A Wicked treat for Manchester

Published: 5 November 2012
Reporter: David Upton

Green for go - Elphaba the Witch heads for Manchester

Something Wicked this way comes when Manchester stages the première performance of the first-ever tour of a global musical phenomenon.

Wicked opens at the city’s Palace Theatre in September at the start of a major tour of the UK and Ireland.

As such it’s another of Ambassador Theatre Group’s shows to come under their Manchester Gets It First banner.

Booking opens on November 19 though group sales and Theatrecard bookings are already being taken.

The show has been seen by more than 35 million people around the world and has seven productions running concurrently.

The original Broadway production remains the Big Apple’s biggest blockbuster, according to The New York Times, and now enters its tenth year.

The West End production is now in its seventh year at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it has been seen by almost five million people.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire it re-imagines the stories and characters created by L Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and tells the tale of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students.

Their adventures in Oz see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

With music and lyrics by multi Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and directed by two-time Tony Award winner and Olivier nominee Joe Mantello it’s bound to be one of next year’s hot tickets.

Executive producer Michael McCabe said: “We are absolutely delighted the première will take place in the amazing city of Manchester which has such a prestigious history of hosting the regional premières of so many world class musicals.”

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: “Wicked is one of the most popular new musicals of our time and we are delighted that Manchester will be the first port of call for its UK tour as part of the 'Manchester Gets It First' initiative. The Palace Theatre is an icon of the city and a major contributor to our night-time economy. It is a worthy stage for the production’s first performance out of the capital and will no doubt prove popular with the over one million international visitors a year that the city-region attracts.”

The show is recommended for children aged seven and above and will run from September 12 to November 16.

Details: www.atgtickets.com

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