Elphaba,
an intelligent young woman (a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West), is ostracized
for her green skin in a world that values the vacuous blond beauty embodied by
her peer, Galinda (a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch). Throughout, Elphaba defies
immense pressure to conform to homogenized unity; ultimately, she endures
political demonization. While Elphaba never sings “Born this Way” or faces a
barrage of fruit slushies, she's like the spiritual predecessor of those signifiers.
More important, the current touring cast embraces the musical like the “Glee”
students themselves, with invigorated passion and polished flair.
At
its core, “Wicked” tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Elphaba
(Christine Dwyer) and Galinda (Jeanna De Waal), its evolutionary transformation
and its dramatic consequences for the land of Oz. Sure, “Wicked” is also a
veiled thesis on free speech, white privilege and the politics of prejudice,
but these elements typically work to provide a more textured backdrop for the
characters instead of upstaging the characters themselves.
Both
Dwyer and De Waal are invigorating in their respective roles. De Waal finds
comic nuance in her broad blond stereotype, particularly when delivering lines
of sincere condescension, such as when she offers Elphaba “an assist from me,
to be who you'll be, instead of dreary who you were” in her strongest number,
“Popular.” Glinda, as portrayed in “Wicked,” is a spoiled brat whose cunning
manipulation reveals the hidden intelligence behind her glittering frocks.
With
dry wit, Dwyer delivers insider zingers like, “We can't all come and go by
bubble.” Elphaba's self-deprecating charm makes her instantly relatable, and
her affirmation, “I don't cause commotion — I am one” enshrines her as a
troublemaking role model. Even with the heavy expectations for the definitive
Act I closer, “Defying Gravity,” Dwyer individualizes the song by making it a
culmination of Elphaba's emotional journey up to that point.
While
both actresses at times struggle to give their upper-register notes a fuller sound,
their voices never detract from the message or the emotional intensity of the
songs.
Other
strong performances come from Billy Harrigan Tighe as Fiyero, the dashing male
crush; Marilyn Caskey as the sniping sorcery professor Madame Morrible; and
Paul Kreppel as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz himself. Kreppel shines in his
featured number, “Wonderful” in Act II, in which he reveals that
well-intentioned yet incompetent leadership can be just as dangerous as
malicious intent.
In
addition to these obvious swipes at the George W. Bush administration, Winnie
Holzman's book draws from a lush literary pool, including Gregory Maguire's
novel “Wicked,” L. Frank Baum's original Oz tales and the classic Judy Garland
film (which was also based on Baum's books). Those varied influences also shape
Stephen Schwartz's pop-toned music and lyrics, Eugene Lee's stunning set and
Susan Hilferty's luminescent costumes.
Lee's
steampunk-styled backdrops made of interlocking gears and clock cogs
exponentially enhance Hilferty's dazzling dresses, which resemble a blend of
Lady Gaga's runway apparel and the Capitol fashions from “The Hunger Games.”
Beautifully hued by Kenneth Posner's lighting design, the set and costumes take
the dark, Disneyesque spectacle to the highest level.
On
one hand, the “truth” espoused in “Wicked” makes the “The Wizard of Oz” look
like a superficial propaganda film: That's part of the joke. But the real
message is friendship and tolerance, and you need not know anything about “The
Wizard of Oz” — or “The Wiz” — to appreciate and enjoy this incredible
production.
‘Wicked’
Through July 8
Wharton Center
8 p.m. Friday,
June 29; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, June 30; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July
1; 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 2, Tuesday, July 3 and Thursday, July 5 (no
shows on July 4); 8 p.m. July 6; 2 and 8 p.m. July 7; 1 and 6:30 p.m.
July 8
$38-$93. (A lottery for $25 orchestra
seats takes place two and a half hours before each show; payment for
lottery seats is cash-only.)
(800) WHARTON, or www.whartoncenter.com
