WICKED Defies Gravity At Edinburgh Castle to Celebrate Its Forthcoming Return

WICKED once again cast its spell over Edinburgh earlier this week, when Elphaba defied gravity atop Edinburgh Castle as part of a special launch event to mark the forthcoming return of the spectacular UK & Ireland Tour to Edinburgh Playhouse from 8 May 2018, for an exclusive Scottish engagement. One of the most successful productions in the venue's history, WICKED was previously seen by over 175,000 people - equivalent to 1 in 3 of the entire population of Edinburgh - during its celebrated engagement in 2014. (Population source: www.nrscotland.gov.uk).

The stars of the new tour, Amy Ross (Elphaba), Helen Woolf (Glinda) and Aaron Sidwell (Fiyero), were also in attendance at the exclusive event held at the Apex Grassmarket Hotel on Monday 29 January 2018.

Amy Ross (Elphaba) has most recently been starring as 'Nicola' in the hit musical Kinky Boots in the West End. She previously appeared in Sunny Afternoon, playing 'Joyce', at both The Hampstead Theatre and in the West End; Helen Woolf (Glinda) has most recently been appearing in the London production of WICKED and was also part of the original 2013 UK & Ireland Tour company. She has played the role of 'Glinda' on many occasions; Aaron Sidwell (Fiyero) has just finished playing 'Steven Beale' in the BBC's EastEnders, a role he originally played in 2007/08. His many acclaimed musical theatre appearances include Grey Gardens (Southwark Playhouse), American Idiot (Arts Theatre, London) and the leading role of 'Michael Dork' in Loserville The Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse and in the West End).

WICKED is already the 15th longest running show in West End theatre history and is now in its 12th year at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it continues an open-ended run. Around the world, WICKED has been seen by over 53 million people in 16 countries, and won over 100 major international awards, including ten theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Awards (winning 'Best West End Show' on three occasions) and two Olivier Audience Awards in the UK.

Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagines the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

WICKED has music and lyrics by multi Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Disney's Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted and, for DreamWorks, The Prince of Egypt) and is based on the novel 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire and adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life). Musical staging is by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello.

WICKED is produced around the world by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK & Ireland) Michael McCabe.

Official website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

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