Ashanti, Behar, Cantone, Indelicato and Settle Among Cast for WICKED'S YELLOW BRICK ROAD Benefit

Grammy Award-winner and actress Ashanti, The View's Joy Behar, Sex and the City's Mario Cantone, Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato, and Gossip Girl's Matthew Settle will be among the cast of THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, a one-night-only benefit performance celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the Broadway smash WICKED.  Also scheduled to perform are former cast members of the musicAl Blockbuster, including Shoshana Bean and Stephanie J. Block, both of whom played Elphaba; Jennifer Laura Thompson who played the role of Glinda; Michelle Federer, who originated the role of Nessarose; and Kerry Ellis and Kendra Kassebaum, the show's two current stars.  More casting is still to be announced.

THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, directed by Matt Lenz with musical direction by Ben Cohn, will take place on Monday, October 27 at 7:30pm at the Gershwin Theatre (222 West 51st Street).  The evening's proceeds will be donated to Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project.  Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.com/wicked.  All casting is subject to change.

In THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, WICKED composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book writer Winnie Holzman will share scenes and songs from early drafts of the musicAl Blockbuster.  Featuring never-before-seen material, as well as songs cut during the show's development and pre-Broadway engagement, this one-night-only event will tell the story of WICKED the way it's never been told before and will illuminate the various paths the writers took in creating what has become one of the most popular Broadway musicals.

"I'm thrilled with the ongoing support of WICKED to NYRP," said Bette Midler, Founder of the New York Restoration Project, beneficiary of the evening.  "Show people have big hearts.  I can't tell you how unusual it is for an organization to come to ME with an offer to help.  I usually have to go to them and convince them that what we are doing is good.  I thank everyone at WICKED from the bottom of my heart for their generous and loving support."

Prime Benefit tickets are $1000 (includes Premium Seats, post show VIP party and special WICKED gift bag); Premium Benefit Tickets are $500 (Prime Orchestra Seats and special WICKED gift bag), and Super Orchestra Tickets $350 (Orchestra Seats and special WICKED gift bag).  Tickets for the performance only are also available from $250 - $100.

Winner of 20 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz.  Long before Dorothy drops 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.  WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety, WICKED currently has productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Melbourne and on a North American tour.  Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman.  The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento.  WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

ABOUT NEW YORK RESTORATION PROJECT

Renowned entertainer Bette Midler founded the nonprofit New York Restoration Project (NYRP) in 1995 with the belief that clean and green neighborhoods are fundamental to the quality of life and that every community in New York City deserves an oasis of natural beauty. Modeled on the Central Park Conservancy and other successful public-private partnerships, NYRP partners with individuals, community-based groups, and public agencies to reclaim, restore, and develop under-resourced parks, community gardens, and open space in New York City, primarily in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

NYRP strives to ensure that parks and open spaces in less privileged neighborhoods are the "Central Park" of those communities, where recreational, educational, and environmental programs become part of the fabric of the neighborhood. We bring these spaces back to life and give them back to the public, promoting a sense of ownership and civic pride in forgotten communities. NYRP is now one of the leading partners of the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation.

For more information on WICKED, please visit www.wickedthemusical.com.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.