School trip to Wicked the Musical
Was the Wicked Witch of the West really wicked, or the innocent victim of a corrupt regime?
“The gravity-defying ‘Wizard of Oz’ prequel” Wicked the Musical provides a range of engaging learning activities for educators and students. The production’s topical story of friendship, acceptance, integrity, self-esteem, peer pressure, victimization and propaganda has proved relevant for PSHE and Citizenship teaching and whole-school Anti-Bullying strategies.
Highly pertinent for all students studying a range of arts subjects, particularly BTEC Nationals in Performing Arts, the song ‘Defying Gravity’ is also now a set work for the Edexcel GCSE Music qualification.
Suitable for pupils aged 7+
2 minutes walk from London Victoria mainline and Underground station.
Located between Westminster and Belgravia, Victoria sits at the heart of central London. Home to many of the capital’s most popular destinations (including Buckingham Palace, The Queen’s Gallery and St James’s Park, one of London’s finest Royal Parks), as well as many of its most prestigious hotels, restaurants and theatres, Victoria is currently experiencing a multi-billion-pound regeneration, transforming the area into a vibrant business, residential, food and cultural district for the 21st century.
London Victoria Mainline and Underground Stations are also completing major upgrades in 2018, with new ticket halls, escalators and increased step-free access.
Take your school
If you think you know the Wicked Witch of the West, think again. When Dorothy famously triumphed over the Wicked Witch, we only ever heard one side of the story. Gregory Maguire’s acclaimed 1995 novel, ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’, re-imagines the Land of Oz, creating a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum and first published as ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ in 1900.
About Wicked
Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl named Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Acclaimed as “one of the West End’s true modern classics” (Metro), and already the 14th longest running show in London theatre history, Wicked has show-stopping songs by Academy Award® winner Stephen Schwartz and is adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (My So Called Life). Wicked is a three-time winner of the WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best West End Show’ and a two-time winner of the Olivier Audience Award. The show has also been twice voted Best Theatre Trip for Schools by teachers.
Wicked educational learning for the classroom
Within a dedicated Education section on the Wicked website they have free lesson plans to support English, Drama and PSHE teaching. Developed with teachers, these resources cover topics provoking discussion about the staging, themes and narrative of the production – long after the final curtain. They also provide script extracts, plus a story synopsis with character profiles, which are ideal for use with pupils both before and after the show. They also offer a full workshop programme, including specially designed anti-bullying workshops developed with the Anti Bullying Alliance.
WICKED is performed eight times a week, as follows:
Monday – Saturday evenings at 7.30pm
Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
Please check at the time of booking for any extra performances, which are frequently added at times of high demand including School Holidays and Christmas.
Evening performances end at approximately 10.15pm.
Matinee performances end at approximately 5.15pm.
There is one 20-minute interval.
Please arrive promptly as latecomers cannot be admitted until a designated point in the performance, which is approximately 25 minutes after curtain-up.
Discover more at www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk/education