WICKED Announces Patty Duke to Play Madame Morrible 3/24

The producers of the smash hit musical WICKED announced today that Academy Award-winning actress Patty Duke will play the role of ‘Madame Morrible' beginning March 24th. Carol Kane, who currently stars as ‘Madame Morrible', had always been scheduled for a limited engagement of the opening eight weeks of WICKED's return home to San Francisco. She will give her final performance at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on Mach 22nd. In addition to the new casting in March, a new block of tickets will be made available beginning March 15th for the open-ended engagement of WICKED.

In a career that has spanned six decades, Patty Duke won an Oscar when she reprised her stage portrayal of Helen Keller in the 1962 film, The Miracle Worker. She starred in the hit The Patty Duke Show as well approximately 100 Movies for Television. Ms. Duke has also won three Emmys (ten nominations), two Golden Globes and a People's Choice Award. She has also written two best selling books (Call Me Anna and A Brilliant Madness: Living With Manic Depression Illness) and recently appeared on stage in Follies, Gypsy and Broadway's Oklahoma!.

San Francisco audiences and critics alike feel a special connection with WICKED, which had its world premiere at San Francisco's Curran Theatre on May 28, 2003. That engagement followed a long development process during which the entire creative team and cast immersed themselves in the musical's launch at the Curran Theatre. From these roots in the city by the bay, WICKED has gone on to become a worldwide phenomenon that has since redefined theatrical popular culture.

The critical response for WICKED's return home to San Francisco was unanimous. WICKED is "perfectly entertaining and perfectly thrilling," hailed the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is one beautiful homecoming! This astonishingly beautiful musical is welcomed home with a real, deserved and sincere standing ovation," said the Contra Costa Times. "WICKED casts a powerful spell that plucks at the intellect as well as the heartstrings," exclaimed the San Jose Mercury News.

Mayor Gavin Newsom proclaimed September 26, 2008 "WICKED Day in San Francisco," welcoming the international phenomenon back to the city where it had its world premiere.

Having just celebrated its 5th Anniversary on Broadway, WICKED's North American and international companies have cumulatively grossed over $1.3 billion and have been seen by over 16 million people worldwide.

WICKED currently has four companies in North America: on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre, in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theatre and two North American touring productions.

There are currently four international productions of WICKED: a London production at the Apollo Victoria Theatre; a Japanese-language production in Tokyo; a German-language production in Stuttgart and an Australian production, which opened in Melbourne on July 12.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

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.

WICKED features set design by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee, costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Tony Meola. The orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Now through May 17:
Tuesday - Saturday evenings at 8pm
Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm

Beginning May 19, new performance schedule:
Tuesday - Saturday evenings at 8pm
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 pm
Sunday evenings at 7:30pm
Added Performance: Monday evening, June 22 at 8pm

Tickets for WICKED are now on sale for this open-ended engagement and range in price from $30 to $99. Tickets can be purchased online at shnsf.com and ticketmaster.com/wicked, through Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone 415- 512-7770 and 800-982-2787, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers and at the Orpheum Theatre Box Office (1192 Market at 8th St., Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm). Premium packages are also available for all performances. Groups of 20 or more may order now by calling Group Sales at (415) 551-2020.

For more information about WICKED at the Orpheum Theatre, please visit www.wickedthemusical.com/sf or www.shnsf.com. For information about WICKED world-wide, please visit www.wicked.com.