WICKED Surpasses MAMMA MIA! as 8th Longest-Running Show in Broadway History

by BWW News Desk Aug. 14, 2017

The international blockbuster Wicked will play its 5,759th Broadway performance on Wednesday, August 16 at 7pm, surpassing Mamma Mia to become the 8th longest-running production in Broadway history.

Since opening in 2003, Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 15 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, China, Mexico, and Brazil) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean, and Portuguese. The musical has amassed nearly $4.5 billion in global sales and has been seen by over 53 million people worldwide.

In addition to the Broadway production, Wicked in North America has enjoyed unprecedented record-breaking sit-down engagements in Chicago, where it ran for nearly four years; Los Angeles, where it ran for two years; and San Francisco, where it ran for nearly two years, as well as two National Tours.

Wicked is the recipient of over 100 international awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

The surprising tale of an unlikely friendship between two women in the Land of Oz, Wicked tells the untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, long before Dorothy drops in. Elphaba, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. Glinda is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. The remarkable odyssey of how these unexpected friends changed each other's lives for good has made Wicked one of the world's most popular musicals.

The musical currently stars Jackie Burns as Elphaba, Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda, Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible, PJ Benjamin as The Wizard, Ashley Parker Angel as Fiyero, Jye Frasca as Boq, Kristin Martin as Nessarose and Chad Jenningsas Dr. Dillamond.

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