'Wicked' Teams Up With Chicago Architecture Foundation

Sail into the fall this September with another reason to enjoy Chicago's acclaimed Chicago Architectural Foundation river cruise one last time on Tuesday evenings in September.  The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is teaming up the Chicago's record-breaking company of WICKED to offer a chance to ride with cast members on its official cruise line, Chicago's First Lady Cruises.  WICKED cast members will be on board for the last cruise of the day at 3:00 p.m. every Tuesday in September, beginning September 2, 2008.

For a limited time, cast members from Chicago's WICKED will be on board with the CAF docents as they provide their legendary entertaining and fact-filled commentary on Chicago's architecture from the unique vantage point of the river.  Back on land, guests can make their way to the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre for the complete WICKED experience with a specially priced ticket for select performances in September.

All CAF cruises depart from the lower level and southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive.  The staircase to the ticket window and dock is marked by a blue awning.  Tickets are $28 for weekday cruises and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and do not include tickets to WICKED, the musical.

Winner of 15 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED 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.

Declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety, WICKED currently has productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Melbourne and on a North American tour.  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.

The Chicago company of WICKED performs through January 25, 2009, at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St).

For tickets and more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com/chicago

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public interest and education in architecture and design. The Chicago Architecture Foundation pursues this mission through architecture tours, exhibitions, panel discussions, and youth and adult education programs. Home to a new permanent exhibition: CHICAGO YOU ARE HERE, the Chicago Architecture Foundation is located at 224 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60604. For further information visit www.architecture.org or call 312.922.3432.

Chicago's First Lady Cruises is the official cruise line for the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) River Cruise.  The official fleet includes Chicago's First Lady, Chicago's Fair Lady and Chicago's Little Lady, each featuring open-air upper decks and air-conditioned salons with comfortable seating for viewing through large panoramic windows. The Riverside Gardens dock is located on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, at Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive.

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