Through the support of Sprint, Wicked and Gallery 37 (a program of After School Matters) have formed an arts partnership that offers Chicago teens the chance to apply their creative talents in competition for a variety of exciting prizes. Using salvaged, non-working mobile phones as the medium of artistic expression, Gallery 37 contestants could win tickets to the record-breaking Chicago sit-down production of Wicked, among other awards.
The non-working mobile phones were donated by Sprint Project Connect, an environmentally-safe wireless phone donation and recycling charity program. Gallery 37's Downtown Program students are challenged to use the phones as the medium for their Wicked-themed artwork, which will be judged by a panel of local celebrity judges in early September 2005. Artwork must be submitted by Friday, August 19th.Wicked prizes can be won by Sprint customers with its scratch card contest. Two first-place winners will receive a pair of tickets to see the Chicago production with backstage passes as well as a WickedSwarovski Crystal bejeweled phone. Other prizes include Wicked t-shirts, CDs and "Best-Friend" bracelets; Sprint patrons can enter to win in Chicagoland Sprint stores through August 15, 2005.
Wickedis currently playing at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts' Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.). The show,
based on Gregory Maguire's novel, is the behind-the-scenes story of
Elphaba, better known in later times as the Wicked Witch of the West.
The lavish musical tells the story of her unlikely friendship with the
more corruptible witch Glinda and a love triangle that consumes them
both; ironically, it is the passionate and humane Elphaba who is
branded with infamy. The show features a score by Stephen Schwartz and
a book by Winnie Holzman. With direction by Joe Mantello and choreography by Wayne Cilento, the ChicagoWickedcast includes Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba, Kate Reinders as Glinda, Kristoffer Cusick as Fiyero, Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible and Gene Weygandt as The Wizard.
Tickets for Wickedrange 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, HotTix, select Coconuts and fye stores) or online at ticketmaster.com. Groups of 20 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 977-1710.