WICKED, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, flew into the North-East today (Tuesday, March 2).

The cast has a four-week engagement at the Sunderland Empire, with almost 50,000 tickets sold for the run ending on Saturday, April 25.

The spectacular, critically-acclaimed UK and Ireland Tour has sold more than one million tickets since its premiere in 2013 at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.

Wicked stars Ashleigh Gray (Elphaba), Emily Tierney (Glinda), Samuel Edwards (Fiyero), Marilyn Cutts (Madame Morrible), Steven Pinder (The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond), Carina Gillespie (Nessarose) and Richard Vincent (Boq).

The London production has now been seen by more than 6.5 million people and recently played its landmark 3,500th performance.

Around the world, Wicked has been seen by 45 million people in 13 countries and won 100 international awards.

Wicked, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, musical staging by Wayne Cilento and directed by Joe Mantello, is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

Tickets start at £15 with best availability for midweek matinees. For more details call the box office on 0844 871 3022.