The producers of the Broadway blockbuster WICKED have announced that the musical phenomenon will fly into the Lyric Theatre, QPAC in September this year.
WICKED is one of the most successful and popular musicals in the world, and has been seen by over 65 million people worldwide and the winner of over 100 major awards including the Grammy Award, the Olivier Award, six Helpmann Awards, three Tony Awards® and six Drama Desk Awards.
The novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire, published in 1995, has sold 5.5 million copies, with 5 million of those sold since 2003 when the musical opened. Buoyed by the musical’s success, the novel has appeared on bestseller lists for close to two decades since its initial publication.
WICKED is currently playing at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre after six months of rapturous praise from critics and audiences at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. The Sydney Morning Herald said the musical is “Ingenious and beautiful: WICKED dazzles” while Australian Stage called it “Triumphant, a dazzling, spectacular production.”
The stellar Australian cast is led by Courtney Monsma as Glinda, the bubbly popular girl who becomes Glinda the Good, and in her debut in a lead role, Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, the girl born with emerald-green skin who grows up to become the Wicked Witch of the West.
Robyn Nevin plays Madame Morrible, Todd McKenney is the Wizard, Liam Head plays Fiyero, Adam Murphy is Dr Dillamond, Shewit Belay plays Nessarose, Kurtis Papadinis is Boq, and Zoe Coppinger is the Elphaba Standby.
The talented group of performers comprising the WICKED ensemble and swings are Christian Ambesi, Conor Bann-Murray, Brittany Carter, Olivia Castagna, Eli Cooper, Matt Cranleigh, Joseph Donovan, Sage Douglas, Bayley John Edmends, Todd Jacobsson, Rohan Khanna, Andrew Kroenert, Elisha Zion Lee, Jordan Malone, Emily Monsma, Matilda Moran, Jackson Reedman, Amelia Sanzo, Edward Smith, Ksenia Teliatnikova, Lucas Van Rhijn, Jessica Vellucci, Mietta White and Jun Woodfield.
“I’m thrilled we’re able to bring WICKED to Brisbane’s wonderful Lyric Theatre where two past seasons totally sold out,” said WICKED Australia Co-producer John Frost. “WICKED is one of the most lavish musical productions to have ever played in Australia, the full Broadway experience. With the lavish sets and opulent costumes, it’s a feast for the eye and the ear.”
“The new Australian cast is exceptional and has been embraced by WICKED fans. If you have never seen WICKED, come and see it for the first time and be spellbound. If you have seen it before, I know you’ll want to come back and be enthralled all over again,” said Mr Frost.
Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other young women meet in the land of Oz. One born with emerald-green skin is smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. The other is bubbly, blonde, ambitious and exceptionally popular. They become rivals, then friends…until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production features musical staging by Wayne Cilento with original direction by Joe Mantello. WICKED is produced by in Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
Waitlist now to be first in line to buy tickets for the Brisbane season at QPAC. WICKED continues at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.wickedthemusical.com.au for details.
Image: Courtney Monsma and Sheridan Adams and the Australian Cast of WICKED – photo by Jeff Busby