Wicked at Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Hang onto your ruby slippers, for you are about to go on a fantastic journey beyond the yellow brick road, and you better look out or the Wicked Witch of the West will come and get you! Come along for a night to remember! Wicked! The story from the very depths of the land of Oz, goes back in time for a tale of a friendship so close they could have been mistaken for sisters, until a rivalry arises between them and the very land of Oz is irrevocably changed forever!

Wicked Tickets

“A cultural Phenomenon” – Variety

“If every musical had the brains, heart & courage of Wicked Broadway really would be a magical place.” – Time magazine

“Broadway’s Biggest Blockbuster” – The New York Times

If you know the timeless tale of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, you will be familiar with the witches. Wicked tells the real story, it begins a long time before Dorothy ever arrives, before Dorothy was even born, back when the Emerald City still gleamed. Once upon a time, a young girl is born, but this is no ordinary girl, for Elphaba, played by Talia Suskaur, is born with emerald green skin. She is smart, she is fiery, and she possesses extraordinary magical talent. Then we have Galinda, played by Allison Baily, the beautiful blonde, with a bubbly personality that you cannot help but fall in love with.

The two girls meet in university where they join a magical sorcery class taught by the mystical Madame Morrible, played by Sharon Sachs. This is also where we meet Fiyero, played by Curt Hansen, a handsome prince who finds himself in an unintentional love triangle with the two witches. Together the two young sorcerer’s initial rivalry turns to the unlikeliest of friendships and they embark on an adventure together to meet the magnificent Wizard of Oz, played by Cleavant Derricks. The shock of discovering that the Wizard is just a fraud, that the whole thing is a corrupt scam and wants to use Elphaba to continue the charade played on the Emerald City. Elphaba flees, but this knowledge is dangerous, not only to her but to all of the residents of the Emerald City. The Wizard and Madame Morrible cannot abide by this risk to their power and brand Elphaba a traitor and a Wicked Witch!

Elphaba, now branded The Wicked Witch of the West, finds herself at odds with her former friend Galinda, now named Glinda the Good Witch and defender of Oz! The story of how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West shows how human she once was before we meet her with Dorothy, she had good intentions, and through the greed and hubris of the Wizard she is named a monster. Chaos follows her but she stands up for her beliefs and refuses to back down. This is more than a story of good and evil, it explores the development of their characters, and the good and evil present in everyone. Talking about characters, and there’s plenty of them, in Wicked – we get to find out the back story of all your favorites. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and even the flying monkeys! How these characters appear in the show remains to be seen. You will also learn who the Wicked Witch of the East really was, and just how that tornado really got started. Was it an accident, or something more sinister? So, what are you waiting for? Buy your tickets to Wicked and see how all of this ties together with the rest of the story.

The success of the Broadway production has spawned several other productions worldwide, including a just-announced movie set to arrive in December 2021, various North American productions, a long-running Laurence Olivier Award–nominated West End production, and a series of international productions. Since its 2003 debut, Wicked has broken box-office records around the world, currently holding weekly-gross-takings records in Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, and London. In the week ending January 2, 2011, the London, Broadway, and both North American touring productions simultaneously broke their respective records for the highest weekly gross. In the final week of 2013, the Broadway production broke this record again, earning $3.2 million. With over 100 major international awards Wicked celebrated its tenth anniversary on Broadway on October 30, 2013. In March 2016, Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, joining both The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King as the only Broadway shows to do so. In July 2017, Wicked surpassed The Phantom of the Opera as Broadway’s second-highest grossing musical, trailing only The Lion King. On July 12, 2018, with its 6,138th performance, it surpassed A Chorus Line to become Broadway’s sixth-longest running show. Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire re written for Broadway by Winnie Holzman, and is scored by Stephen Schwartz, direction by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone.

The show runs 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Wicked Broadway Reviews

With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by as “the defining musical of the decade.” – The New York Times.
“Musicals are like Marmite, you either like them or you don’t. Or so they say. If, like me, you were once fairly indifferent to musicals, I dare you to see Wicked. I bet it will change your mind. With over 100 major international awards under its pointed hat, it’s sure to be a magical experience for everyone.”
– Emmie Harrison, Entertainment Focus March 2019

“Wicked provides a prequel to the children’s book and movie. The lavishly designed musical addresses complex themes, such as standards of beauty, individual morality and, believe it or not, opposing fascism. Thanks to Winnie Holzman’s witty book and composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz’s robust and pop-inflected score, Wicked soars.”
– David Cote, TimeOut New York