From August to Wicked
“At about 10:30 in the morning, I got a text message from Jane Grey, the stage manager at August: Osage County, that said, ‘Liz is out sick. Come play with us for the last day,’” Rondi Reed begins. Elizabeth Ashley, who had been playing Mattie Fae opposite Phylicia Rashad as matriarch Violet Weston, had been under the weather for several days and would be unable to do the final show of Tracy Letts’ three-and-a-half-hour epic family drama. A skeptical Reed called Wicked producer David Stone. “I said, ‘I’m so sorry to bother you on Sunday morning, I know this sounds crazy but…’ There was a pause, and David said, ‘I think that would be fine! Go do August, and then come doWicked for the Actors’ Fund.”
Wicked’s Success Still Strong
For fans of the Broadway musical “Wicked,” don’t expect the hit play based on the fictional novel by Gregory Maguire to take the economic state into effect anytime soon. The show recently played at the Orpheum in Memphis this weekend, and according to one patron, “the theater was more packed that I’ve EVER seen it. It was so packed that there wasn’t even time to get to the restroom during intermission…and the merchandise seemed to be selling very briskly. Very briskly.” The venue is projecting a $7 million economic impact for the show’s three week engagement in Memphis, estimating that local tickets buyers are giving $3.8 million with $100,000 in marketing. As it is the first time the area as seen teh show, the venue expects about 40 percent of the 57,000 patrons to come from outside the city’s county line; “if one makes conservative estimates on the average price per couple of parking ($10), dinner ($10-100), hotel stay and tickets, the amount of money pumped into teh local economy by those living outside Shelby County is $2.6 million,” says the Orpheum release.
Make yourself part of that number with your own Wicked tickets today!
Broadway’s Finally Coming Back to the Big Easy
For the first time, the Big Easy will see the Broadway hit “Wicked” this fall when the Mahalia Jackson Theater will play host to “wicked” and four other Broadway shows in their special Broadway Across America Series! It has been a while since New Orleans has seen any serious form of entertainment (specifically since Spring 2005) when Hurricane Katrina washed away the majority of the theatres in the area in the fall of 2005, including the Saenger Theatre, which is still under repair. Though no Broadway shows have made their way to the foundation of Mardi Gras since, the area is amped up to be finally experiencing some of today’s greatest Broadway hits and more as “Wicked” will kick off the series with a three week run, following by “Mama Mia,” “The Color Purple,” “Avenue Q” and “Cats.” Mayer Ray Nagin said the shows will probably attract more than 100,000 people and allow the city some more regrowth efforts as they incorporate jobs and tax revenue for the city still looking to recover for the disaster that our government likely extended physical and fiscal damages. “This is what we envisioned when we made the decision to renovate this wonderful theater and the grounds to world class standards. This is for our cultural community adn all of our citizens,” the Mayer said to WWLTV.
Get these Wicked tickets today!
A Magical Journey to Wicked!
Come on in folks, the water is fine!
According to UA Fort Smith News, Wicked tickets for the show on July 16th are still available in Tulsa as part of the University of Arkansas Fort Smith’s Center for Lifelong Learning’s Spring 2009 Trips and Tours. The Tulsa production features Marcie Dodd as Elphaba, Helene Yorke as Glinda, Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible and Tom McGowan as The Wizard. The show runs about two hours and 45 minutes and includes at 15 minute introduction (where one many proposed to his then girlfriend when I was at a Wicked show!). Buses will leave the UA Fort Smith campus at 9am and will return around 6:30 pm on the same day with a stop made for dinner; cost is $119 and includes coach travel and show ticket; the registration deadline is July 14th but spots are limited. Children are welcome, though for anyone under four years of age, the stage production recommends another show (sorry!).
If you want to see spectacular show that has been sweeping teh nation since 2003 when it first premiered on Broadway and earned the Elphaba character, Ida Menzel, a Tony Award, then get some Wicked tickets today!
Wicked’s Character List
In all my months writing about Wicked the Musical, I have never come across such an innovative way to produce a vast description of the characters in Wicked and their growth from Gregory Maguire’s story to the one we are all familiar with in the film “The Wizard of Oz.”
The Wicked Witch of the West: An instant outcast for her green skin, Elphaba slowly acquires the trappings of witchdom throughout the first act - the magic, the hat, the broom, even the flying monkeys. But as for the wicked part, well, that’s pure propaganda, because she’s willing to fight the power (”Defying Gravity” is her big showstopper). The role was originated on Broadway by Idina Menzel, who also starred in the original production of “Rent.”
Glinda: A mispronunciation of Galinda, the perky blonde at Shiz U who’s still good, but a little bit witchier than we remember her from the classic movie. She takes a dislike to Elphaba but has a change of heart, giving her a makeover during her signature tune, “Popular.” The original Glinda was Kristen Chenoweth, who moved on to Hollywood with roles in “The West Wing” and the recent film comedy “Four Christmases.”
The Wizard: Oz’s scheming tyrant, who’s responsible for the oppression of the kingdom’s talking animals. The legendary Joel Grey originated the role on Broadway.
The Cowardly Lion: We meet him as a cub in a cage. Elphaba breaks him out because she learns that cages keep magical animals from learning how to talk. “Wicked” also serves up creative origin stories for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, but revealing those would spoil things.
Dorothy: As for little Miss “Over the Rainbow,” her house still kills the Wicked Witch of the East - Elphaba’s sister - but she doesn’t even get onstage. Instead, she’s just a faceless pawn manipulated by forces she can’t possibly understand. And is that how the current generation views its parents? Sorry, Judy!
I love it and Wicked tickets from StubHub!
New Lottery, New City
As one of the most popular Broadway shows on tour right now, it comes as no surprise that Wicked tickets are constantly having to reduce their prices in regards to the state of the economy. With that comes another one - for day-of performance lottery for 20 orchestra seats for the show performing July 1 - 26 at ASU Gammage. Two and a half hours prior to showtime those individuals present at the venue’s box office will have their named drawn from a lottery adn thirty minutes later a limited number of orchestra tickets at $25 each will be handed out, available for purchase with cash only. The lottery is only available, like all the rest of them, when there in person at the box office giving just a limit of two tickets per person.
Please remember:
Lines will not be permitted to form earlier than 2 ½ hours prior to show time.
This is a random drawing lottery so your place in line will not affect the outcome
No parking will be available in the ASU Gammage parking lot.
Visit asugammage.com/parking or call 480-965-PARK for alternate parking information.
No overnight camping will be permitted.
Wicked’s Memphis Stop - and It’s Wide Audience
Though the magic that is “Wicked” has been overtaking audiences for years on international stages as well as Broadway, the concept behind the story is nothing new - much like “Cats” and “Sotuh Pacific,” other Broadway hits, the story was inspired by a book. From Gregory Maguire’s novel that follows the “life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” “Wicked” has picked up several Tony Awards for its characters and composers (Stephen Schwartz) as when it first appeared on the stage. What makes this play so appearling, however, is not because of the music or the artistic novel, but rather the evolution that the conceptual story brings to the table - in otherwords, the original Frank Baum story that created such a prequel (aka “The Wizard of Oz”) is one of the world’s most popular movies and a cross-promotion that spans generations, media platforms and demographics,” says the California Chronicle. Today over 17 million people have experienced the show and grossed more than $1.35 billion. Folks in Memphis will experience a new first as the show plans on showing a three week run at the Orpheum theatre, the first time since Disney’s “The Lion King” played there for that amount in 2007. “‘Wicked’ falls into a unique category of theater,” Orpheum president Pat Halloran said. “It’s consistent with other blockbusters for three reasons; one: people are familiar with the subject; Two: It brings the whole family. Three: It has great word-of-mouth. The music is phenomenal, and technically it has everything from flying monkeys to witches on brooms. It’s a huge production.”
Get Wicked tickets today from StubHub!
Wicked in Des Moines This Weekend
This Saturday morning at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines - be there or be square. If you want to be part of the international sensation that is “Wicked” when it comes to the area, then you better be in the line this weekend to pick up the Wicked tickets that are going on sale! The musical has been garnering attention for its magical ways, making interested patrons go crazy over its flying monkey, broomsticks and witches - though the show in the arena doesn’t open until late September, tickets are just as in demand months ahead as they are on Boradway. Since opening in 2005 the show has toured the world and continued to see support from fans across the world making this show worth the adventure, even if you have to plan it months in advance. For the Des Moines show, according to its local paper, there are around 86,000 tickets available for the four week run that will host all kinds of Des Moines families and locals. Already season subscribers have nabbbed over 9,000 of them while a few free prizes, games and CD will be given out to those who show up for the event all happening on Saturday. If you want to be part of this international sensation, be there this weekend!
ASU is Seeing Wicked Stars
The Broadway musical “Wicked” is coming this July to ASU’s Gammage Auditorium, July 1-26th and will showcase the award winning pree-quel of the Wizard of Oz. The story follows The Wicked Wtich of the West and the Good Witch of the North as they were in their pre-title days, where friendships lasted throughout the semester and each were trying to find their own. “There’s lots of love circulating in this show,” cast member Ben Liebert, who plays the role of Boq the only munchkin to attend universityk, says to the ASU Newspaper. Liepert joined the national Broadway tour in 2008 after nine months on the international tour for “Grease.” “I play nerds. It seems to be a trend in my career,” he continues. “The nice thing about this national tour is the quality of the show - it is spectacular. The set is amazing, the cast is superb, adn the orchestra is fantastic. I’m very proud to be diong it. And everywhere we go, the towns are thrilled to have us. They are so excited to see the show.” Breaking box office records, the show is something not to be missed when it comes to a city near you, or ASU this summer, so make sure that you have Wicked tickets in your hand today!
Tulsa’s Soon-to-be Wicked Adventure
Tulsa residents beware - the flying, wicked witch of the west is coming into your city! The Broadway musical “Wicked” is coming into Tulsa this summer, as reported by gtrnews.com, at the Performing Arts Center from July 15 to August 9th. Having captivated audiences around the globe for years, finally Tulsa will get to experience all the joy and retrospective outlooks on the play that is based on Gregory Maguire’s book of the same name. As a prequel to the film “The Wizard of Oz,” the story follows the two central characters that make Oz so spectacular - the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the Good Witch. The story brings readers and patrons into a world that few who were supporting Dorothy could have imagined, as the 1995 novel has since sold over 4 million copies and remains on the bestseller list, many thanks to the Broadway show that earned the character of the Wicked Witch of the West, or Elphaba, a Tony Award (played by Idine Menzel). As the second national tour of the play, with eight worldwide productions traveling throughout San Francisco, Australia, London, Japan and Germany, Wicked tickets remain a hot commodity and aren’t easily found, except when searching through StubHub!
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