Wicked is flying into the Liverpool Empire Theatre in 2024

Wicked has announced a major 10-city 2023-2025 UK & Ireland Tour and will be coming to the Liverpool Empire for four weeks only from Thursday 20 June 2024 – Sunday 14 July 2024.

One of the best-selling productions in the venue’s history, Wicked sold nearly 140,000 tickets across its two celebrated previous engagements in 2014 and 2018

The West End and Broadway musical phenomenon, that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, continues its open-ended run at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it has already been seen by more than 11 million people and is now in its 17^th year. 

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked imagines a beguiling backstory and future possibilities to the lives of L. Frank Baum’s beloved characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reveals the decisions and events that shape the destinies of two unlikely university friends on their journey to becoming Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. 

With a touring cast, orchestra, company and crew of 82 people, and a further 20 people employed locally, “the blockbuster stage show” (Edinburgh Evening News) played to sold-out audiences during two previous tours of the UK & Ireland, winning the BroadwayWorld UK Award for ‘Best Touring Production’. Casting to be announced.

Wicked Executive Producer (UK & Ireland), Michael McCabe, said:

“We are proud to be bringing Wicked back to the magnificent Liverpool Empire, where incredible audiences greeted us during two previous sold-out engagements. We’re excited to have this opportunity to share once again the spectacle, magic and emotion that has created unforgettable memories for audiences in the North West and all around the world.”

Diane Belding, Theatre Director, Liverpool Empire, added: 

‘We’re delighted to welcome back one of the most successful shows in the theatre’s history, in Wicked. I know the people of the region will be just as thrilled as we are!’

Wicked has already been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide and 2023 marks the 20^th Anniversary Year of its Broadway premiere. Productions continue on Broadway, in the West End and on tour across North America. Wicked will also return to Sydney, Australia and Tokyo, Japan in 2023. 

Wicked features songs by multi-Oscar and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt, Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted). It is based on the multi-million copy best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and written by Emmy and Tony Award nominee Winnie Holzman (creator of the landmark American television series My So-Called Life). Musical staging is by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento with direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello.

Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK & Ireland) Michael McCabe.

Wicked in Numbers

• Wicked has already been seen by more than 60 million people around the world and has been performed in over 130 cities in 16 countries.
• Wicked sold nearly 140,000 tickets during its two previous visits to the Liverpool Empire
• Wicked is already the 5^th longest-running show in Broadway history. 2023 marks its 20^th Anniversary Year.
• Wicked is now in its 17^th year at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it continues an open-ended run.
• The West End production has already been seen by an incredible 11 million people and continues to break Box Office records. 
• Wicked features 350 stunning costumes, 140 wigs, 244 pairs of shoes, 110 hats, 125 pairs of gloves and 30 prosthetic masks.
• With a touring of company of 80 and 20 additional staff employed in each city, it takes 100 people, both on-stage and behind the scenes, to deliver performances of this massive touring production.
• The 2023-2025 UK & Ireland Tour marks the third time the production has travelled to theatres across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
• Wicked has won over 100 major awards including 3 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, 10 WhatsOnStage Awards (including 3 for ‘Best West End Show’), 6 Australian Helpmann Awards, and a Grammy.

Tickets are on public sale from Thursday 8 June 2023 on the Liverpool Empire Theatre website here.