Wicked breaks box office record

Wicked co-producer John Frost says the reaction and box office success of the show has exceeded his "wildest expectations" as news comes through that the musical has broken the one-day box office record for Melbourne theatre.

The Monday after opening at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on July 12, the rush for tickets set a new box office record, with $1.5 million in sales. Wicked now holds an astonishing $13 million in advance sales.

It follows an incredible opening weekend in which the attention the show garnered was unprecedented. Reviews have been largely stunning, and the marketing and publicity machine continues to work over time.

“The fantastic critical reaction and overwhelming audience excitement for Wicked in Melbourne has exceeded our wildest expectations," Frost said. "We always felt there was a huge audience for Wicked in Australia and we’re thrilled that Melbourne has embraced this spectacular musical as its own."

"We’re proud to join the list of international ‘Emerald Cities’ which Wicked can call home for a long and healthy run and we thank the Broadway producers, Marc Platt and David Stone, for choosing to mount this spectacular production with us here in Melbourne.”

The production at the Regent Theatre stars Amanda Harrison as Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda.Frost said he expects sales to continue to be solid, given Wicked's strong box office history overseas and the incredible word of mouth it garners from those who see it.

"They all spread the Wicked word. Wicked grows by word of mouth in a way and to a degree unlike any show I know," he said.

"And Wicked, unlike almost all shows, maintains and builds on its advance sales. At the moment we’re holding $13 million in advance sales and this week we’ve put another 60,000 seats on sale. They’re selling fast."

Wicked is enjoying a relatively free reign over Melbourne at the moment, with only the tail end of the Guys And Dolls run and The Production Company's Follies as box office competition. Things will get tougher, however, with The Rocky Horror Show opening in September and blockbuster musical Jersey Boys just around the corner.

Aussietheatre.com