Schwartz and Ellis to Light the Empire State Building WICKED Green in Honor of 5th Anniversary 10/27

Composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz and Kerry Ellis, current star of the Broadway smash WICKED, dressed as the show's green heroine, Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of The West, will light the Empire State Building green on Monday, October 27 at 12:00PM. The building will shine WICKED green from dusk to midnight on Monday in honor of Wicked's 5th Anniversary Celebration.

 Called "Broadway's Biggest Blockbuster" by The New York Times, WICKED is a global phenomenon with eight productions worldwide.  WICKED DAY is the blockbuster's annual anniversary celebration, made even more exciting this year as it is the show's 5th year on Broadway.  On October 27, while Manhattan becomes the Emerald City, awash in green, WICKED will be hosting a special one-night-only benefit, THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN, featuring scenes and songs from early drafts of the musical.

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.

Marking the anniversary of the hit musical's opening, Wicked Day has been held on the last Sunday of October since 2003 as a special celebration for the community and the show's fans.  Last year, the Producers of Wicked chose to partner with the non-profit New York Restoration Project and restore a public community garden in upper Manhattan.

Photo of Kerry Ellis in WICKED by Trishtram Kenton