Wicked says Thanks and Goodbye to OZ

The smash hit musical phenomenon Wicked will take its final bow in Perth on September 11 this year, after playing to over 1.5 million Australians country-wide. Currently playing in Perth at the Burswood Theatre, Wicked has enjoyed record breaking seasons in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane since its official Australian premiere at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre more than three years ago.

The show will begin an Asian tour later in the year, with various cast changes – including a new Glinda – with names yet to be released. Jemma Rix, the current Elphaba (who was originally cast as standby) is rumoured to be continuing with the company for the Asian tour.

Tickets for the last week in Perth will become available tomorrow, Monday 8th August. Producer John Frost has said that the Wicked sensation is like nothing he has ever experienced, thanking the country for embracing the show with such alacrity.

“Wicked is a phenomenon, quite unlike any other musical, one of the most successful shows of all time. It is well over three years since we opened Wicked at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, and we weren’t sure if we’d run a week, a month or a year. But right from the beginning this show has been an overwhelming hit – Australians have taken Wicked to their hearts”, he said.

This week, Wicked is set to break records for the highest ticket sales of any show in Perth’s history. The show has sold over 127, 000 tickets for the Perth season, and still has five weeks left to run. “Audiences have been captivated by the soaring ballads, the spectacular sets, costumes and lighting, and been draw into the emotional richness of this beautiful story. Thank you Perth and thank you Australia for making Wicked the success it has been.”

A Brief History of Wicked in Oz  

The show opened at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on Tuesday July 12, 2008 and transferred to Sydney’s Capitol Theatre to begin previews on September 5 2009.

Originally starring Amanda Harrison as Elphaba, Lucy Durack as Glinda, with Rob Guest, Penny McNamee, Rob Mills, Anthony Callea, Rodney Dobson and Maggie Kirkpatrick as supporting principles, the show has had several cast changes over the 3 years it has run in Australia.

Tragedy struck the company when Australian musical theatre icon Rob Guest suddenly passed away on 2 October 2008. Guest had been playing the role of The Wizard, and his partner Kellie Dickerson was the musical director of Wicked at the time. Bert Newton was brought in as Guest’s replacement. After playing in Sydney for more than 12 months, (closing on 26 September 2010) the show moved to Brisbane just prior to the devastating floods which swept through QLD and northern NSW in early 2011.  Lucy Durack told AussieTheatre.com earlier in the year about the emergency evacuation rom the QPAC building, Brisbane, hours before their first preview:

“We were in the middle of a technical rehearsal in the QPAC building, which is on the river,” Durack recalls. (read full article here)

The show was postponed until the theatre was safe for cast and crew to return to work, and was eventually seen by over 155, 000 patrons in Brisbane over 10 weeks. During the Adelaide season, the cast and crew celebrated Wicked’s 1000th performance in Australia. The show played at the Festival Centre from 14 April.
Original Cast:
Elphaba – Amanda HarrisonGlinda – Lucy DurackNessarose – Penny McNameeFiyero – Rob MillsBoq – Anthony CalleaMadame Morrible – Maggie KirkpatrickDr. Dillamond – Rodney Dobson  The Wizard – Rob Guest
Fantastical Facts: 

• Wicked took more than $2.3 million in advance bookings in just 3 hours when it was launched in Melbourne in February 2008. A record for Australian musical theatre.
• Wicked broke the Melbourne box office record taking a phenomenal $1.5 million in ticket sales in just one day after it opened in $1.5 million in ticket sales in just one day after it opened in Melbourne on 12 July 2008
• Seven days after its Australian premiere, Wicked took a box office gross of $1,691,529 for the eight performance week – a Melbourne record.
• Wicked secured an economic impact of 126 million for the Victorian economy during its 13 month season in Melbourne, making it arguably the most successful musical ever staged in Melbourne.

• In October 2009 Wicked smashed the box office record at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre grossing $1,473,775.70 in one week.
• On Tuesday 11 May 2010 the 1 millionth ticket to the Australian production of Wicked was purchased. Australia’s population is only just over 22 million.

Related AussieTheatre.com Articles:

Wicked Lottey for lucky Perth-ians Wicked Finishes Brisbane Run
Geraldine Turner to join Wicked Cast
After the floods, Wicked back on
More Wicked Performances Cancelled
Wicked Canceled This Evening
Brisbane throws support behind Wicked
David Harris to join cast of Wicked

Photos:Top – Amanda Harrison and Lucy DurackMiddle – Rob Guest, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Lucy Durack, Amanda Harrison, Rob Mills Bottom – Lucy Durack and Anthony Callea