The Broadway musical phenomenon is set to cast its spell over Filipino audiences as it opens on January 22, 2014. Wicked has bewitched millions worldwide for the past 10 years and has won 50 major awards including a Grammy, 3 Tony Awards, and 6 Helpmann Awards.
Wicked is about the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy came in, two other girls met in the Land of Oz: one is Elphaba, born with emerald green skin, who is fiery, smart and misunderstood and the other is Glinda, the beautiful, ambitious, and popular one. Wicked tells the journey of how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
Last August 14, Wicked in Manila held its press launch in Diamond Hotel, where guests had a taste of life in the Land of Oz. Top-class Australian entertainers Jemma Rix and Suzie Mathers who will play the roles of Elphaba and Glinda charmed the audience with their rendition of “Popular,” “Defying Gravity,” and “For Good,” some of the songs from the hit musical.
The two lead actresses of Wicked gave their advice to aspiring theater actors. Suzie Mathers shares, "I went to drama school. I studied musical theater for three years... you just have to work on your craft." On the other hand, according to Jemma Rix, "If you really love what you're doing, you have to work really, really hard. Very, very hard."
James Cundall, the big boss of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions said that Wicked is even bigger than Phantom of the Opera. "I thought Phantom of the Opera was big until I started to work on Wicked," he says. "I suppose it's a nightmare to work on truthfully. It's the most complicated, the most sophisticated... It's the mother of all shows. Now nearing its 10th year on Broadway, it is one of the mega-musicals of the new generation," Cundall adds.
Aside from its promise of a magical ride filled with glitz, glamour, and spell-binding special effects (not to mention the spectacular costumes, thrilling technical wizardry, and a phenomenal musical score!), Wicked is sure to tug at the heartstrings of the Filipino audience with its incredible tale of friendship. It recounts the story of how Elphaba and Glinda found, lost and found again their friendship— something that Candy Girls can definitely relate to.
Wicked will run from January 22 to February 9, 2014 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. For tickets and inquiries, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph
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