The hit Stephen Schwartz musical, which currently stars Julia Murney as Elphaba and Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda, will return to the Academy of Music July 25, 2007-Aug. 19, 2007. Tickets for the encore engagement, priced $30-$90, will go on sale April 9 at 9 AM ET by calling (215) 731-3333 or by visiting www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway.

As previously reported, the musical about a pair of unlikely witches will also play second engagements at Toronto's Canon Theatre Oct. 6-Nov. 19, 2006, Florida's Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Feb. 21-March 11, 2007, Houston's Hobby Center for the Performing Arts March 28-April 15, 2007, Dallas' Music Hall at Fair Park April 18-May 6, 2007, and Denver's Buell Theatre May 16-June 3, 2007.

Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, which turned every Oz myth inside out, Wicked explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. The two main characters meet at Shiz, a school where both hope to take up sorcery. Glinda is madly popular and Elphaba is, well, green. By a misunderstanding, they wind up roommates and, after an initial period of mutual loathing, begin to learn something about each other. Their life paths continue to intersect through a shared love, entry into the Emerald City and interaction with the Wizard himself. Eventually, their choices and convictions take them on widely different paths.

Wicked, with a book by Winnie Holzman, began previews on Broadway Oct. 8, 2003, with an official opening Oct. 30, 2003. The Broadway company — directed by Joe Mantello, who repeated his duties for the tour — continues to play the Gershwin Theatre.

For more information about Wicked visit www.wickedthemusical.com.