THE cast has been announced for hit musical Wicked, which will be casting its spell over Bradford this summer - the only UK date on the show's international tour.

More than 25,000 tickets have already been sold for the spectacular show, coming to the Alhambra for a month in July. It will be the only chance to see the show outside London this year.

Following its Bradford run, the production will travel to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, where it opens in September, and will then continue touring internationally until January, 2018.

Wicked, featuring the songs Defying Gravity and Popular, is the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon telling the story of the Witches of Oz. The tour stars Jacqueline Hughes as Elphaba, Carly Anderson as Glinda, Bradley Jaden as Fiyero, Steven Pinder as The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond, Kim Ismay as Madame Morrible, Iddon Jones as Boq and Emily Shaw as Nessarose.

Jacqueline Hughes has starred in a previous tour of Wicked, playing Elphaba to critical acclaim, and is currently appearing in the tour of Mary Poppins. Carly Anderson recently appeared in Sunset Boulevard at the London Coliseum and played the starring role of Kira in the London premiere of the musical Xanadu. Bradley Jaden is currently playing Enjolras in Les Misérables in the West End, while former Brookside star Steven Pinder returns to Wicked to play The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond. Kim Ismay, who has starred in Mamma Mia! in the West End and on its international tour, Iddon Jones is a BAFTA Cymru winner and Emily Shaw was in the original cast of Matilda. Jodie Steele, who recently completed a run in War of the Worlds in the West End, will be the standby for Elphaba.

Based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked is the story of an unlikely friendship between two sorcery students. 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 “a wicked and wonderful vision of Oz”, the show is a magical story of friendship, love and growing up. The multi award-winning London production of Wicked continues its run at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it is now in its 10th year. Around the world, the show has been performed in 14 countries and won more than 100 major awards.

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz.

* Wicked runs at the Alhambra from July 20 to August 21. Tickets are available on (01274) 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk.