Wicked, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon, has announced a return to Cardiff in 2024 as part of a major 10-city UK and Ireland tour.
The spectacular, multi-record-breaking, and critically acclaimed touring production, dubbed “one of the most successful musicals of all time” (BBC News), will fly back to Wales Millennium Centre’s Donald Gordon Theatre for 4 weeks only, from 24 October to 23 November 2024.
The production played to sold-out audiences during its two previous visits to Cardiff, selling nearly 150,000 tickets across its runs in 2014 and 2018.
The West End and Broadway musical phenomenon, telling the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, continues its open-ended run at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it has already been seen by more than 11 million people and is now in its 17th year.
Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked imagines a beguiling backstory and future possibilities to the lives of L. FrankBaum’s beloved characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reveals the decisions and events that shape the destinies of two unlikely university friends on their journey to becoming Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
With a touring cast, orchestra, company and crew of 82 people, and a further 20 people employed locally, “the blockbuster stage show” (Edinburgh Evening News) won the BroadwayWorld UK Award for ‘Best Touring Production’. Casting will be announced in due course.
Michael McCabe, Executive Producer (UK & Ireland) of Wicked, said:
“We are proud to be bringing Wicked back to the magnificent Wales Millennium Centre, where incredible audiences greeted us during two previous sold-out engagements. We’re excited to have this opportunity to share once again the spectacle, magic and emotion that has created unforgettable memories for audiences in Wales and all around the world.”
Graeme Farrow, Artistic Director at Wales Millennium Centre, added:
“We can’t wait to welcome the witches of Oz back to delight our audiences once again, nearly ten years after Wicked’s first visit to our Donald Gordon Theatre. It speaks volumes that this musical has continued to cast its magical spell across the world for 20 years, and I just know people will queue in their droves to watch it – whether for the first, second or third time – at our home for world-class musical theatre in Wales.”
Wicked has already been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide and 2023 marks the 20th Anniversary Year of its Broadway premiere. Productions continue on Broadway, in the West End and on tour across North America. Wicked will also return to Sydney, Australia and Tokyo, Japan in 2023.
Wicked features songs by multi-Oscar and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt, Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted). It is based on the multi-million copy best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and written by Emmy and Tony Award nominee Winnie Holzman (creator of the landmark American television series My So-Called Life). Musical staging is by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento with direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello.
Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK & Ireland) Michael McCabe.
Tickets are on public sale from 10am, Friday 3 February 2023 online at www.wmc.org.uk.
