The blockbuster Broadway musical Wicked arrived in Birmingham at the BJCC Concert Hall this morning, and Bham Now got a chance to see the legendary production unload and put together the stage.

As they say in the show and smash-hit film, it “defied gravity.”

Wicked arrives in Birmingham

Birmingham is in for a magical Broadway musical treat this month.

The winner of over 100 international awards—including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards—Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world, while the blockbuster film version premiered in late 2024 and has become a box office hit.

With 24 scheduled performances this month, Wicked is the first engagement in the 25–26 Broadway in Birmingham Series. But getting everything put together in time is no easy task.

Wicked’s Assistant Stage Manager Joe Heaton described setting up the stage for Wicked as a huge jigsaw puzzle.

“It takes two days to get it in and it takes six hours to get it out.”
Joe Heaton, Assisstant Stage Manager, Wicked

WICKED stage before a three-week September 2025 engagement. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

To set up the stage, about 100 locals assisted the 25 touring company employees in unloading and putting the stage, floor and props together.

“If we didn’t have the locals it would take us about 20 years to put it together.”
Joe Heaton, Assisstant Stage Manager, Wicked

Here are the numbers:

13 semi-trucks worth of flooring and backdrops
30+ backdrops, including Glinda’s bubble and Ephaba’s apparatus to fly
70 tons worth of props that hang in the air, from lighting instruments to scenic drops

Haven’t bought your tickets yet? Visit BroadwayInBirmingham.com, BJCC.org and Ticketmaster.com today.