Wicked celebrates turning 15 in London’s West End

Wicked, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, tonight (28th September 2021) celebrates 15 years at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre.  The award-winning production will play a celebratory performance attended by the composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz together with a host of former cast members. 

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz said:

“I’m thrilled to be in London and in the audience at the Apollo Victoria Theatre as Wicked celebrates its 15th anniversary. The amazing emotion and euphoria from the audience on the night the show resumed performances on Broadway made clear to us all the magic that only the shared experience of live theatre can deliver. I am so excited to feel the response from London audiences, especially on this landmark occasion, and I very much hope the show will help drive a revitalized West End.”

UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said:

“On behalf of David Stone, Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions and all of the producers, I would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all of our exceptionally talented casts, musicians and production staff who have worked so tirelessly and passionately on Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s extraordinary musical since our London premiere in 2006. As we celebrate the incredible milestone of 15 years – as well as the reopening of theatres and return of live performances across the country – we also offer our deepest gratitude to our audiences who have so enthusiastically and unwaveringly supported and championed Wicked since our very first performance.”

Wicked has already been seen by almost 30,000 people across just the 13 performances it has played since resuming performances at the Apollo Victoria Theatre on 15th September 2021. The Broadway production, which will celebrate its 18th Birthday next month, resumed performances the night prior, on 14th September 2021, and the North American Tour, which has to date been seen by more than 20 million people and toured for more than 1,000 weeks, resumed on 3rd August 2021.

Over the past 15 years, Wicked has attained many accolades and achieved numerous milestones to become “one of the biggest hits of our age” (The Observer): 

• Already the 9th longest-running West End musical of all time.

• Seen by more than 10 million people in London alone, and 60 million worldwide.

• Now the 5th longest running musical currently playing in the West End (alongside Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia! and The Lion King).

• Since the London premiere, Wicked has also played two record-breaking tours of the UK & Ireland, collectively seen by nearly 2 million people.

• Wicked is the recipient of more than 100 international awards, including two Olivier Awards and 10 theatregoer voted WhatsOnStage Awards (including ‘Best Musical’ and three for ‘Best West End Show’).

• Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, has, to date, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.

• The Platinum-certified, Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast recording has, to date, sold nearly 4 million copies.

• The production has nearly 2.3 million fans across its UK and US social channels.

The re-opening London cast features Laura Pick (Elphaba), Sophie Evans* (Glinda), Alistair Brammer (Fiyero), Kim Ismay (Madame Morrible), Andy Hockley (The Wizard), Carina Gillespie (Nessarose), Nicholas McLean (Boq), Simeon Truby (Doctor Dillamond),  Amy Webb (Standby for Elphaba), Charli Baptie** (Standby for Glinda), Meg Astin, Rebecca Botterill, Lauren Brooke, Grace Chapman***, Michael Colbourne, Conor Crown, Lewis Easter, Nolan Edwards, Joseph Fletcher, Fraser Fraser, Rebecca Gilliland, Lucie Horsfall, Nick Len, Will Lucas, Nicole Lupino, Stuart Maciver, Carl Man, Rhidian Marc, Jessica-Alice McCluskey, Stacey McGuire, Emmie Ray, Natalie Spriggs, Scott Sutcliffe, Genevieve Taylor, Samantha Thomas****, Grant Thresh, James Titchener, Libby Watts, Chiarina Woodall and Tom Woollaston. Cast subject to change.

*Maternity cover for Helen Woolf.  **Maternity cover for Lisa-Anne Wood.  ***Maternity cover for Maggie Lynne.   ****Maternity cover for Joanna Sawyer.

Tickets are currently on sale for all performances to Sunday 22nd May 2022. Wicked plays Tuesday-Saturday evenings at 7.30pm with matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. Visit www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk for information and tickets.

Wicked has music and lyrics by the legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (whose enduringly popular musical Godspell celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its London premiere at the Roundhouse on 17th November 2021) and is written by Winnie Holzman, creator of the landmark American television series My So-Called Life. It is based on Gregory Maguire’s multi-million-copy bestseller, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked imagines a beguiling backstory and future possibilities to the lives of L. Frank Baum’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.

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi-Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt; Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted) and is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and written by Winnie Holzman. 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) Michael McCabe.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire is published in the UK by Headline (the book is recommended for readers aged 16+). Wicked: The Grimmerie, a behind-the-scenes look at the musical by David Cote, is published in the UK by Hyperion.