WICKED Breaks Record to Become Highest Grossing Production in Nine Consecutive Years

The blockbuster musical Wicked has achieved an unprecedented Broadway milestone as it enters its 10th Anniversary year, becoming the first Broadway musical ever to remain the highest grossing production for a record-breaking nine consecutive years. Since opening in 2004, its first full year at the Gershwin Theatre, Wicked has remained at the top of the Broadway grosses.

The Phantom of the Opera was Broadway's highest-grossing production for eight years, albeit not consecutively: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1997. Other musicals from the last three decades that have been in the #1 spot include La Cage aux Folles (1984), Cats (1985 and 1986), Me and My Girl (1987), Miss Saigon (1992), Show Boat (1995), Ragtime (1998), The Lion King, (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003), and The Producers (2002).

WICKED has been declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety and "The Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly. There are currently 7 productions worldwide: New York, London, Holland, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, and two concurrent North American National Tours. Globally, Wicked has amassed nearly $2.9 billion in ticket sales and has been seen by 36 million people worldwide in its 9-year history.

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.

Winner of 35 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.

WICKED currently stars Jackie Burns as Elphaba, Alli Mauzey as Glinda, Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero, Randy Danson as Madame Morrible, Adam Grupper as The Wizard, Catherine Charlebois as Nessarose, Tom Flynn as Dr. Dillamond, and F. Michael Haynie as Boq.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com/wicked. For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com. Wicked is performed at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue.

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