A perennial favorite, Wicked has been a Broadway fixture at the Gershwin Theatre since 2003. From the show’s website:
Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz – but from a different angle. There is a young woman, born with emerald-green skin – smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships until the world decides to call one good and the other one wicked.
Compared to other Broadway theaters, the Gershwin Theatre is large, housing 1,933 seats. In fact, according to Playbill, the Gershwin Theatre is Broadway’s largest – and it certainly feels like it.

Though I haven’t been to this production of Wicked, I do know that it has housed a Meyer Sound system for a number of years. During the COVID-19 shutdown, the show refreshed its sound system with several new components.

The show splits vocals and orchestral content into two systems, with orchestral amplification provided via a left/right hang and vocals delivered through the center. Here, vocals are primarily handled by two four-box LINA arrays from Meyer Sound situated underneath a large prop dragon. If you look closely, you can also see two UPAs used for monitoring facing the stage.
The show’s orchestra is amplified by left and right hangs of LEOPARD, with six line array elements underneath a 900-LFC subwoofer.

Additional low-frequency support is provided by two Meyer Sound 1100-LFCs per side, positioned underneath a large lighting rig.

To provide additional coverage, fills are handled by Meyer Sound X-40 and X-42s embedded within the set on the left and right sides of the theater.

Components from the show’s previous system remain, including MM-4s along the lip of the stage and UPMs used for effects and delays.


Additional effects are also provided by MM-4s throughout the theater.
To my knowledge, the lighting system remains the same, with Wicked relying on Vari-Lite VL3000 Spots and VL2000s. Meanwhile, conventional lighting is provided by dozens of ETC Source Fours.
Of course, the show uses additional lighting fixtures that are obscured until show time. Anyone have a guess as to what they are?
After 18 years, Wicked now represents a classic Broadway production with some revitalized infrastructure. You won’t find comparably modern staging techniques that are used in shows like Company or Hamilton, but you will find a great production that has stood the test of time – and for good reason. Good shows usually last on Broadway, and bad shows…well, you get the idea. Given the theater’s size, it’s all the more impressive that Wicked continues to run with no end date in sight.
As someone who has a deeper interest in the audio side of things, it’s great seeing a show like Wicked receive new gear. While I haven’t been able to find a definitive list of what was used prior to the refresh, I believe Wicked relied heavily on the M1D and M2D line array systems from Meyer. These are great boxes, but they were also quickly approaching two decades of operation. LEOPARD and LINA represent a nice jump in performance and it’s always a good sign when a show like this receives such an investment.
Here’s to many more years on Broadway.
Equipment list:
- Meyer Sound LEOPARD
- Meyer Sound LINA
- Meyer Sound 900-LFC
- Meyer Sound 1100-LFC
- Meyer Sound X-40/2
- Meyer Sound UPM
- Meyer Sound MM-4
- Vari-Lite VL3000 Spot
- Vari-Lite VL2000
- ETC Source Four
These photos were taken on December 12, 2021 in New York, New York.