We are now looking for a sponsor for this event, so JM students can enjoy this experience entirely free of charge. Please contact us if you or your organization may be interested!
JM artists travel to the Durham Performing Arts Center for the North American tour of “Wicked,” the legendary Broadway musical. Excellent seating is in the center orchestra, 16 and 17 rows from the stage, where students will not only enjoy the broader theatrical experience, but also be able to see individual actors perform.
As with all of our Pinnacle of the Arts events, we are working now to arrange an opportunity for JM artists to learn directly from the world-class artists — most likely in a post-show conversation with members of the cast. We will announce any arrangements as soon as they are final.
“Wicked” has enjoyed phenomenal success since opening on Broadway in 2003 — originally with Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenowith as Glinda — in a production that is still performing eight shows a week at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre. The musical written by Stephen Schwartz with a book by Winnie Holzman also has been running for decades on London’s West End and has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world.
When it was released, “Wicked” received nine Tony Award nominations, winning three, and 10 Drama Desk Awards, winning seven — including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Book of a Musical. Among its many other awards, the musical’s original cast received the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
Playbill describes the show like this: “Long before Dorothy arrives in Oz, there is another young woman born with emerald-green skin — 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.’“
Britannica describes the musical’s broader significance as “a revisionist retelling of the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and is an intricate tale of friendship and acceptance set against a backdrop of authoritarianism and propaganda.”
This event is part of our 2026-27 Pinnacle of the Arts series providing an opportunity for JM students to experience world-class arts. We are still seeking a sponsor for this event; please contact us if you, your company or your organization might be interested.
About 30 students attend each event entirely free of charge — including a meal and transportation. This year’s series is being developed now and events will be announced as they are finalized.
👉 If you, your business or your nonprofit might be willing to sponsor an event for this or next season, please contact us! This is a remarkable opportunity to shape the lives of young artists.