Hit West End musical Wicked reached a theatrical milestone this weekend when it welcomed its five millionth theatregoer, who was invited backstage to meet the cast after the show to celebrate.
Stewart Lyons, who was watching the matinee on 30 March with his partner Cristina Kane, was the lucky, unexpecting theatregoer to make Wicked history. The audience member from Kirkcaldy in Fife, said it felt “fantastic”, saying: “We loved the show and even though it is our first visit to Wicked, it won’t be our last.”
The Olivier Award-winning production has been playing at the Apollo Victora theatre since 2006, making it the 16th longest-running West End musical of all time. Michael McCabe, the UK’S Executive Producer, paid tribute to the show’s many loyal audience members, saying: “All long-running shows depend as much on audiences coming back for more as they do on first-time visitors, and Wicked is no exception. We have been swept along to the incredible milestone of five million visitors by passionate fans and incredible word-of-mouth that inspires new ticket buyers every day.”
The show, which famously tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz and features many popular shows including Defying Gravity and Popular, had another reason to celebrate of late with the news last week that it has been shortlisted for the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award following a public vote.
The show faces competition from fellow long-running shows Billy Elliot The Musical, Matilda The Musical and The Phantom Of The Opera in the category and will have to wait until the much-anticipated ceremony at the Royal Opera House on 28 April to find out whether it will take home the sought after prize.
Commenting on the nomination, McCabe said: “We are truly grateful to everyone who continues to make Wicked such a popular and enduring success and to all those who supported Wicked in the public vote for the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award. We are all delighted to be shortlisted for this very special Olivier Award for a third time.”