March 28, 2024

‘Wicked’ returns to Des Moines Civic Center

DES MOINES — Des Moines Performing Arts will welcome back Broadway’s blockbuster hit “Wicked” to the Civic Center for a return engagement Oct. 3 through Nov. 10.

"Wicked" is part of the 2013-2014 season of the Willis Broadway Series. Tickets for "Wicked" are now sale at the Civic Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at www.desmoinesperformingarts.org. Groups of 15 or more should call (515) 246-2340.

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 and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Pippin,” Academy Award-winner for “Pocahontas” and “The Prince of Egypt”) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), “Wicked” is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (“Take Me Out,” “Love! Valour! Compassion!,” “The Vagina Monologues”) and features musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento (“Aida,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “How To Succeed …”).

“Wicked” is based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

“Wicked” has “cast quite a spell” (Washington Post) throughout North America, breaking box office records in every city that it has played, including Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Boston.

“Wicked” has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly. There are currently seven productions worldwide: New York, London, Holland, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, and two concurrent North American tours. Globally, “Wicked” has amassed more than $3 billion in ticket sales and has been seen by more than 37 million people worldwide in its nine-year history.

“Wicked” features set design by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee (“Ragtime,” “Show Boat,” “Candide,” “Sweeney Todd”), costume design by Tony winner Susan Hilferty (“Into the Woods,” “Assassins”), lighting design by Tonyn nominee Kenneth Posner (“The Coast of Utopia,” “Hairspray”) and sound design by Tony Meola (“The Lion King”). Stephen Oremus is the show’s musical director. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

For more information about "Wicked," visit www.wickedthemusical.com.