Chicago Essex Inn Greenifies Lights for Wicked

The city of Chicago itself is responding to the record-breaking success of Wicked's sit-down Chicago production. On Tuesday, July 26th, the white lights on top of the city's landmark Essex Inn were greenified to celebrate the rave reviews and overflowing audiences of the show; the sign will remain emerald for as long as the production is in Chicago (it has an open-ended run). 

In addition, the Essex Inn has teamed up with The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau and Broadway In Chicago to offer a theatre package that includes overnight hotel accommodations and two tickets to see Wicked at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St). Starting at $269, ticket packages are available from August 11th through October 30th.

Wicked, based on the Gregory Maguire novel, "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. How these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most spellbinding musical in years." The Chicago production of the show stars Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba, Kate Reinders as Glinda, Gene Weygandt as the Wizard and Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible. Wicked features a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman, direction by Joe Mantello and choreography by Wayne Cilento, as well as sets by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by Tony Meola.

Tickets for Wicked range in price from $25 to $85 and are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St. and 151 W. Randolph St.), through the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (312) 902-1400, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers (including all Carson Pirie Scott stores, Tower Records, Hot Tix, select Coconuts and fye stores) or online at ticketmaster.com. Groups of 20 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 977-1710.