Wicked the Musical Info - Wicked Broadway, Wicked Chicago and more

2007 Broadway on Broadway announces “Wicked” songs as part of lineup

The 2007 Broadway on Broadway musical production announced Sept. 14 that the lineup of songs performed will include “The Wizard and I” from the smash hit musical “Wicked,” performed by cast member Julia Murney, who plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, according to an article posted on Broadway World.com. The production, which has been held annually for the past 16 years, is an outside free concert that offers spectators the chance to experience all the best Broadway has to offer in an open air setting in the heart of Times Square. Lance Bass, ex-N-Sync singer and performer, is scheduled to host this year’s production, which will also feature Broadway’s Biggest Fan contest that present prizes to the first fans who show up dressed as their favorite Broadway character. The event is put on by the League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc., founded in 1930, which is the national trade organization for the Broadway industry, operating under the Live Broadway® trademark. With more than 500 members including theatre owners, operators, producers, and presenters of Broadway productions in New York and 140 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, the League and its members help present Broadway shows to 25 million people annually.

Besides the “Wicked” number from Murney, cast members from  “Avenue Q,” “Chicago,” “Rent,” “Hairspray,” “Grease,” “The Color Purple,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Lion King” will all be presenting songs from their respective musicals. “Wicked,” the smash hit that opened on Broadway in 2003 and continues to run successfully as part of a national tour in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, London and New York, tells the story of two girls who became roommates accidentally at sorcery school but ended up being surprised at how much they really had in common - like falling head over heels for the exact same guy. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch and Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, are unlikely friends but they journey to Emerald City together regardless and when their friendship finally dissolves, audiences have the chance to see exactly how they assume their signature roles before Dorothy and Toto ever drop into the Land of Oz. This captivating story will win the hearts of both young and old and shouldn’t be missed. If you haven’t already, make sure to get a pair of Wicked tickets by visiting Stubhub.com.

Logan Lipton gets rave reviews as Boq in Broadway’s production of “Wicked”

Staring previously in “Hello, Dolly!” “Pirates of Penzance” and the Tony-Award-winning musical “Ragtime” at the award-winning Vermont Summer Theatre, 28-year-old Logan Lipton has made a name for himself and continues to do that playing Boq in the smash hit Broadway musical “Wicked.” As the unusually large munchkin in the Land of Oz, Boq - a.k.a. Lipton - is in love with Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, but is unwillingly paired with Nessarose (Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West’s, sister). He is eventually stripped of his rights by Nessarose to leave Munchkinland all together and turned into a “tin woodman” by one of the evil sister’s spells-gone-wrong. Replacing the original Boq, Chris Fitzgerald, Lipton has been referred to by play critics as giving the character a “quirky vitality” that other actors in the same role did not, and was praised by a Talkin Broadway.com critic as having “a great velvet toned voice as Boq, reminiscent of Joey Grey” in manner.

The production of “Wicked” the musical has been a smash hit since it debuted on Broadway more than three years ago and continues its reign of success with the national tour, which is playing the big cities of Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and London. The story, created by Stephen Schwartz and based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, centers on the Land of Oz and tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Glinda and Elphaba, long before Dorothy and Toto ever enter the picture. When the two witches-in-training enter sorcery school and are paired accidentally as roommates, the pair of seemingly opposites find out they have more in common then they had suspected and set off on a journey to Emerald City together. See how their relationship unravels while taking in this musical’s sing-along tunes and eye-catching costumes, engulfed in an intricate plot that weaves themes of self-discovery and bringing the underdog to the light. For Wicked tickets, visit Stubhub.com.

Sebastian Arcelus: “Wicked” and beyond; young broadway actor’s career lifts off

Recently appearing in the musicals “Good Vibrations” and “Rent,” this young, up and coming Broadway star is now playing the role of Fiyero, a prince that meets and falls in love with Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, at Gershwin Theatre on Broadway in New York. Now, actor Sebastian Arcelus, who also played the same role during the first U.S. tour of the musical in 2006, has become just as popular as the smash Broadway musical he stars in. At one time, however, the New York City native can remember a time when he wasn’t so sure about what he would end up doing as a career, according to an May 2007 story published on Playbillnews.com.

“My big break was back in the third grade playing the third monkey in Horton Hears a Who,” Arcelus said. “I was always singing in high school and college, doing plays and musicals. It was one of those things where I never let myself think I could have that as a career, and I did have this real interest in politics, so I was kind of torn between two worlds. It’s kind of one of those cheesy, coming-of-age stories. The summer before my senior year in college I went with two of my buddies to Europe, and we spent our savings on a ten-week, ten-country backpacking trip, which, of course, was totally enlightening on so many different levels and cemented that creative and artistic pulse that was beating pretty hard in me.”

That pulse is what led him to try out for the role of Roger in “Rent” and Jan in “Good Vibrations.” His most notorious role thus far has been that of Fiyero in “Wicked,” and he told PlaybillNews.com that he found it not only an honor to be part of a show that celebrates women’s strength and soul, but also to play alongside the leading female characters in the musical - Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda) and Julia Murney (Elphaba).

“It’s a really rewarding role because I get to experience the show from two different perspectives through these two women, not to mention it is an absolute joy to work with Julia Murney [Elphaba] and Kendra Kassebaum [Glinda], who I’ve had the chance to work with on tour. We’ve brought our rapport into the show here. It’s been fun to experience it from taking what we had on the road and adjusting it to here.”

To score a pair of Wicked tickets, visit Stubhub.com.

Special “Wicked” performance on Broadway to benefit Manhattan “Friendship Garden”

A special performance of the Broadway hit musical “Wicked” will be held Sunday, Oct. 7, at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, in order to benefit the New York Restoration Project’s (NYRP) ongoing maintenance fund for its “Friendship Garden” - a community greenery in upper Manhattan that is currently being revamped, according to a Sept. 10 story published by BroadwayWorld.com. All proceeds from the performance will go to New York’s Restoration Project, a non-profit organization that is working to establish the Friendship Garden as a public green open space for one of New York’s underserved neighborhoods. The organization hopes to eventually bring the area to life using elements and themes from the musical, such as a yellow brick road and replicas of the musical’s characters, according to BroadwayWorld.com. Tickets for the benfit performance range from $150-$500 - a portion of which are tax-deductible. The NYRP dedicates itself to developing open space in urban areas of the city that have been under utilized and neglected and tries to build a sense of civic pride amongst community members in the area by getting them involved in the maintenance of such parks and open spaces.

Partnering with Broadway and specifically the smash-hit musical “Wicked,” NYRP hopes to increase community awareness. “Wicked” is the story of two young women who get paired as unlikely roommates at sorcery school: Glinda and Elphaba. As most well know the two ended up dreaded enemies but this candid and elaborate production will show audiences just how that happened - in an ultimate whirlwind of fanciful costumes, magical characters and an extremely engaging story line. When Glinda and Elphaba realize they have more in common than they thought- including the same taste in men - the two set aside their differences briefly to journey to the Emerald City but all does not go smoothly in the land of Oz and by the time Dorothy and Toto drop in, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the East are at once again at odds. Don’t miss this breathtaking musical that has been awing audiences since it debuted in 2003. For Wicked tickets, visit Stubhub.com.

Wicked’s McClanahan gears up to share stories from memoirs at Playhouse on the Green

Emmy Award winning actress Rue McClanahan, known most prominently for her role in the TV series “Golden Girls” and also most recently for her role as Madame Morrible in Stephen Schwart’s Broadway musical “Wicked,” will read from her memoir, “My First Five Husbands…and the Ones That Got Away,” on Oct. 20 at Playhouse on the Green, Bridgeport, Connecticut, according to a Sept. 10 article published on BroadwayWorld.com.

As McClanahan prepares to go on tour for her newest endeavor with “My First Five Husbands…”, she said all the effort that went into the book is beginning to pay off. “You have to deal with editors an publishers about things you can or can’t say, pictures you can or can’t include,” McClanahan said about the book-writing process. “There are a few tiny mistakes in it. But, when all is said and done, I’m proud of it. Once you start reading it, you won’t be able to put it down. Trust me!”

In her last big peformance playing Madame Morrible from July 2005 through January 2006, McClanahan was dubbed fabulously flamboyant in the role by the New York Times in a July 2005 review that announced, “She steals scenes with a flip of the hand.” Alongside Megan Hilty as Glinda, McClanahan shined in her role, which included wearing bright kimono-like dresses and replicating the brazen headmistress character of the witches’ school.

Wicked - the story of Glinda the Good Witch of the East and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West - has won over audiences throughout the country, as well as in London and Australia with its glitzy storyline that includes themes of popularity, fitting in and coming-of-age. When Glinda and Elphaba are made roommates at sorcery schoolThat’s where McClanahan’s Madame Morrible steps in. “She starts out so likable and apparently trustworthy and good, and then by the end she’s an absolute daughter of Satan and gets dragged off to prison,” McClanahan said of her role in a 2005 interview with Playbill.com. “She goes crazy. She has always been a little crazy, and she’s been covering it up because she wants power. She’s power mad. And she, you know, by the way, is the brains behind everything.”

To snag Wicked tickets, visit Stubhub.com!

“Wicked” celebrates one-year anniversary at London’s West End

The Broadway hit musical “Wicked,” which originated in 2003 and has now spread worldwide, just celebrated its one-year anniversary of performances Sept. 7 at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre in the West End, according to a Sept. 6 article published on BroadwayWorld.com. The musical, written by Stephen Schwartz and based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, has made waves throughout the U.S. since its debut and set off a chain reaction with a national tour, placing casts in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Already the show, which has been seen by more than 800,000 Londoners, has already grossed more than £28 million at the box office in just 52 weeks, bringing in more than £540,000 per week.

The Apollo Theatre’s cast consists of Kerry Ellis as Elphaba, Diane Pilkington as Glinda, Oliver Thompsett as Fiyero and Nigel Planner as The Wizard. Ellis, the co-star of the show, is most well-known for her role of Fantine in the musical “Les Miserables” and her performance as Ellen in the national tour of “Miss Saigon.” Her role in “Wicked” is one that consists of being the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba, who meets Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, in boarding school when the two are paired as unlikely roommates, is consumed with jealousy over Glinda’s natural good looks and popularity. The two are tied to each other when they fall for the same love interest and then journey off together to Emerald City. What leads to their eventual animosity for each other is revealed in this stunning tale, which takes place in the Land of Oz - long before Dorothy and Toto decided to drop in. For those who haven’t seen this high-energy musical, make sure to snag Wicked tickets for the entire family at Stubhub.com.

Wicked’s Kristin Chenoweth poised to play in NBC’s “Pushing Daisies”

Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth, who starred as the original Glinda in “Wicked” the musical on Broadway, has announced that she will star alongside a Broadway-star-studded cast in NBC’s newest fall premier, “Puhsing Daisies,” according to an ABC-NBC story published on Chenoweth’s official Web site.  Chenoweth recently stared in an City Center Encores! presentation of “Stairway to Paradise” and after picking up a Tony for her performance in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and a Tony nomination for her role in “Wicked,” she isn’t stopping her landslide of success anytime soon. On top of being an accomplished recording artist, producing two full-length albums in her career and working on a third, and having performed with such accomplished musical groups as the New York Philharmonic, Boston Pops and the National Symphony Orchestra, Chenowith has also played her fair share of television and film roles in the past. She starred alongside Nicole Kidmann and Will Ferrell in the movie “Bewitched” and guest starred on the series “West Wing” and “Ugly Betty.”

Now, as the “Wicked” star gears up for her newest role in “Pushing Daisies” - a fantasy crime drama about a man who can resurect people from the dead and then send them back to the after life all with the touch of his hand - she is excited to see how the intricate plot plays out and wins audiences with the shows line up of talented cast, especiallly the show’s star Lee Pace, who was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance as a transsexual in “Soldier’s Girl.” “[Lee Pace is] a talented individual,” Chenoweth said. “He plays a guy who can bring people back from the dead. Now, it sounds hokey, sounds like, ‘Oh we’ve seen that before.’ But the trick is this: he can touch people - that’s how he brings thaem back, but he has 60 seconds to decide. If he touches them again before 60 seconds, they go back to being dead. If he leaves it, they live, but somebody else drops dead. It’s very complicated. You know, I read the script and, again, I;m pretty picky. It’s gotta be something really intersting for me to [accpet a role] - whether it goes or succeeds is bsides the point. It really has to speak to me. There’s a love triangle and I play one of the girls. It’s a great cast.”

While Chenoweth is leaving the cast of Wicked, the musical continues its reign on Broadway and now across the country with its national tour. To snag a pair of Wicked tickets for a venue near you, stop by Stubhub.com.

Wicked co-stars to appear in October’s ‘Broadway Unplugged’

“Broadway Unplugged at the Ford,” a benefit event to raise funds for San Fernando Valley theatre programming in the Los Angeles Unified School District, will feature up close performances from cast members of the Broadway and Los Angeles productions of “Wicked” the musical, according to a story posted Sept. 5 on BroadwayWorld.com.

Actresses Eden Espinosa (Elphaba), Jenna Leigh Green , Julie Reiber, Emily Rozek, Melissa Fahn, Shoshana Bean and Linda Kerns, as well as actors Kristoffer Cusick and Adam Lambert will be present at the event to talk to audiences in the intimate Ford Amphitheater, which seats all its spectators no further than 90 feet from the stage and allows viewers to partake in an extremely personal experience with the cast. The stars will also be joined by special Broadway friendsSean McDermott, Jack Noseworthy and Chad Kimball.
San Fernando Valley’s Valley Musical Theatre is a new professional theatre company that launched its very first production in 2006 and hopes to become one of the nation’s most accomplished company’s and bring full-length Broadway musicals to the region. “Broadway Unplugged” will be used as a stepping stone for the company to grow and gain national recognition and it promises to attract a prestigious crowd, with the Ford Amphitheater’s cozy, 1,200-seat atmosphere and the backdrop of cypress and chaparral trees as background at this Hollywood Hills location.

Make sure to get tickets for this event and score Wicked tickets for the actual musical - which is playing on Broadway and worldwide on its national tour in big cities such as London, Chicago, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. Visit Stubhub.com for all the best ticket prices.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on September 5, 2007 - Post a comment

Twenty-something phenomenon dazzles audiences in Wicked tour

Annaleigh Ashford, the 22-year-old up and coming actress who made her Broadway debut as Margot in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” joins the cast of “Wicked” as Glinda the Good Witch in the show’s national tour. After acting as an understudy to the role during the show’s 2005 tour, Ashford also put in time in the Broadway show “Feeling Electric” and is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College on New York’s Upper East Side. The 20-something remembers the day she decided that she would become an actress - she was 8 years old. The Colorado-native’s mother took Ashford to Denver’s Kit Andre Performing Arts Center, the rising Broadway star recalled in a June 2007 interview with BroadwayWorld.com. The center was run by “an old-school belter who had false eyelashes out to here and a big diamond ring that said ‘Kit’ on it in rubies,” Ashford said. “It couldn’t have been more perfect. She taught me phrasing and breathing and songs that were completely inappropriate for little girls. When I was eight, I sang, ‘On My Own’ in a talent competition.”

From that day on, the young talent moved up in the performing arts world, playing her very first role as Tina Denmark in “Ruthless” at age 10 and graduating high school in less than three years. She was recruited to play Brenda in the staged reading of “Catch Me If You Can” this past July and hopes to move on to a more full, in-depth acting career. “I just want to work,” Ashford says. “I don’t care where I do it. Whether it’s singing or dancing or acting, this is it for me,” Ashford said. “Wicked” is playing across the country and in London and Australia on national tour. Snatch up Wicked tickets for venues in big cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and New York by visiting Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in Uncategorized on September 4, 2007 - Post a comment

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