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Photo Coverage: THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN Benefit Concert Arrivals

BroadwayWorld's cameras captured the red carpet arrivals last night for the YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, a one-night-only benefit performance celebrating the 5th anniversary of the smash hit musical WICKED. Grammy Award-winner and actress Ashanti, The View's Joy Behar, Sex and the City's Mario Cantone, Academy Award-nominated actor/writer/director Buck Henry, Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato, Jersey Boys' Daniel Reichard, Gossip Girl's Matthew Settle, and Cheers' George Wendt were among the cast. Also performing were former cast members of the hit musical, including Shoshana Bean and Stephanie J. Block, both of whom played Elphaba; Kate Reinders and Jennifer Laura Thompson who both played the role of Glinda; Michelle Federer, who originated the role of Nessarose; and current cast members P.J. Benjamin, Cristy Candler, Ben Liebert, and Timothy Britten Parker.

Additional performers for the evening included current cast members Sonshine Allen, Jerad Bortz, Adam Fleming, Anthony Galde, Kristen Leigh Gorski, Reed Kelly, Kenway Hon Wai K. Kua, Kyle Dean Massey, Lindsay K. Northen, Robert Pendilla, Amanda Rose, Heather Spore, CJ Tyson, Brian Wanee, Jonathan Warren, Katie Webber, Robin Wilner, and Samantha Zack.

THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN was directed by Matt Lenz with musical direction by Ben Cohn.

In THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, WICKED composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book writer Winnie Holzman shared scenes and songs from early drafts of the hit show. The evening featured never-before-seen material, as well as songs cut during the show's development and pre-Broadway engagement.

Winner of 20 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety, WICKED currently has productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Melbourne and on a North American tour. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

For more information on WICKED, please visit www.wickedthemusical.com.

Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre

Theatre Marquee for Wicked

Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre

Jennifer Laura Thompson, Michelle Federer and Kate Reinders

Stephanie J. Block, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Kate Reinders and Shoshana Bean

Michelle Federer

Kate Reinders

Jennifer Laura Thompson

Shoshana Bean

Shoshana Bean and Stephanie J. Block

Stephanie J. Block

Joy Behar and Stephanie J. Block

Joy Behar

Jennifer Laura Thompson, Shoshana Bean, Michelle Federer, Kate Reinders, Joy Behar and Stephanie J. Block

Joy Behar

Mark Indelicato

Timothy Britten Parker

Ben Liebert

Ben Liebert and Timothy Britten Parker

PJ Benjamin

Ben Liebert, PJ Benjamin and Timothy Britten Parker

George Wendt

PJ Benjamin and George Wendt

Ashanti

Ashanti and Nelly

Nelly

Ashanti and her mom, Tina Douglas

Ashanti's mom, Tina Douglas

Ashanti

Mario Cantone

Matthew Settle

Matthew Settle and Kate Reinders

Matthew Settle and Shoshana Bean

Matthew Settle

Mario Cantone

Mario Cantone and Ashanti

The Empire State Building glows 'Wicked Green'

BWW Hi-Res Gallery - Original Version

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As a 14 year old youth, Walter was transfixed by his first Broadway Show, the original production of 'GREASE'. His Journey to celebrity photojournalism began that fateful night. Meeting, photographing and getting to know the cast inspired him to spend his professional life doing what he loved. Walter moved to Manhattan and for a leading role as a Photographer & Photo Researcher. Currently headlining in New Jersey with his partner Richard and family members Dali (Jack Russell) & Gala (Schnoodle). Recently he made his Broadway debut sharing the stage with Hugh Jackman in 'Hugh Jackman on Broadway' as well as receiving the Actors' Equity Association Gypsy Spirit Award. Walter McBride Photography is syndicated worldwide by Corbis/AP.

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