Los Angeles Resident Production of Wicked Set for Feb.

The producers of Wicked have announced that Los Angeles will be home to a new production the smash musical.

Wicked, which was developed, written and had its earliest readings and workshops in Los Angeles, will begin performances at the Pantages Theatre beginning February 9, 2007 (official press opening date will be announced).

The new production of Wicked will be mounted specifically for Southern California and will feature a new company with many principal roles being cast in Los Angeles.  Casting details for the new Los Angeles company of Wicked will be announced at a later date.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the show has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman.  It is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento.  It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Producer Marc Platt said, "The reception to Wicked in Los Angeles during its sold-out seven-week run in the summer of 2005 exceeded our wildest expectations.  The enthusiasm generated by the audiences at the Pantages Theatre – just a few short miles away from my offices at Universal Studios where Wicked was created – was unlike the response in any other city that the show has played.  It was during that run that we began to formulate the plan for a company of the show just for Los Angeles."

Wicked, the highest grossing show on Broadway and across the country, currently has three companies in North America: on Broadway; on a National Tour; and in a separate, open-ended engagement at Chicago's Ford Center for Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre.  When the Los Angeles production begins in February, there will be four North American companies of Wicked running concurrently.  A London production begins performances at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in September.

Platt calls the upcoming Los Angeles production, "a very exciting homecoming for Wicked."  "Wicked began ten years ago when Platt was president of production at Universal Pictures.  He had begun developing a film based on Gregory Maguire's novel, but after Schwartz and Holzman became involved, it was decided Wicked would fare better as a Broadway musical.

Winner of 15 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, the show "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," state press notes.

Wicked features set design by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee, costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Tony Meola.  The orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

Wicked will begin performances at the Pantages Theatre (6233 Hollywood Boulevard) beginning February 9, 2007 (official press opening date will be announced).  The scale of ticket prices is $25 to $88.  The performances schedule will be: Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 PM; Saturdays at 2 PM; and Sundays at 1 PM and 6:30 PM.  At present, tickets are only available to subscribers of Broadway/L.A. by calling 866-755-2929 or, for groups of fifteen (15) or more, by calling 866-755-3075 (or visit www.broadwayla.org).

Grammy Award-winning original cast recording available on Decca Broadway.  For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.

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