Wicked to lauch second tour.

[phantomo88]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:29pm

It has been confirmed by cast members that Wicked will start a second tour January '09. The only confirmed date is Tulsa July 14-19,2009.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:32pm

Woohoo!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:39pm

That could possibly be the Chicago production. They currently expect it to close in January '09.

[broadwayrules]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:40pm

It may sound stupid, but what is the difference between a first and second national tour?

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:41pm

That was my question Fosse- It seems hard to imagine 5 productions running simultaneously in the US.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:43pm

It may sound stupid, but what is the difference between a first and second national tour?

Usually just a name.

[broadwayrules]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:46pm

Oh, thanks

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:46pm

The designation "FIRST" National tour is just that: it's the first company that goes out on tour. The "Second" National tour is the second company to go out, and so on. Keep in mind, it doesn't necessarily mean physical production. If it only meant the physical production (sets and lighting, etc.) then the first national tour of Wicked has been playing in Chicago since June 2005. It's really more of a bookeeping moniker.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:50pm

Sometimes things get scaled back for a second national.

Mamma Mia got rid of the bridge, and Beatuy and the Beast scaled back a *lot*

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 3:57pm

"Sometimes things get scaled back for a second national.

Mamma Mia got rid of the bridge, and Beatuy and the Beast scaled back a *lot*"

That may be true, but it isn't always. But sometimes when a tour shuts down to do downsizing they redesignate it as the "second" or "third" natioinal tour. So as has been mentioned, it's really more of a bookeeping name.

[Kev]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 4:03pm

The only confirmed date is Tulsa July 14-19,2009.

And as illustrated by this confirmation, second national tours (generally) play shorter runs in the markets than the first national tours.

[musicandtemiror]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 4:23pm

Any other locations announced?
I really hope it comes back to Philly!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 4:33pm

I know it's coming to Birmingham, AL in April of '09 (however, it was originally scheduled to come in September).

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:42pm

"And as illustrated by this confirmation, second national tours (generally) play shorter runs in the markets than the first national tours."

That's when you get a sense that they scaled down the production. :o)

Keep in mind, that could be a marketing ploy...and they could "extend" as the show dates get closer.

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:47pm

Yay! Looking forward. They'll be Wicked everywhere...all continents and major cities we go to.

I saw the Chicago production last Friday, and loved the cast.

There were some differences in costumes, and the stage was much smaller, and major differences in set.

How does the tour cast compare?

[theatre2]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:26pm

i hope this show comes to portland, maine next year because i do not get to see alot of broadway shows.

[ragg_ballad]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 6:35pm

this is awesome news, but the chicago production really shouldn't close. it's doing great here, and it's really helped the city's theatre business grow. the cast is amazing, too.

but it'd be cool to have 2 tours out, since there are so many amazing people to play elphie/glinda out there..

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:09pm

I'd like to see Jennifer Dinoia as the lead Elphaba (she's the current s/b in Chicago)

Here's her end of Defying Gravity- I adore her!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=S7YwTRL6_sw

[basketcase]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:14pm

I'm also pretty sure that this is going to be a tour launched off of the Chicago sitdown. Come January '09, the LA production will move to a sitdown in San Francisco, and the Chicago production will pick up and start touring. That's what I've heard at least.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:21pm

I believe the second tour will have a set more conducive with smaller venues... No bridge, smaller portal, smaller proscenium. Right now the set is huge and can only fit in large houses.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:43pm

Cloverfield lives...

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:45pm

I don't think the Chicago set is that smaller than the Gershwin. I didn't go up with a tape measure, but it fills that pretty darn big stage.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 7:56pm

"this is awesome news, but the chicago production really shouldn't close. it's doing great here, and it's really helped the city's theatre business grow. the cast is amazing, too."

It's possible that it will keep running, but they don't want to run it into the ground either. They can bring it back after a brief tour.

"I don't think the Chicago set is that smaller than the Gershwin. I didn't go up with a tape measure, but it fills that pretty darn big stage."

I think it's mainly the proscenium and the dragon that are smaller.

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:18pm

oh no... more little teeny boppers and confused boys screaming the song "Defying Gravity"

Wicked will never die.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/31/08 at 8:29pm

The thing about the two tours that I wonder is this. How do people know which tour they are seeing. In other words if one tour is more on par with what is on Broadway and one is going to be more scaled back. How do you know which one your seeing. The more scaled back one or the one that is closer to what is onstage at the Gershwin?

And, I don't think that they are going to close the Chicago production soon. True, just like the LA production it was scheduled to only run to a given date then close. But, from what I have heard it is doing great business and the cast is still going strong.