Los Angeles Wicked Will Close in January 2009
By Andrew Gans
01 Apr 2008
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Wicked star Megan Hilty.
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| photo by Joan Marcus | The Los Angeles production of Wicked will play its final performance at the Pantages Theatre Jan. 11, 2009. When it closes, the production of the hit Stephen Schwartz-Winnie Holzman musical will have played 791 performances and 12 previews.
The musical currently features Caissie Levy as the green-faced Elphaba and Megan Hilty as the curly locked Glinda.
Wicked began previews in California Feb. 10, 2007, and officially opened Feb. 21. The original cast included Eden Espinosa as Elphaba and Hilty as Glinda. Since opening the production has grossed over $90 million.
In a statement producer Marc Platt said, "Wicked has been one of the biggest hits in Los Angeles theatre history and we are thrilled that theatergoers here have embraced the musical and welcomed us so heartily. Our run at the Pantages has been a joy for the entire company and will place Wicked alongside only two other shows in recent memory that have successfully called Los Angeles home for an extended stay - The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera."
James M. Nederlander, Chairman of the Nederlander Organization, added, "Wicked is by far the most successful musical that we have hosted in the 100-year history of the Nederlander Organization. It has been playing to sold-out houses since it opened four and a half years ago at our Gershwin Theatre in New York, as well as for the past two and a half years at our Oriental Theatre in Chicago, where it recently became the longest running show in Chicago theatre history.
"Although Wicked could continue to run for some time in Los Angeles, the Pantages Theatre is also home to Broadway L.A. and its subscription series. And, while we've been happy to send our subscribers to other venues during Wicked's run, we felt it was time to bring them back to the Pantages for our upcoming productions. So it is with reluctance, but great pride with both the success of Wicked and the strength of our subscription base, that Wicked will conclude its run in January 2009."
Wicked features a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman, direction by Joe Mantello and musical staging by Wayne Cilento. The creative team also includes scenic design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Meola, projections by Elaine J. McCarthy, wig and hair design by Tom Watson, music supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus, orchestrations by William David Brohn and dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.
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.
Tickets are on sale by visiting www.ticketmaster.com/wicked, by calling (213) 365-3500 or (714) 740-7878, or by going to the Pantages Theatre box office (opens daily at 10 AM), 6233 Hollywood Blvd.
For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.
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Megan Hilty and Caissie Levy in the Los Angeles production of Wicked.
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| photo by Joan Marcus |
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