WICKED National Tour Celebrates 5,000th Performance In Minneapolis

The National Tour of the Broadway sensation Wicked celebrated its 5,000th performance which took place last night, Saturday, July 30, at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.

Pictured here is the touring company underneath the Orpheum Theatre marquee in Minneapolis.

The current cast includes Lissa deGuzman as Elphaba, Jennafer Newberry as Glinda, Lisa Howard as Madame Morrible, John Bolton as The Wizard, Michael Genet as Doctor Dillamond, Kimberly Immanuel as Nessarose, Jordan Litz as Fiyero, and Jake Pedersen as Boq, with Natalia Vivino, Alexia Acebo, Remmie Bourgeois, Anthony Lee Bryant, Jordan Casanova, Matt Densky, Marie Eife, Ryan Patrick Farrell, KC Fredericks, Sara Gonzales, Chelsea Cree Groen, Kelly Lafarga, Marina Lazzaretto, Megan Loomis, Ryan Mac, Brittany Marcell Monachino, David Scott Purdy, Jackie Raye, Rebecca Gans Reavis, Andy Richardson, Jenna Nicole Schoen, Wayne Schroder, Paul Schwensen, Ben Susak, Nicky Venditti, Brion Marquis Watson and Justin Wirick.

Currently the 5th longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked is the winner of over 100 international awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. Since opening in 2003, Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland and China) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese. Wicked has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide and has amassed over $5 billion in global sales.

In addition to the Broadway production, Wicked in North America has enjoyed unprecedented record-breaking sit-down engagements in Chicago, where it ran for nearly four years; Los Angeles, where it ran for two years; and San Francisco, where it ran for nearly two years, as well as two North American Tours.

The Broadway sensation Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz...but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships...until the world decides to call one "good," and the other one "wicked."

With a thrilling score that includes the hits "Defying Gravity," "Popular" and "For Good," Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as "the defining musical of the decade," and by Time Magazine as "a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage." NBC Nightly News calls the hit musical "the most successful Broadway show ever."

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 Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento. WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

For more information about Wicked, please visit www.WickedTheMusical.com.