According to the official Wicked website, the musical about an unlikely friendship between a pair of not-so-wicked witches will play the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI, Jan. 3-21, 2007, and the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD, Jan. 24-Feb. 18, 2007.

The Los Angeles Times also reports that Wicked will make a return engagement to Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre in 2007 or 2008. Although there have been rumors that the L.A. return might be the start of an open-ended run, producer David Stone could not confirm that information at this time. He did tell the L.A. paper that Germany, Japan and Australia may soon see productions of the musical based on the Gregory Maguire novel.

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.