WICKED Plays the Orpheum Theater, Now thru 5/25

After record breaking engagements in Omaha in 2009 and 2011, WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will return to Omaha's Orpheum Theater for a third engagement today, May 7 through May 25, 2014.

Tickets for the return engagement are on sale to the public through www.ticketomaha.com*.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Godspell, 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 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 50 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.

Tickets for WICKED start at $35 and will be available beginning Friday, February 7 online at TicketOmaha.com; by phone at 402.345.0606 or at the Ticket Omaha box office in the Holland Performing Arts Center, 13th and Douglas streets, Omaha, Neb. Groups of 15 or more may purchase tickets by calling 402.661.8516 or toll-free at 866.434.8587. Ticket Omaha is the official ticket outlet for all performances of WICKED.

"Omahans have a special place in their hearts for WICKED as demonstrated by the positive audience reaction and strong ticket sales we've had in the past," said Joan Squires, Omaha Performing Arts president. "I'm pleased that we have secured a return of WICKED. We welcome this high-quality show back to the Orpheum Theater."

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, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Having just celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 30, there are currently nine productions of the musical worldwide: New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), Australia/New Zealand (Auckland), South Korea (Seoul), Latin America (Mexico City), a U.K. Tour, and two concurrent North American National Tours. Broadway's #1 show for an unprecedented nine consecutive years, WICKED has been declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety and "The Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly.

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 supervisor. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

The Grammy Award-winning cast recording is available on Decca Broadway. For more information about WICKED, log on to www.ticketomaha.com or www.wickedthemusical.com.

*Ticket Omaha is the official retail ticket outlet for all performances at the Orpheum Theater and the Holland Performing Arts Center. Tickets purchased from other ticket retailers such as secondary ticket agencies or brokers may be more expensive and may not be valid. Due to the nature of live entertainment, all programs, performers, prices, dates and times are subject to change.