Rejoycify Sydney! The musical phenomenon WICKED officially opens tonight (Thursday 7 September) in Australia’s very own Emerald City at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. With huge anticipation and demand, the precinct around the Sydney Lyric has been decorated green to add to the excitement.
“I’m thrilled we’re able to bring WICKED to Sydney which will coincide with its 20th anniversary on Broadway,” 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. 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. Get your tickets now while you can,” said Mr Frost.
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.
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.
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.
WICKED is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
“I am thrilled that the Sydney Lyric Theatre is hosting WICKED, one of my favourite musicals, during its 20th anniversary year on Broadway. I am looking forward to seeing this production. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy a bit of Broadway here in Sydney,” said Minister for the Arts and Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham.
“If every musical had the brains, heart and courage of WICKED, Broadway really would be a magical place” – Time Magazine
WICKED
Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont (Sydney)
Season currently playing to 31 December 2023
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au
For more information, visit: www.wickedthemusical.com.au for details.
Image: Sheridan Adams as Elphaba – photo by Jeff Busby