Hit musical comes to Atlanta

It started as a unique twist on a classic story and has become a sell-out Broadway show; this weekend “Wicked” will entertain audiences throughout the metro area when it plays at The Fabulous Fox Theatre.

When Gregory Maguire set out to write his novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” more than a decade ago, he decided to take an existing piece of literature, L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz,” and explore the darker side of the green-skinned villain. The book, which was published in 1995 and rapidly climbed the best seller list, is a political fable about persecution and power in which Maguire set out to explore the topic of evil. Maguire has said of the Witch of the West, “I thought I would hate her. But by the time I had written ten pages, I started to forgive her.”

In October 2003, the musical adaptation of Maguire’s novel, “Wicked,” opened on Broadway.

Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the "Wicked" Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years.

"Wicked," the untold story of the witches of Oz, features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Pippin,” Academy Award winner for “Pocahontas” and “The Prince of Egypt”) and book by Winnie Holzman ("My So Called Life," "Once And Again" and "thirtysomething"). With musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento (“Aida,” “The Who's Tommy,” “How To Succeed…”), "Wicked" is directed by 2003 and 2004 Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (“Assassins,” “Take Me Out,” “Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune”).

Since its debut, “Wicked” has gone on to break box office records and sell out nearly every show that it plays. The mega-musical hit had its 1,000 performance on March 23 of this year. "Wicked" is the winner of 15 major awards, including a Grammy® Award and 3 Tony® Awards. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

This week "Wicked" makes its Atlanta premiere. "Wicked" will play May 19 through Sunday, May 28 at The Fox Theatre in Midtown Atlanta. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with matinees on Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Ticket prices range from $27 to $66. Tickets went on sale December 4, 2005 and many performances are sold out.

If you haven’t purchased tickets, however, hope is not lost. A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of best available seats will be held daily for "Wicked.” Each day, anyone interested in participating must go in person to The Fox Theatre box office and complete a registration form two hours prior to the show. There is only one registration allowed per person. Duplicate entries will be eliminated. All forms will be placed in a lottery drum and then, approximately 30 minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of best available seats at $25 each, cash only. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person. Lottery participants do not need to arrive earlier than two hours prior to show time, as everyone in attendance will have an equal chance of winning.
 

"Wicked" is recommended for children 8 and older; children under 4 will not be admitted. Running time for the show is two hours and 30 minutes, plus a 15-minute intermission. For more information on “Wicked” visit the official Web site at www.wickedthemusical.com.

The Atlanta engagement of "Wicked" is presented by arrangement with Broadway In Atlanta. Broadway In Atlanta presents Broadway productions in Atlanta as a member of Broadway Across America and under the direction of Clear Channel Entertainment.

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