Melbourne is playing host to the Australian version of the hottest ticket on Broadway, Wicked and last night was opening night.
The show is about the untold story of the Witches of Oz. You’ll find out why one became the good witch and one became the evil witch (or is she'). You’ll also find out why the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion became who they are.The cast features Amanda Harrison as the evil witch Elphaba and Lucy Durack as the good witch Galinda. Rob Guest is the Wizard, Maggie Kirkpatrick, the freak from Prisoner, is Madame Morrible and Anthony Callea stars as Boq.
Hoowever the surprise and outstanding performance award must go to Millsy. Rob Mills is Fiyero. In Wicked, Millsy may have just found his true calling, as a star of stage. His performance of Fiyero is a highlight of the show.
In Melbourne last night, the opening night audience featured the stars of Underbelly, including the guy who played Derryn Hinch, Tim Campbell, Philip Brady and Bruce Mansfield, Ken James, GOLD’s Peter Harrison and Grubby, one-time wannabe Prime Minister Peter Costello, soapie stars Linda Freedman and Lauren Jewell, Andrew Murfett, Cameron Adams, Lauren Newton, and chief producer Marc Platt, who has overseen the productions on Broadway, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Stuttgart.
Wicked is the most success show Universal has ever been involved with. The show has so far grossed more than $1 billion in ticket sales and has been the number one show on Broadway ever year for the last 5 years.
It has won 20 major awards including a Grammy Award and 3 Tony Awards.
Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and features the music and lyrics of Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin).
This is the must-see family show of 2008, but do yourself a favour ... revisit the Wizard of Oz movie before you go.
The show is expected to run at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne for at least the next 12 months.
