The Broadway show about what happened in Oz before Dorothy arrived had a hit sitdown run at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre, for almost four years. (A national company christened Chicago and moved on, with the producing leaving behind a resident company.) The national tour will be the return company, to play the Cadillac Palace Theatre at 151 W. Randolph, to Jan. 23, 2011.
Tickets for Wicked will go on sale to Broadway In Chicago Subscription Series holders and groups in February 2010. Individual tickets for will be available at a later date to be announced. Casting was not announced.
"We are thrilled to host the return of Wicked. The requests from our patrons for this show to come back to Chicago have been overwhelming," said Lou Raizin, president of Broadway In Chicago.
Producer David Stone stated, "We are absolutely thrilled to return to Chicago and play Wicked at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. For nearly four years, the Oriental Theatre was our home, but it is about much more than a building. It is really the City of Chicago and its audiences that are Wicked's home. And, of course, there's no place like home."
The first Chicago production of Wicked began its run June 24, 2005, and played its final performance at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts' Oriental Theatre Jan. 25, 2009. At close, the musical played played 1,500 performances and grossed over $200 million. *
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 tells the untold story of the witches of Oz, and is based on Gregory Maguire's book. It's 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…).
Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
There are currently eight productions of Wicked worldwide, including two North American tours, a Broadway production, San Francisco production, a London production, a Japanese-language production, a German-language production and an Australian production. A Dutch-language production of Wicked will open in 2011.
Broadway In Chicago Season Series ticket holders will receive special benefits, including the first chance to buy Wicked tickets, savings up to 30 percent on series shows, priority seating at each venue, ticket exchange privileges, pre-paid and discounted parking, access to gift cards to give tickets as gifts, as well as the first opportunity to purchase additional tickets to future Broadway In Chicago productions, including those not currently listed in the Season Series.
Groups of 15 or more may receive a discount on most shows by calling (312) 977-1710. Visit BroadwayinChicago.com.
