"Wicked" is a musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West", based on the characters and setting of the classic 1900 novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film "The Wizard of Oz". The musical is told from the perspective of, and focuses on, the witches of the Land of Oz. Its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas. "Wicked" tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch), whose relationship struggles through their opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government, and, ultimately, Elphaba's private fall from grace.
Produced by Universal Stage Productions, the original production of "Wicked" premiered on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre in October 2003. Its original stars included Idina Menzel as Elphaba, Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, and Joel Grey as the Wizard. The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards, while its original cast album received a Grammy Award. On October 28, 2019, with its 6,681st performance, it surpassed "Les Misérables" to become Broadway's fifth-longest running show. A typical performance of the show takes about two hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.
The success of the Broadway production has spawned many productions worldwide. "Wicked" has broken box-office records around the world. In the week ending January 2, 2011, the London, Broadway, and both North American touring productions simultaneously broke their respective records for the highest weekly gross. In the final week of 2013, the Broadway production broke this record again, earning $3.2 million. In 2016, "Wicked" surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, joining "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Lion King" as the only Broadway shows to do so. In 2017, "Wicked" surpassed "The Phantom of the Opera" as Broadway's second-highest grossing musical, trailing only "The Lion King".
As part of the "Broadway at The Pierre" cabaret series, in association with Broadway Sings for Pride, Shefik served as Videographer for the concert held at Two E Bar/Lounge — the sophisticated saloon located inside the New York City luxury hotel, The Pierre. The concert featured performances by "Wicked" cast members Hayley Podschun (Glinda - "Wicked" 2nd National Tour) and Jennifer DiNoia (Elphaba - "Wicked" on Broadway and 2nd National Tour).
Videographer: Shefik
Last Updated: April 22, 2023
