BY DAWN

BAUMGARTNER VAUGHAN

dvaughan@heraldsun.com;

419-6563

DURHAM — Even before construction was complete on the Durham Performing Arts Center in late 2008, the name of a big-name Broadway show was drawing attention. Now, finally, “Wicked” is on its way. The national tour comes to DPAC April 21 and stays for almost four weeks.

The Broadway musical “Wicked” is based on the Gregory Maguire novel, with some changes to the plot. Elphaba, born with green skin and who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and shallow Glinda, who becomes Glinda the Good, meet and become frenemies at Shiz University.

“The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz” will feature Marci Dodd as Elphaba and Helene York as Glinda. Dodd most recently portrayed Elphaba on Broadway. When “Wicked” leaves Durham on May 16, it will begin a run in Charlotte three days later. DPAC held a VIP preview in October for group sales. Producer David Stone said then that “Wicked” sells out every theater, often very quickly. Individual tickets for the DPAC shows go on sale Jan. 15.

There are 10,000 season ticket subscribers this year for DPAC’s Broadway shows, which also include “Mama Mia!” later this month, “Spring Awakening,” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and a return engagement of Oprah Winfrey’s “The Color Purple.” For information, visit www.dpacnc.com.