MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 29, 2022) — Broadway is back and flourishing in the Hennepin Theatre District, and with it comes a boost to the local economy. Attracting audiences to downtown Minneapolis, WICKED flew back for its sixth visit to Minneapolis, playing the historic Orpheum Theatre from July 27 to Aug. 28, 2022. The five-week engagement kicked off the 2022-2023 Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season welcoming more than 100,000 patrons to the theatre and generating a local economic impact of $30.9 million.

“The remarkable success of WICKED was an exciting way to kick off our 2022-2023 Bank of America Broadway season,” said Mark Nerenhausen, president and CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust. “We welcomed more than 100,000 patrons to the Orpheum Theatre and downtown Minneapolis during the show’s five-week run. Such an influx of visitors continues to strengthen the vibrancy and energy of the Hennepin Theatre District, while also generating tremendous economic impact to the entire Minneapolis region.”

Nerenhausen also said that the Trust is proud to play a role in the reactivation of downtown Minneapolis. “People who come to see our shows also eat at restaurants, stay at hotels, shop and explore the community. As we look ahead, our Broadway season continues with Cats, Hamilton, Les Misérables and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, all of which bring a consistent, steady stream of patrons to enhance the vitality of downtown.”

The economic impact of the five-week engagement of WICKED is based on analysis by The Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry. This impact is generated by tourism dollars spent at hotels, local restaurants, parking and more. Additionally, a large stage production, such as WICKED, employs nearly 100 local stagehands, local musicians, hair and wardrobe professionals and merchandise sellers.

ABOUT WICKED
The Broadway sensation WICKED looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” WICKED has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade,” and by Time Magazine as “a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage.” NBC Nightly News calls the hit musical “the most successful Broadway show ever.”

Now the fifth longest running show in Broadway history, WICKED is the winner of over 100 international awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. Since opening in 2003, WICKED has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland and China) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese. WICKED has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide and has amassed over $5 billion in global sales.

 Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman.  The production is directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento.  WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Connect with WICKED online at:
www.WickedTheMusical.com
Facebook: /Wickedthemusical
Instagram: @wicked_musical
Twitter: @wicked_musical
 
Hennepin Theatre Trust drives cultural and economic vitality in Minnesota through leadership of the dynamic Hennepin Theatre District in downtown Minneapolis and educational programming that reaches every area of the state. Its historic theatres — Orpheum, State and Pantages — and event center at 900 Hennepin Avenue light up Hennepin Avenue with top-tier entertainment, including the best of Broadway and a wide variety of arts programming. Hennepin Theatre Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

Heart of Hennepin – celebrating 100 years of the Hennepin Theatre District To honor the centennial of the Hennepin Theatre District, Hennepin Theatre Trust is not only celebrating its historic venues — the Orpheum, State and Pantages theatres, The Hennepin event center and 824 Hennepin — but also everyone who is part of the legacy that has made the district the heart of Hennepin for 100 years. This year-long centennial celebration pays tribute to our community and history, and looks ahead to the future of the arts, the Trust and downtown Minneapolis.

Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance  At Bank of America, our focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors is critical to fulfilling our purpose of helping make people’s financial lives better. Our commitment to growing our business responsibly is embedded in every aspect of our company. It is demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our customers, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocate groups, such as community and environmental organizations, in order to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about, and connect with us on Twitter at @BofA_News.

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office.  Led by 18-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton. Current and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill a Mockingbird.