WICKED Goes On Sale At Fox Cities PAC 10/16

After breaking ticket office records and selling out in record time in 2009, WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will return to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton January 26, 2011 through February 20, 2011. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Saturday, October 16.

With 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"), WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is directed by two-time Tony® Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony® Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who's Tommy, How To Succeed...).

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Tickets for WICKED go on sale Saturday, October 16 and start at $61. Priority tickets will be available starting at 7:00 a.m. in person at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased by phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or online at foxcitiespac.com starting at 12:00 p.m. Groups of 20 or more can order now by calling (920) 730-3786. Additional fees may apply. There is an eight ticket limit per person.

The WICKED onsale event at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center should not be missed by theatergoers. Ticket buyers purchasing in person at the Center on Saturday, October 16 starting at 7:00 a.m. will have priority access to great seats held for every performance. The first 100 ticket buyers will also receive a WICKED baseball cap.

Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite WICKED character (costumes, make-up, wigs, props, etc.) for a chance to be the first person to purchase tickets that day. Participants must be in line at the Center by 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 16 to be entered in a drawing. A winner will be chosen at random to move to the front of the line and win WICKED show merchandise and a gift certificate to Fratellos Riverfront Restaurant in Appleton.

In addition to purchasing WICKED tickets and participating in the character contest, ticket buyers can also participate in a variety of games while they stand in line. WICKED merchandise and other prizes will be given for WICKED trivia contests, beanbag tosses and other games. Coffee and other refreshments will be served while supplies last.

"We're thrilled to have WICKED back in the Fox Cities," said Susan Stockton, president of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. "When we presented WICKED in 2009, we were overwhelmed by the community's excitement. This second engagement is the perfect chance for those who missed it the first time to be part of the experience, and it's a great opportunity for established fans to discover something new in a story they love."

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, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

WICKED has "cast quite a spell" (Washington Post) throughout North America, breaking box office records in every city that it has played, including Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Boston to name a few.

Called "a cultural phenomenon" by Variety and named "the defining musical of the decade" by The New York Times, WICKED continues to thrill audiences around the world. There are currently seven productions of WICKED worldwide, including two North American tours, a Broadway production, London production, a Japanese-language production, a German-language production and Australian production. A Dutch-language production of WICKED will open in 2011.

WICKED features set design by Tony® Award winner Eugene Lee (Ragtime, Show Boat, Candide, Sweeney Todd), costume design by Tony® winner Susan Hilferty (Into the Woods, Assassins), lighting design by Tony® nominee Kenneth Posner (The Coast of Utopia, Hairspray) and sound design by Tony Meola (The Lion King). Stephen Oremus is the show's musical director. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

Grammy® Award-winning cast recording available on Decca Broadway. For more information about WICKED log on to wickedthemusical.com.

WICKED will be at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center January 26, 2011 through February 20, 2011. The performance schedule for WICKED is Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (excluding the evening performance on Sunday, February 20). Special matinee performances will be presented on Thursday, January 27 and Thursday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m.

BE CAREFUL - A WARNING ABOUT THIRD PARTY TICKETS
The Center's ticket office and Ticketmaster are the only authorized sellers of WICKED tickets. We do not endorse or cooperate with any ticket brokers or scalpers. Ticket brokers operate locally and nationally and are frequently found when you search for tickets online. When purchasing tickets from a broker, it is quite likely that you are paying excessive broker fees that are often double or triple the actual face value of the ticket.

If you purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party, the Center cannot guarantee that your tickets are valid, and it is always a possibility that you may be denied admission to the performance. The Center is also unable to contact you with important updates regarding the performance and cannot reprint your tickets if they are lost or stolen.

ABOUT M&I BANK Broadway Across America - FOX CITIES
M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Fox Cities, exclusively at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, is presented in partnership with Broadway Across America. The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, located in downtown Appleton, Wisconsin, is a gathering place for the community and a state-of-the-art venue where the arts come alive. Additional information is available at foxcitiespac.com.

ABOUT Broadway Across America
Broadway Across America (producer) is owned and operated by British theater producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring musicals and plays across 40 North American cities. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO & head of production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Current Broadway productions include Promises, Promises; Million Dollar Quartet; Memphis; Lend Me a Tenor; La Cage aux Folles; Hair and West Side Story. Touring productions include Dreamgirls and Nickelodeon's Storytime Live. Please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.
ABOUT THE FOX CITIES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in downtown Appleton, provides a premier venue for live performing arts. The Center proudly serves as a gathering place for the community to engage in educational opportunities while enhancing a greater understanding and appreciation of the live performing arts. For more information on upcoming events, education programs and community involvement go to foxcitiespac.com. The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center - Where the Arts Come Alive!

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!