'Defy Gravity' and Benefit BC/EFA with WICKED Hot Air Balloon Rides, Beg Today.

The blockbuster musical Wicked is offering its fans access to "Defy Gravity" in the Wicked hot air balloon with a donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The Wicked balloon will fly in the upcoming balloon festivals:

- New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, NJ from July 26-28, 2013

- National Balloon Classic in Indianola, IA from Aug. 2-4, 2013

- Great Midwest Balloon Fest in Overland Park, KS from Aug. 9-11, 2013

- Colorado Balloon Classic in Colorado Springs, CO from Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2013

- Adirondack Balloon Festival in Glen Falls, NY from Sept. 19-22, 2013

- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM from Oct. 5-13, 2013

Additionally, anyone in the tri-state area may be able to ride at the balloon's home base in Elverson, PA upon request (approximately 2 ½ hours from New York City).

The adventure costs $250 per person in form of a tax-deductible donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS made directly through Wicked. Flights generally occur at sunrise or just before sunset and last one hour depending on the weather. The balloon can accommodate 3-4 passengers. Children are welcome, but must be 6 years and over to ride. For more information, visit: Wicked Hot Air Balloon.

As the musical approaches its 10th Anniversary this fall, Wicked currently has 7 productions worldwide: New York, London, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, South Korea and two concurrent North American National Tours. A U.K. Tour and a Mexico City production will premiere this fall.

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.

Winner of more than 50 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.

On Broadway, Wicked currently stars Lindsay Mendez as Elphaba, Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda, Carol Kane as Madame Morrible, Adam Grupper as The Wizard, Derek Klena as Fiyero, Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose, John Schiappa as Dr. Dillamond, and Michael Wartella as Boq.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com/wicked. For more information, visitwww.wickedthemusical.com. Wicked is performed at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and8th Avenue.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $225 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic.

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