Third Time’s a Charm in Denver
Denver is embracing their new ‘Wicked’ theme at the Buell this week. The musical based on the hit film “The Wizard of Oz,” became a Broadway favorite in 2003 when it appeared starring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. The Denver area has been fond of the musical ever since as well, not only enjoying tourists from the area into New York City, but the Mile High City has become the only city to host the show for a third separate time. “Dever has enthusiastically welcomed ‘Wicked’ in the past and we are eager to bring it back, both for new audiences to discover the magic for the first time and for fans of the show to relive the experience again,” said the Denver Center for the Performing Arts President Randy Weeks, in a statement. Based on the best selling novel by Gregory Maguire, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” as it follows the two stars of the “Wizard of Oz” prior to Dorothy’s arrival. “For me, if you take a familiar story - whether it be the Book of Genesis or “The Wizard of Oz” - and you come at it from another point of view, the tension between the audience’s preconception and the approach you’re taking to the story adds an extra level of response,” said Stephen Schwartz, the composer and lyricist.
See it with Wicked tickets today from StubHub.
Wicked Pairs up with Zeum for Halloween Fun in SF
Tony Award winning musical “Wicked” and Zeum: San Francisco’s Children’s Museum have just announced their partnership to bring kids and families an Oz Halloween this Halloween (October 31, 2009) to grow on their joint commitment to connect youth and their families with live entertainment and visual art. Currently, Wicked tickets are now available for the open ended engagement at The Orpheum Theatre, while Halloween celebrations begin in front of the Zeum Carousel at 11am for a “Go GreeN’ Emerald City Citizen’s Costume Contest with Academy Award winner Patty Duke (Madame Morrible) and other cast members of the show. All participants must be of wearing green, from head to toe, and can be all ages; participants will then qualify to win a free pair of tickets to see the Wicked musical.
“WICKED’s themes of self-expression and empowerment dovetail with Zeum’s mission to nurture creativity, collaboration, and communication in all youth and their families,” said Audrey Yamamoto, Zeum’s Executive Director. “We are excited to partner with WICKED this year to provide an array of fun, hands-on, Halloween activities that allow every family member to express themselves.”
Gregory Maguire’s New Work
The author of ‘Wicked’ Gregory Maguire first created teh story that became a hit on Broadway. Though the success of ‘Wicked’ on stage brought him serious fame, that hasn’t stopped him from creating more and more great stories, like his more recent two: “Matchless” and “Making Mischief.”
“Matchless” has Maguire reinventing “The Little Match Girl” from Hans Christian Andersen and was inquired to write a Christmas story. The childhood fairytale has been composed into a poignant and enchanting story of transcendence. For “Making Mischief,” Maguire pays tribute to the author and illustrator of the recently mainstream novel “Where the Wild Things Are,” as he delves into the wild mind of Mauirce Sendak and his understanding of literature and the book that took children’s literature to a whole new world.
If you want to see the most famous of Gregory Maguire’s work, however, you are going to have to get Wicked tickets from StubHub now, as the show finishes up its leg in Des Moines, Iowa on October 18th at the Civic Center and then heats out to Denver, Colorado’s The Buell Theatre and eventually Wichita, KS, Kansas City, MO and many more - so don’t miss your chance!
Wicked in Modern Era
For Wicked fans everywhere, they probably fled to the Wikced theatres when the original was on the stage, feeding their time between Idina Menzel who played the original Elphaba (and won a Tony for her role) and Kristin Chenoweth. Though she recently finished her role on ABC’s “Pushing Daises,” which was cancelled this year, she is now joining the “Glee” club on FOX, the newest hit television show that follows the geeks of a small high school town who enjoy singing and dancing. Talking to ET about her role, Kristin says she loves playing this character, something that she never experienced in high school but was apart of in college. The actress also noted a feeling she had about the show, saying that the mid-western feel of the storyline will really related to the rest of the country, unlike those “Gossip Girls.”
In other Wicked news, the original home for the story is coming to life once again as Wicked as well as Rent are both playing in the city. Wicked still has a longstanding run at the Orpheum Theatre while Rent opens at the Curran Theater this week. Though they obviously feature different depictions of society, they both have central characters that are well developed and appear to the young than usual musical theater audiences - thanks in large part to Rent’s film and the The Wizard of Oz fame.
If you want to see this play or others, visit StubHub and get Wicked tickets today.
Enjoy Wicked Day this Month!
Are you gearing up for Wicked Day 2009? The last Sunday in October every year is Wicked Day - a Ozian tradition where fans comes together and celebrate the powerful Wicked - and it is almost here! This time, instead of performing in New York or London, the celebration is going global as fans can come to celebrate in any city you want, from Stockholm to Manchester, Hong Hong or more. Fans can register their party on the Wicked Day website and choose a party theme from the site (Wicked Anniversary Part, Wicked Halloween Costume Party, Green, for Good and Magical Makeover Party).
There are events through the nation, from ‘untold storry’ essay contest in Westchester Area, a Bloomingdale’s cast performance in New York, A San Francisco concert event, Wicked Week at Macy’s, a Halloween event in Denver, as well as several more in Osaka, Stuttgart, Sydney, Wichita, London, and others. If you want to see and learn more about all the events happening throughout the nation, get those Wicked tickets today from StubHub today. It is a great show that everyone loves, no matter what state you’re from or age you live, and StubHub is a great way to get those tickets in any city you’re interested in seeing the show in, as this ticket distributor has some of the best options around.
Family Fun
There was recently an article in the San Diego Examiner that declared Wicked a production for all ages, one perfect for a family outing. “One of the few musicals that truly has something to offer people of all ages, with Wicked you will find each member of your family walking away with a different take,” writes. Kate Benediktsson. ”A 7 year old will enjoy the music and elaborate costumes, a 10 year old will appreciate the backstory of how the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion came to be, and a 15 year old will connect with the issues of being popular and what it means to be good.”
“The adults in the group will ponder the role of how governments categorize things as wicked, and how humanity judges good based on people’s appearances,” she continues. ”One thing is certain about this show: it has so many layers you will find yourself thinking about it for days afterwards. You may have to go back and see it a second time, or a third, no doubt to the delight of the younger members of your family.” This blogger has seen the show and there were people of all ages present when I attended the production. It definitely has something to offer everyone.
Get Wicked tickets at StubHub!
Wicked’s New Pop Up Series
Former and current cast members from “Wicked” will be celebrating the release of the new book “Wicked: A Pop Up Compendium of Splendiferous Delight and Thrillifying Intrigue” along with several songs from the Tony Award winning musical October 30th at 5pm at the Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Triangle. The Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Triangle is located at 1972 Broadway at 66th Street in Manhattan.
This isn’t the first book from the ‘Wicked’ creators, who previously brought fans “Wicked: the Grimmerie.” The latest addition comes from Melcher Media and features the ‘most arresting and memorable moments from the hit Broadway musical in moveable paper tableaux. From Glinda’s dramatical entrance among the ozians in her bubble machine to Elphaba’s gravity defying maiden flight, each spread puts you in the center of the action. Plus, discover secret artifacts (and artifictions) that you won’t find anywhere else: the letters Galinda and Elphaba wrote to their parents, a map of Emerald City, the Shiz University student newspaper and a miniature Grimmerie complete with spells.” If you loved the play when you had your own Wicked tickets in hand, you’re really going to love this fun pop up treat for kids of all ages! So don’t miss it!
Wicked Taking Over Schenectady, NY
At about 7 am on Friday morning, a line of more than 200 people stood outside the Proctors Theater on State Street in Schenectady to get their chance to purchase a few tickets for the Broadway musical ‘Wicked’ which is set to perform in New York’s small town soon. By 10am when the Proctors phone lines and website was opened up to sales, ‘proctors theater, Schenectady NY’ was a hot trend on Google (large volumes of people were searching for information on the theater) and by 4pm nearly 6,700 Wicked tickets had been sold, said Phillip Morris, the theater’s chief executive. Since it’s the first time the Broadway musical is coming to the upstate New York town, it is no surprise that throngs of people would be making such an effort for the show that is the prequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz.” “It’s a terrific story - and it’s beautifully rendered,” Morris said to the Times Union. For long time residents of the area, they might also be pleased with the story originator’s local roots. Author of the novel of the same name Gregory Maguire grew up in the Pine Hills section of Albany and graduated from the University of Albany in 1976. Beginning their ‘Wicked’ run in December for nearly a month, it hasn’t been since 2006 for Broadways ‘Phantom of the Opera’ that a show has last so long in the area. With tickets still available around lunch time, Morris wasn’t worried.
New ‘Wicked’ Special Performance
Megan Hilty of “9 to 5 The Musical’ fame will be performing at the Muckentaler Cultural Center in Fullerton October 15th for a special presentation of the Tony Award winning songs from Wicked. Hilty was originally the Glinda, the Good Witch of the South in the New York and Los Angeles productions along with the national tour. Also set to take part in the event is the creator of Elphaba himself, Gregory Maguire. The author, who wrote the book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” was the basis for the Tony Award winning show and other literary efforts in line with the “Wizard of Oz.”
Hilty has made several television appearances inher years - appearing on ‘The Closer,’ The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Ugly Betty, CSI, Desperate Housewives, and Shark. She is also the voice of Snow White in the animated feature ‘Shrek the Third.’ For her role in ‘9 to 5′ she was nominated for a Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, the Drama League Award for Distinguished performance and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a musical.
The show is one of the best on Broadway and around the globe, so if you want to take part in this event or others, get your Wicked tickets today from StubHub.
A ‘Wicked’ Return to Tampa Bay
Though Florida residents saw a loss to the Indianapolis Colts last night, they are sure to bring up the excitement by this Saturday as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center sees a new show in town - and they aren’t beating each other up over it. Wicked is returning to the arena and this Saturday, Wicked tickets go on sale at noon. The musical has previously been sold out in Tampa arenas as well as many other cities, when it ran here in 2006 and 2007. The tickets are supposed to run from $50 and are available at the center box office, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa.
The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center first opened in July 1987 and is located along the east bank of the Hillsborough River. The largest performing arts complex south of Kennedy Center, the arena brings aboard a variety of acts (and ten million guests so far) including touring Broadway shows, select concerts, special guests and events - and has been named by the Tampa Bay Business Journal “the best theatre venues in the world.” The complex houses five distinct theatre, a performing arts Conservatory, a rehearsal hall, boutiques, and three restaurants as well as a banquet facility. The theatres seat a little over 4,000 guests all together and is always a hit when Wicked comes to town - so don’t miss it, with the help of StubHub today!
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