WICKED Returns To Detroit Opera House 12/7-31

After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in 2006 and 2008, WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will return to Detroit with performances at the Detroit Opera House, December 7-31. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Friday, August 19 at 10 a.m. at the Fisher Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, and online at www.ticketmaster.com/wicked or www.broadwayindetroit.com.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman ("My So Called Life," "Once And Again" and "thirtysomething"), WICKED, the untold story of the witches of OZ, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony® Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who's Tommy, How To Succeed...).

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

"I'm thrilled to bring WICKED to Detroit once again," said Alan Lichtenstein, Executive Director of Broadway in Detroit. "The national tour is of the same caliber as the Broadway production and overwhelmingly received by Detroit audiences. The producers of WICKED should be complimented for sending out such a high-quality show. "

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.

WICKED has "cast quite a spell" (Washington Post) throughout North America, breaking box office records in every city that it has played, including Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Boston to name a few.

Called "a cultural phenomenon" by Variety and named "the defining musical of the decade" by The New York Times, WICKED continues to thrill audiences around the world. There are currently seven productions of WICKED worldwide, including two North American tours, a Broadway production, London production, a Japanese-language production, a German-language production and Australian production. A Dutch-language production of WICKED will open in November 2011.

WICKED features set design by Tony® Award winner Eugene Lee (Ragtime, Show Boat, Candide, Sweeney Todd), costume design by Tony® winner Susan Hilferty (Into the Woods, Assassins), lighting design by Tony® nominee Kenneth Posner (The Coast of Utopia, Hairspray) and sound design by Tony Meola (The Lion King). Stephen Oremus is the show's musical director. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

Performance times for WICKED, appearing Dec. 7-31, 2011 at the Detroit Opera House, located at 1526 Broadway St.., in Detroit, are:

- Tuesday through Saturday performances at 8:00 p.m., with the exception of Dec. 31 at 6:30 p.m. (No evening performance Dec. 24)
- Wednesday and Thursday matinees at 1:00 p.m. (No matinee performances on Dec. 7, 14, 15)
- Saturday and Sunday matinee performances at 2:00 p.m., with the exception of Dec. 24 and 31 at 1:00 p.m. (No performance Dec. 25)
- Special Monday evening performance on Dec.26 at 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m.
- No performances Dec. 25

Ticket prices for the Detroit engagement of WICKED range from $39-$99 (includes facility fees) and go on sale Friday, August 19 at 10 a.m. at the Fisher Theatre box office and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets will also be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com/wicked
or www.BroadwayinDetroit.com, and by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-982-2787. Limited premium seats will be available at the box office only. For group sales (20 or more) please email groups@broadwayindetroit.com or call (313) 871-1132. For additional information, call (313) 872-1000 or visit www.BroadwayinDetroit.com.

The Detroit engagement of WICKED is sponsored by Chrysler.

For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com.

Grammy Award-Winning Cast recording available on Decca Broadway. For more information about WICKED log on to www.wickedthemusical.com.

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