WICKED Plays 3,000th Performance at Apollo Victoria Theatre Today

WICKED, the smash hit musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, will play its landmark 3000th performance at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre today (16 November 2013) at 2.30pm.

Now in its 8th year, Wicked surpassed the run of the original production of EVITA on Wednesday 22 August 2013 to become the 15th longest-running West End musical of the all time*. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary musical, directed

by Harold Prince, closed at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1986 having played 2900* performances. *Information verified by the Society of London Theatre.

From Monday (18 November 2013), Wicked will star: Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Jeremy Taylor (Fiyero), Sue Kelvin (Madame Morrible), Sam Kelly (The Wizard), Paul Clarkson (Doctor Dillamond); Sam Lupton (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Emma Hatton (Standby Elphaba) and Sophie Linder-Lee (Standby Glinda).

UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: "This is a fantastic milestone for the London production of Wicked. We are incredibly grateful to all those who have supported and championed the show since 2006 and thank everyone at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for all their exceptional work and dedication in delivering 3000 absolutely superb performances".

Acclaimed as "a magical mystery tour through the fantasy land of Oz" (London Evening Standard), Wicked has added 5 additional Christmas matinees on 23, 27, 29, 31 December 2013 and 2 January 2014, all at 2.30pm. Tickets are now on sale.

Wicked has music and lyrics by Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. Wicked is based on the best-selling novel, 'Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West', by Gregory Maguire.

Wicked is produced by: Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK): Michael McCabe.

Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG

1 minute from London Victoria Mainline and Underground Stations. Official UK & Ireland website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

Wicked spearheads and supports a range of good causes born out of the themes of the award-winning musical. Discover more at: www.WickedForGood.co.uk

UK National Press Contacts: Jo Allan and Hannah Clapham for Jo Allan PR TEL: +44 (0) 20 7520 9392 EMAIL: jo@joallanpr.com, hannah@joallanpr.com

NOW BOOKING TO SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2014

Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG
The theatre is 1 minute from London Victoria Mainline and Underground Stations

Official UK & Ireland website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

Box Office and 24 Hour Credit Card Bookings:
ATG Tickets 0844 871 3001 / www.ATGTickets.com
(up to £2.75 per ticket service charge and £3.00 processing fee per transaction).
No booking fees or transaction charges for tickets booked in person at the Box Office Group Sales (10 tickets or more): ATG Tickets 0844 871 7644

Performance Times:

Monday-Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees Wednesday & Saturday 2.30pm
Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes including a 20 minute interval

Christmas 2013/14 performance schedule:

Monday 23 December - 2.30pm & 7.30pm Tuesday 24 December - 2.30pm Wednesday 25 December - no performances Thursday 26 December - no performance Friday 27 December - 2.30pm & 7.30pm Saturday 28 December - 2.30pm & 7.30pm Sunday 29 December - 2.30pm

Monday 30 December - no performance Tuesday 31 December - 2.30pm & 7.30pm Wednesday 1 January 2014 - 2.30pm & 7.30pm Thursday 2 January - 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Friday 3 January - 7.30pm
Saturday 4 January - 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Ticket prices:?

In person at the Box Office: tickets from £15.00 at every performance:
Monday-Friday 7.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday 2.30pm:?£15.00, £25.00, £30.00, £35.00, £45.00, £55.00, £65.00?

Saturday Evenings & Peak Weeks*:?£15.00, £25, £30.00, £35.00, £45.00, £55.00, £67.50 *Contact the Box Office for more information about Peak Weeks.

Online & Telephone Bookings: Open 24 Hours (a £3.00 per booking transaction fee also applies):
Monday-Friday 7.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday 2.30pm:?£17.25, £27.25, £32.75, £37.75, £47.75, £57.75, £67.75? Saturday Evenings & Peak Weeks*:?£17.25, £27.25, £32.75, £37.75, £47.75, £57.75, £70.25

All ticket prices include a £1.25 - £1.75 Theatre Restoration Levy.
Day Seats: £29.50 - twenty-four front row Stalls released daily at 10.00am at the Box Office.

Students: Best available seats £29.50 from 10.00am at Monday-Friday 7.30pm and Wednesday & Saturday 2.30pm at the Box Office with student ID. Subject to availability. One ticket per ID.

Standby Concessions: Best available seats £29.50 from 6pm at Monday-Friday 7.30pm performances and from 12 noon at Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm performances at the Box Office for Senior Citizens, Jobseekers, Equity, BECTU and MU members and registered disabled. Subject to availability. One ticket per ID.

Extra shows now on sale: 23, 27, 29, 31 December 2013, 2 January, 20 February, 21 August & 28 August 2014 at 2.30pm

WICKED

Wicked has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman, scenic design by Eugene Lee, costumes by Susan Hilferty, lighting by Kenneth Posner, sound by Tony Meola, projection designs by Elaine J McCarthy, Hair and Wig designs by Tom Watson, music arrangements by Alex Lacamoire and Stephen Oremus, dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott, orchestrations by William David Brohn, musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, musical staging by Wayne Cilento and is directed by Joe Mantello.

WICKED LONDON

The London production premiered on 27 September 2006 (with previews from 7 September) and has now been seen by over 5 million people. Wicked has been hailed as "the biggest thing in musicals since The Phantom of the Opera opened" (The Times), "one of the biggest hits of our age" (The Observer) and "one of the most popular West End musicals ever" (London Evening Standard).

Wicked continues to be the top choice of West End theatregoers having been voted Most Popular Show (Olivier Awards), Best Night Out (Evening Standard Theatre Awards), Best West End Show (Whatsonstage.com Awards in both 2011 and 2010) and Best Family Fun (Visit London Awards).

WICKED UK & IRELAND TOUR
The UK & Ireland Tour premiered at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on 17 September 2013 (with previews from 12

The tour continues to the Bord Ga?is Energy Theatre, Dublin (27 November 2013 to 18 January 2014); Milton Keynes Theatre (4 February to 8 March 2014); Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (12 March to 26 April 2014); The King's Theatre, Glasgow (6 to 31 May 2014); Leeds Grand Theatre (10 June to 5 July 2014); Birmingham Hippodrome (9 July to 6 September 2014); Liverpool Empire Theatre (16 September to 11 October 2014); Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (21 October to 15 November 2014), Edinburgh Playhouse (19 November 2014 to 10 January 2015); His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen (5 to 30 May 2015). Further dates to be announced.

WICKED WORLDWIDE

There are at present 9 productions playing concurrently around the world: at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway (where it has recently celebrated its 10th birthday), on two North American tours, in Japan, South Korea, Mexico, on tour in Australia and New Zealand, on tour in the UK and Ireland and at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre (where it is now in its 8th year). Wicked has already been seen by over 38 million people worldwide and grossed in excess of $3.1 billion at the Box Office.

By the end of 2013, the global phenomenon will have been performed in over 100 cities in 13 countries around the world (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, and Mexico) and has been translated into five languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish and Korean.

Wicked has been recognised as "the best musical of the decade" (Entertainment Weekly), "the defining musical of the decade" (The New York Times), "a cultural phenomenon" (Variety) and "a breathtaking success story of a magnitude not witnessed since the peak years of The Phantom of the Opera" (The Washington Post).

Wicked has already won over 90 international awards.

WICKED - THE STORY
If you think you know the Wicked Witch of the West, think again...

When Dorothy famously triumphed over the Wicked Witch, we only ever heard one side of the story. Gregory Maguire's "outstanding novel" (The Independent), 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West', ingeniously and wittily re-imagined the Land of Oz, creating a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum and first published as 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' in 1900.

Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl named Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wizard, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Experience this unforgettable musical and discover that you've not been told the whole story about the Land of Oz.