Wicked

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Wicked is, well, wicked. Wicked with an awesome, mind-boggling set designed by Eugene Lee. Special Effects designed by Chic Silber. Flying Sequences by 2FX, Inc, and detailed Costumes by Susan Hilferty.

Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba in the touring production of Wicked. Photo by Joan Marcus

Because of Gregory McGuire’s imagination running loose out its cage wandering and wondering what went on in the Land of Oz before a tornado carried Dorothy and Toto the Technicolor upside down world of Oz. Why was the Wicked Witch of the West so mean, ugly and green? Because of the ingenious foresight of musical-minded Stephen Schwartz who wrote music and lyrics, and the playful sensations of Winnie Holzman’s book, Wicked took Broadway by storm, winning 15 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards.

Wicked captured the hearts and minds of Denver Center Attractions turning the Box Office upside down and sideways, selling out before anyone knew what was happening. No question, Wicked will be one of those always all-time favorites, returning again and again.

The complicated, fun-loving, original book The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum, seeps more and more into the heart of human nature as the years slip by. What does it mean to have a heart, where does courage come form, and what motivates a brain to engage to full capacity? Just about the time the answers are all boxed up and tied with a red ribbon, the questions roll out on a red carpet once again as though they have never before been asked. Appearance cloaks the stage of life wondering over and over what is good and what is evil? When dug for, the answer remains, it depends upon where one stands.

Driving home its point, Wicked plays with the possibility of serious questions engulfed with slap-happy humor, elementary jokes, bordered by heavy laughing and taunted giggles. Some of the jokes in Act II pointing toward The Wizard of Oz could be smelled coming several paragraphs away with their obvious illusions. Illusionary jokes are especially funny when they topple over with a surprise attack, losing their punch when spotted jogging ahead. In spite of its overwhelming success, Wicked could be even funnier, more poignant. If the jokes weren’t so obvious, flashing a neon sign paragraphs away “joke coming.” Turning Boq, a Munchkin nerd delightfully played by Logan Lipton, into the Tin Man was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back. That was either pushing the imagination too far, or not far enough, cheapening the residue of the production. For the over-all effect, that might be a minor point. Obviously I am in the minority, but it cut deeply into my funny bone structure.

One of the stars is green, born that way, without much explanation. She’s different, and knows she’s different which only strengthens her self-esteem, confidence, and social consciousness. With her huge voice, and graceful body movements, Stephanie J. Block slips magnificently into the heart and soul and greenness of Elphaba whose determination, awareness, and anger carries her into the realm of the Wicked Witch of the West. Her name graciously honors Baum himself by spelling out his initials. Block is stunning when she is just a green person living in a un-green world, and when her fury and magical gift carries her into a new world of authority and power.

Befriended in school by Galinda, a perfect copy of the stereotypical blond California Valley girl hellbent for election to stay at the top of everyone’s popularity list no matter how superficial the life-style may be, is played to the hilt with bouncing curls, bouncing feet, wide eyes, and sometimes deliberate jolting voice by Kendra Kassebaum.

Thrusting Elphaba and Galinda together forcing each one to see through the other’s façade is a brilliant move. Tracing their paths and differences taking them down separate but parallel roads paves the way for the Wicked Witch of the West to loom, and Galinda to become Glinda the Good Witch of the North. Along the musical route, the good isn’t always good, and the evil isn’t always evil. Ultimately, that is a very good thing.

When Carol Kane takes command of the stage as Madame Morrible, she commands the stage no matter how many characters demand attention. Strong, authoritative, powerful, Kane knows how to make her character rule. What a boon to this cast she is.

Timothy Britton Parker steals the heart as Doctor Dillamond the token goat teaching at the school. He looses his voice to a choking croak after it was declared all animals should no longer be able to speak. He’s a goat and she’s green bringing strong camaraderie into play between Dillamond and Elphaba. There is a time and place for anger, and Elphaba has reason to let her anger out ifs cage in a rage.

Jenna Leigh Green’s versatility as Nessarose, Elphaba’s wheelchair-bound sister who finds her own path of pity, unexpected love, and desperate anger leading her to transform into the Wicked Witch of the East comes about with crisp, clear calculated talent.

The technical, graceful choreography of the Flying Monkeys takes the breath away, and rightfully so. They are more fun than a barrel of, well, monkeys.

Directed by Joe Mantello, his expertise brought his vision into full view with strong character development, and a tight visual picture highlighting all of his characters on the Buell stage.

Conductor Robert Billig and his traveling orchestra attacked the mystical music with overwhelming strength and power filling the senses with anticipation from the very fist note.

Yes, Wicked will cling to its high popularity for a very long time, in spite of the all too obvious jokes. Stunning, thought-provoking, fun, and funny, warm, touching, Wicked takes a hard sideways look at truth from Elphaba’s greenness, to Dillamond’s croaking, Nessarose’s pathetic desire for love, Glinda’s grab at popularity, Boq’s social awkwardness, Morrible’s tough authority, and, ah, yes to the Wizard’s sly façade of pretense, so amicably displayed by David Garrison.

Tickets are hard to come by, but they can be obtained with determination, patience, and a puff of magical essence. A limited number of front row seats are available the day of the performance through a lottery. The limit is two tickets per person, and it’s cash only. The clue is to get there early. Winners must be present, with photo ID, when names are called. Call the box office frequently. Unexpected cancellations do happen.