A “wickedly” good musical production that opened in Sydney has further elevated the city’s position in the performance arts landscape. Due to overwhelming positive response from both audiences and critics, the critically acclaimed Broadway musical WICKED has extended its run until 21 January 2024, giving tourists even more incentive to visit the Emerald City.
The present production of WICKED is attracting a large number of international tourists, further demonstrating Sydney’s appeal as a location for important cultural events.
The co-producer of the Australian production of WICKED, John Forst, says that the musical has the most spectacular sets and costumes of any production that has ever been staged in Australia.
Stephen Schwartz composed the music and lyrics for WICKED. Musical staging is by Wayne Cilento, while Joe Mantello provides the original direction for the production. Australian producers John Frost, Marc Platt, David Stone, The Araca Group, Universal Pictures and Crossroads Live Australia are behind WICKED.
Although it has been nearly two decades since its Broadway debut, WICKED is still among the world’s most beloved musicals and one of the world’s longest running musicals. It has earned more than a hundred prestigious accolades, including six Helpmann Awards, three Tony Awards®, six Drama Desk Awards and the Olivier Award.
The musical is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. It tells the tale of the much feared figure Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz.
A Fabulous Tale Told in Musical Spectacle
Photo © Jeff Busby
WICKED the musical revolves around two witches from Oz. One witch is born with emerald-green skin and is seen as intelligent, fiery, misunderstood, and gifted. The other is effervescent, blonde, ambitious and extremely well-liked. They become adversaries, then friends until the world labels one as “good” and the other as “wicked.”
The story timeline is set before Dorothy Gale leaves Kansas for Oz and continues until she arrives. In WICKED, two individuals – Elphaba Thropp (played by Courtney Monsma) and Galinda Upland (played by Sheridan Adams) – form an unlikely friendship. Elphaba, the girl born with emerald skin, eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda later becomes Glinda the Good. Their friendship subsequently are beset with problems as they deal with their opposing viewpoints, mutual love interest, reactions to the Wonderful Wizard’s corrupt administration and Elphaba’s eventual fall from grace.
Photo © Jeff Busby
“This is one of the most lavish musical productions to have ever played in Australia, with the extravagant sets and opulent costumes. Our WICKED cast are second to none, and universally praised,” said WICKEDAustralia Co-producer John Frost
Be charmed by the unforgettable, award-winning musical WICKED at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star until 21 January 2024. Performance times will be from Wednesday to Saturday beginning at 7.30pm, Matinees Wednesday starts at 1pm, while Saturday opens at 2pm, and Sunday will have 1pm and 6.30pm shows.
Ticket prices start from A$79 and are available online here.
