Rejoycify! The producers of the Broadway blockbuster WICKED have announced that the musical phenomenon will fly into Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in March 2024.
Almost 20 years since its premiere on Broadway, WICKED remains one of the most successful and popular musicals in the world, winning over 100 major awards including the Grammy Award, the Olivier Award, six Helpmann Awards, three Tony Awards® and six Drama Desk Awards.
WICKED is currently playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre to rapturous praise from critics and audiences alike. The Sydney Morning Herald said WICKED is “Ingenious and beautiful: WICKED dazzles” while Australian Stage called it a “Triumphant, a dazzling, spectacular production.”
The stellar Australian cast is led by Courtney Monsma as Glinda, the bubbly popular girl who becomes Glinda the Good, and Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, the girl born with emerald-green skin who grows up to become the Wicked Witch of the West.
Robyn Nevin plays Madame Morrible, Todd McKenney is the Wizard, Liam Head plays Fiyero, Adam Murphy is Dr Dillamond, Shewit Belay plays Nessarose, Kurtis Papadinis is Boq, and Zoe Coppinger is the Elphaba Standby.
The talented group of performers comprising the WICKED Ensemble and Swings includes Christian Ambesi, Conor Bann-Murray, Brittany Carter, Olivia Castagna, Eli Cooper, Matt Cranleigh, Joseph Donovan, Sage Douglas, Bayley John Edmends, Todd Jacobsson, Rohan Khanna, Andrew Kroenert, Elisha Zion Lee, Jordan Malone, Emily Monsma, Matilda Moran, Jackson Reedman, Amelia Sanzo, Edward Smith, Ksenia Teliatnikova, Lucas Van Rhijn, Jessica Vellucci, Mietta White and Jun Woodfield.
“I’m thrilled we’re able to bring WICKED to Melbourne, and play at the beautiful Regent Theatre where Australia’s love for the show began,” said WICKED Australia Co-producer, John Frost.
“This is one of the most lavish musical productions to have ever played in Australia, the full Broadway experience. You get your money’s worth and then some, with the lavish sets and opulent costumes, a feast for the eye and the ear.”
“The new Australian cast is exceptional and has been embraced by WICKED fans. If you have never seen WICKED, come and see it for the first time and be spellbound. If you have seen it before, I know you’ll want to come back and be enthralled all over again,” said Mr Frost.
Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other young women meet in the land of Oz. One born with emerald-green skin is smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. The other is bubbly, blonde, ambitious and exceptionally popular. They become rivals, then friends…until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production features musical staging by Wayne Cilento with original direction by Joe Mantello. WICKED is produced by in Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
Experience the unforgettable, award-winning musical WICKED in Melbourne from March 2024. Waitlist now to be first in line to buy tickets at: www.wickedthemusical.com.au
Image: Courtney Monsma and Sheridan Adams and the Cast of WICKED – photo by Jeff Busby