Reviews

Wicked: Wickedly Popular!
Alley T. W. Kitten

Come with me to the Emerald City. . .

The posters say “So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.” And the posters aren’t joking! Before one witch was good, another witch wicked, and another witch...squished, they were Galinda, Elphaba and Nessarose: students of Shiz University. Elphaba (who’s 'exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe') is mistakenly roomed with Galinda (who’s 'blonde'). It’s loathe at first sight as the green skin of one clashes with the pink party dresses of the other. Elphaba remains strong though. Her sister, Nessarose, is a tragic beauty stuck in a wheelchair. But teenage angst turns light when Elphaba’s hidden talent for sorcery is discovered by Madame Morrible. The professor takes Elphaba under her wing and tutors the girl in the ways of magic.

Wicked is based on the novel Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire, which is inspired by the movie The Wizard of Oz based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Without ruining the story, this musical pays homage to all three of its predecessors. Acting, lighting, costumes, sets and music all fall together in a harmony that screams “Broadway!” In fact, if all musicals were as wonderful as Wicked, Broadway would be considered a magic place found only in fairytales.

The Defying Gravity tour stars Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba and Kendra Kassebaum as Galinda. However, I had the honor of seeing Ms. Kassebaum’s understudy: Katie Adams. Katie’s performance was so wonderful I had no desire to see Kendra’s Galinda. Stephanie was a fabulous Elphaba and turned a character that I loved with a childhood hatred into someone I wanted to shake hands with.

Other cast members who were equally wonderful included Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose, Carol Kane as Madame Morrible, Derrick Williams as Fiyero and David Garrison as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If some of these names sound familiar it’s because they’re all TV or movie personalities.

The Defying Gravity Tour is performing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through July 31st. Other productions of Wicked occur nightly at the Gershwin Theatre in New York, and the Oriental Theatre in Chicago. For more information concerning cast and tour schedules please visit the official website: http://www.wickedthemusical.com/

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Notes The Alte Sententiam is Ravenclaw's running newspaper. Alte Sententiam means 'Higher Thoughts' and its current co-editors-in-chief are Chloe Fairchilde and Cassandra Lobiesk. Articles Malicious Spoilerism Dark Wizards Can't Swim Luna's Expeditions Scientifics To Run or Not to Run Alchemy and Harry Potter Past that Created the Present Not a Sue Reviews Wicked: Wickedly Popular! Puzzles Broomsticks Incantations Info FAQ Staff The Roost HOL	Reviews Wicked: Wickedly Popular! Alley T. W. Kitten Come with me to the Emerald City. . . The posters say “So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.” And the posters aren’t joking! Before one witch was good, another witch wicked, and another witch...squished, they were Galinda, Elphaba and Nessarose: students of Shiz University. Elphaba (who’s 'exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe') is mistakenly roomed with Galinda (who’s 'blonde'). It’s loathe at first sight as the green skin of one clashes with the pink party dresses of the other. Elphaba remains strong though. Her sister, Nessarose, is a tragic beauty stuck in a wheelchair. But teenage angst turns light when Elphaba’s hidden talent for sorcery is discovered by Madame Morrible. The professor takes Elphaba under her wing and tutors the girl in the ways of magic. Wicked is based on the novel Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire, which is inspired by the movie The Wizard of Oz based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Without ruining the story, this musical pays homage to all three of its predecessors. Acting, lighting, costumes, sets and music all fall together in a harmony that screams “Broadway!” In fact, if all musicals were as wonderful as Wicked, Broadway would be considered a magic place found only in fairytales. The Defying Gravity tour stars Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba and Kendra Kassebaum as Galinda. However, I had the honor of seeing Ms. Kassebaum’s understudy: Katie Adams. Katie’s performance was so wonderful I had no desire to see Kendra’s Galinda. Stephanie was a fabulous Elphaba and turned a character that I loved with a childhood hatred into someone I wanted to shake hands with. Other cast members who were equally wonderful included Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose, Carol Kane as Madame Morrible, Derrick Williams as Fiyero and David Garrison as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If some of these names sound familiar it’s because they’re all TV or movie personalities. The Defying Gravity Tour is performing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through July 31st. Other productions of Wicked occur nightly at the Gershwin Theatre in New York, and the Oriental Theatre in Chicago. For more information concerning cast and tour schedules please visit the official website: http://www.wickedthemusical.com/ [ Return to Top ]