'Wicked' Soars into Open-Ended San Francisco Production January 2009

The Contra Costa Times reports that the blockbuster musical, Wicked, will begin an open-ended engagement in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theatre in January 2009.

The article states: "Dates for the Wicked run have not yet been set, but the booking into the Orpheum Theatre will be open-ended, and the show, which had its world premiere in San Francisco in 2003, is expected to settle in for an extended run."

Wicked has become a global sensation with current productions on Broadway, plus resident productions in Chicago (currently booking through July 27, 2007) and Los Angeles (to close January 11, 2009), West End, Tokyo, Germany, North American tour and an up-coming production in Melbourne.  Wicked previously booked the Orpheum Theatre in August 2005 during its first national tour.

"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," explain press notes.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, and musical staging by Wayne Cilento.  The production is directed by Joe Mantello.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com.  For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.

San Francisco's Best of Broadway Series will also include touring productions of Disney's High School Musical (April 15-27), A Midsummer Night's Dream (May 6 – June 1), Hairspray (June 10-22, 2008), The Drowsy Chaperone (July 22 – August 17), Spring Awakening (September 4 – October 12) and Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale (September 23-October 19).

For tickets and more information on SHNSF visit www.shnsf.com