Theater: Still 'Wicked'
Review: A touring version of the phenomenally popular musical arrives in O.C. with all of the show's trademark attributes intact.
By PAUL HODGINS
The Orange County Register
Recently, there's been a lot of speculation about why "Wicked," an imaginative musical prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," is so gosh-darned popular.
Don't believe me? Then consider this: the Orange County Performing Arts Center, where "Wicked" opened Thursday for a brief run on its first national tour, sold out close to 50,000 tickets in a matter of days.
I have a theory, based purely on empirical data: "Wicked" is hugely entertaining. It's brilliantly crafted, seamlessly weaving its story into the pre-existing Oz narrative. Stephen Schwartz's songs are among the best he has penned in his long and illustrious career.
And "Wicked" has what I call the magic "Phantom" factor: It's about a misunderstood geek who's really not that bad. Who among us (those who were always chosen last for the dodgeball team, anyway) can't relate to a character like that?
Schwartz and writer Winnie Holzman ("My So-Called Life") have wisely tapped Gregory Maguire's novel without getting tangled in its complexities. The story zeroes in on a mean, green teen named Elphaba and her often bumpy relations with the world of Oz – particularly her rival, Galinda.
Elphaba is from a noble household plagued by bad luck and infidelity. Her younger sister Nessarose was born with deformed legs, and Elphaba feels responsible – her parents' fear of producing another child with Elphaba's bright green skin led to an unhealthy pregnancy and a premature birth.
Years later, Elphaba and Nessarose arrive at Shiz, a Hogwart's-style academy. Elphaba, who's been sent to the school to serve as her sister's caregiver, is shunned by her fellow students.
To make matters worse, Elphaba's roommate is a nightmare. Galinda, bubbly, self-absorbed and terminally blond, has yet to encounter a speed bump or even a pebble on her sunny road of life.
Amazingly, these opposites somehow develop a close bond, even after the school's headmistress, the formidable Madame Morrible, decides Elphaba needs special tutoring because of her unusual skills: Every time the emerald kid goes ballistic, strange stuff happens.
"Wicked's" story revolves around one of Elphaba's most endearing traits: her concern for animals. Doctor Dillamond, a scholarly old goat, is the last remaining four-legged faculty member at Shiz. The Wizard of Oz wants to banish animals to the Ozzian hinterlands, and the pressure has taken its toll on Dillamond, who has started to lose his ability to talk.
The Dillamond story is one of several that fill out the many characters and situations in L. Frank Baum's original "Wizard of Oz." Sometimes the speculation is clever and adds poignancy to the tale. At other times, it seems a bit strained.
More successful are the new characters and the romantic entanglements they bring. Cupid's misfiring arrows create motivations for the dramatic events that propel "Wicked" to its eventful final chapter, which begins when that brat from Kansas and her little dog drop by.
Schwartz and Holzman make sure that "Wicked's" many subplots aren't just filigree, but work to reinforce story's essence: Galinda and Elphaba's complicated relationship. My hunch is that's the key to this show's success. It's about friendship – its unpredictability, its resilience, its importance.
As Elphaba, Julia Murney must project the cast's biggest character arc, transforming from nerdy, bitter girl into a compassionate woman who finds a way to endure all the unfairness that life has dealt her. Songs such as "The Wizard and I" are bursting with the longing and pain that Elphaba has been harboring for too long. Strong of voice and stout of spirit, Murney's Elphaba is this production's undisputed star.
Kendra Kassebaum played Galinda in last year's Pantages production, and her mastery of the role has deepened. Kassebaum's winsome witch is as cute and annoying as ever – she still stamps her feet and swings her legs to show her girlish glee – but as Galinda gets more entangled with Elphaba's adventures, Kassebaum shows glints of a growing maturity that weren't there before. It makes sense: Elphaba's transformation changes her best friend almost as profoundly.
There's plenty of talent in supporting roles.
Sebastian Arcelus plays Fiyero, the object of both Elphaba's and Galinda's affections, as a callow stallion who gradually realizes that life in Oz is more serious, and his actions more fraught with consequences, than he imagined. Alma Cuervo plays Morrible as a haughty old battle ax; her character's comeuppance brought cheers at Thursday's performance. And K. Todd Freeman brings pathos to poor old Dillamond without milking his character's plight.
Director Joe Mantello keeps this complicated show flowing briskly. Eugene Lee's fanciful sets impress without overwhelming the story; ditto Susan Hilferty's costumes, which employ a riot of green.
To those who couldn't snag a "Wicked" ticket, my sympathies. Here's one consolation: a show this popular will undoubtedly come around again and again. Like "Phantom," "Wicked" is destined to be a cultural icon for years to come.
CONTACT US: 'Wicked' 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com
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By PAUL HODGINS
The Orange County Register
Recently, there's been a lot of speculation about why "Wicked," an imaginative musical prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," is so gosh-darned popular.
Don't believe me? Then consider this: the Orange County Performing Arts Center, where "Wicked" opened Thursday for a brief run on its first national tour, sold out close to 50,000 tickets in a matter of days.
I have a theory, based purely on empirical data: "Wicked" is hugely entertaining. It's brilliantly crafted, seamlessly weaving its story into the pre-existing Oz narrative. Stephen Schwartz's songs are among the best he has penned in his long and illustrious career.
And "Wicked" has what I call the magic "Phantom" factor: It's about a misunderstood geek who's really not that bad. Who among us (those who were always chosen last for the dodgeball team, anyway) can't relate to a character like that?
Schwartz and writer Winnie Holzman ("My So-Called Life") have wisely tapped Gregory Maguire's novel without getting tangled in its complexities. The story zeroes in on a mean, green teen named Elphaba and her often bumpy relations with the world of Oz – particularly her rival, Galinda.
Elphaba is from a noble household plagued by bad luck and infidelity. Her younger sister Nessarose was born with deformed legs, and Elphaba feels responsible – her parents' fear of producing another child with Elphaba's bright green skin led to an unhealthy pregnancy and a premature birth.
Years later, Elphaba and Nessarose arrive at Shiz, a Hogwart's-style academy. Elphaba, who's been sent to the school to serve as her sister's caregiver, is shunned by her fellow students.
To make matters worse, Elphaba's roommate is a nightmare. Galinda, bubbly, self-absorbed and terminally blond, has yet to encounter a speed bump or even a pebble on her sunny road of life.
Amazingly, these opposites somehow develop a close bond, even after the school's headmistress, the formidable Madame Morrible, decides Elphaba needs special tutoring because of her unusual skills: Every time the emerald kid goes ballistic, strange stuff happens.
"Wicked's" story revolves around one of Elphaba's most endearing traits: her concern for animals. Doctor Dillamond, a scholarly old goat, is the last remaining four-legged faculty member at Shiz. The Wizard of Oz wants to banish animals to the Ozzian hinterlands, and the pressure has taken its toll on Dillamond, who has started to lose his ability to talk.
The Dillamond story is one of several that fill out the many characters and situations in L. Frank Baum's original "Wizard of Oz." Sometimes the speculation is clever and adds poignancy to the tale. At other times, it seems a bit strained.
More successful are the new characters and the romantic entanglements they bring. Cupid's misfiring arrows create motivations for the dramatic events that propel "Wicked" to its eventful final chapter, which begins when that brat from Kansas and her little dog drop by.
Schwartz and Holzman make sure that "Wicked's" many subplots aren't just filigree, but work to reinforce story's essence: Galinda and Elphaba's complicated relationship. My hunch is that's the key to this show's success. It's about friendship – its unpredictability, its resilience, its importance.
As Elphaba, Julia Murney must project the cast's biggest character arc, transforming from nerdy, bitter girl into a compassionate woman who finds a way to endure all the unfairness that life has dealt her. Songs such as "The Wizard and I" are bursting with the longing and pain that Elphaba has been harboring for too long. Strong of voice and stout of spirit, Murney's Elphaba is this production's undisputed star.
Kendra Kassebaum played Galinda in last year's Pantages production, and her mastery of the role has deepened. Kassebaum's winsome witch is as cute and annoying as ever – she still stamps her feet and swings her legs to show her girlish glee – but as Galinda gets more entangled with Elphaba's adventures, Kassebaum shows glints of a growing maturity that weren't there before. It makes sense: Elphaba's transformation changes her best friend almost as profoundly.
There's plenty of talent in supporting roles.
Sebastian Arcelus plays Fiyero, the object of both Elphaba's and Galinda's affections, as a callow stallion who gradually realizes that life in Oz is more serious, and his actions more fraught with consequences, than he imagined. Alma Cuervo plays Morrible as a haughty old battle ax; her character's comeuppance brought cheers at Thursday's performance. And K. Todd Freeman brings pathos to poor old Dillamond without milking his character's plight.
Director Joe Mantello keeps this complicated show flowing briskly. Eugene Lee's fanciful sets impress without overwhelming the story; ditto Susan Hilferty's costumes, which employ a riot of green.
To those who couldn't snag a "Wicked" ticket, my sympathies. Here's one consolation: a show this popular will undoubtedly come around again and again. Like "Phantom," "Wicked" is destined to be a cultural icon for years to come.
CONTACT US: 'Wicked' 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com
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