WICKED UK Welcomes Sam Kelly, Natalie Anderson, Alexia Khadime Returns 5/11

The smash hit musical WICKED, which recently celebrated its 1000th performance, is pleased to welcome Sam Kelly as The Wizard and Natalie Anderson as Nessarose from Monday 11 May 2009. The production also welcomes back Alexia Khadime as Elphaba.

Since the early seventies, Sam Kelly has been one of the UK's best-loved and most popular actors. His many long-running television series have included Porridge with Ronnie Barker; 'Allo, 'Allo with Gorden Kaye; On The Up with Dennis Waterman and Barbara with Gwen Taylor. His National Theatre appearances include The Homecoming with Michael Sheen, War and Peace and A Funny Thing Happen On The Way To The Forum. Natalie Anderson is best known as 'Nurse Stella Davenport' in ITV's The Royal, a role she has been playing since 2004. She also starred in the BBC children's television drama series The Biz with Paul Nicholls.

Dianne Pilkington (Glinda), Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero), harriet thorpe (Madame Morrible), Ashleigh Gray (Standby for Elphaba) and Sarah Earnshaw (Standby for Glinda) have all extended their contracts. Current ensemble cast members Alex Jessop and David Stoller will take over the roles of Boq and Doctor Dillamond respectively.

Current WICKED stars Kerry Ellis (Elphaba), Desmond Barrit (The Wizard), Caroline Keiff (Nessarose), Jeremy Legat (Boq) and Andy Mace (Doctor Dillamond) will all play their final performances on Saturday 9th May 2009.

From Monday 11 May 2009, WICKED stars Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Dianne Pilkington (Glinda), Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero), Sam Kelly (The Wizard), harriet thorpe (Madame Morrible), Natalie Anderson (Nessarose), Alex Jessop (Boq), David Stoller (Doctor Dillamond), Ashleigh Gray (Standby for Elphaba) and Sarah Earnshaw (Standby for Glinda).
The award-winning musical opened at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre in September 2006 and has now been seen by almost two million people and taken £70 million at the Box Office. In addition to the London production, WICKED is also currently running in North America (4 productions), Japan, Germany and Australia.

Official UK website: WickedTheMusical.co.uk ">www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk
WICKED proudly supports Bliss, the special care baby charity www.bliss.org.uk and the
Anti-Bullying Alliance www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

NOW BOOKING TO 3 APRIL 2010
Online booking and information: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk
Box Office and 24 Hour Credit Card Bookings: Ticketmaster 0844 826 8000

(up to £2.00 per ticket service charge and £2.25 processing fee per transaction).

No booking fee or processing charges for tickets booked in person at the Box Office.

Group Sales (12 or more): Ticketmaster 0844 844 2121

Day Seats: £25 - twenty four front row Stalls released daily at 10.00am at the Box Office.
Students: Best available seats £25 from 10.00am at Monday-Friday 7.30pm and Wednesday & Saturday 2.30pm at the Box Office with student ID. Subject to availability. One ticket per ID.

Standby Concessions: Best available seats £25 from 6pm at Monday-Friday 7.30pm performances and from 12 noon at Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm performances at the Box Office for Senior Citizens, Jobseekers, Equity, BECTU and MU members and registered disabled. Subject to availability. One ticket per ID.

Gregory Maguire's Wicked is published in the UK by Headline Review

GRAMMY® award-winning Original Broadway Cast recording on Decca Broadway