Wicked Books Open-Ended Run in San Francisco

No need to mourn Wicked: While the long-running Los Angeles production at the Pantages Theatre has announced a closing date of January 11, 2009, the bewitching musical hit is set to begin a sit-down, open-ended run at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre late the same month.

Wicked's 2009 San Francisco run will be a homecoming for the show, which made its world premiere in the city's Curran Theatre in May 2003 before opening on Broadway on October 20, 2003. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman and was directed by Joe Mantello. The L.A. company's physical production will be transferred to San Francisco, although casting for the Orpheum run has not been set.

L.A.'s smash-hit production of Wicked, which opened in February 2007, made box office history last year, grossing a record $1,949,068 during the week ending December 30, 2007. Since opening, the production has grossed over $90 million and drawn in more than 1.15 million patrons. Wicked currently has four companies in North America: on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre, at Chicago's Ford Center for Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre, in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre and on a national tour, plus three international companies.