith and Minnie Driver made appearances. Most recently, celebs Tom Hanks, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Love Hewitt have been spotted at Pantages.

Over the years, Pantages has become one of the greatest landmarks in Hollywood. It is only fitting, then, that “Wicked” - which was dubbed “Best Musical of the Year” by Time Magazine - would be shown within this prestigious theater. The musical, which has been running at Pantages since June 2006 and will be open to spectators through  November of this year, tells the story of how Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch became friends and then eventually enemies long before Dorothy decided to drop into the land of Oz. To get your “Wicked” tickets, visit Stubhub.com.

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