Wicked marks 3,000 performances

Hit musical Wicked will today mark its 3,000th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, making it the 15th longest running musical in West End history.

The landmark will be reached with today's matinee, and comes on the last day of leading ladies Louise Dearman and Gina Beck's runs in the show, as Elphaba and Glinda respectively.

Now in its 8th year, Stephen Schwartz's Wicked opened in the West End in 2006, and has won plaudits including eight WhatsOnStage Awards including Best New Musical and Best West End Show.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L Frank Baum in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', Wicked tells the untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

From Monday 18 November the cast will include Willemijn Verkaik as Elphaba, Savannah Stevenson as Glinda, Jeremy Taylor as Fiyero, plus Sue Kelvin, Sam Kelly, Paul Clarkson, Sam Lupton and Katie Rowley Jones.

Wicked has music and lyrics by Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and is directed by two-time Tony and Olivier Award nominee Joe Mantello.

Executive producer Michael McCabe said: "This is a fantastic milestone for the London production of Wicked. We are incredibly grateful to all those who have supported and championed the show since 2006 and thank everyone at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for all their exceptional work and dedication in delivering 3000 absolutely superb performances".