Spell cast by ‘Wicked’ as relevant as ever
“Wicked” long ago moved beyond the realm of mere musical.
The show, a riff on “The Wizard of Oz” focusing on its pair of witches, is a pop-culture phenomenon. It made stars of Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who have gone on to TV and movie success. The Broadway production, one of the longestrunning in history, still draws near-capacity audiences after more than a decade. And a big-screen version is finally due in December 2019.
The national tour, playing Houston for a fifth time, through Aug. 14, is still splashy and lavish and irresistible. Fans showed up wearing the show’s signature black and bright green — reflected in hats, ties, shirts and shoes.
A limited number of orchestra tickets are sold via lottery, two-and-a-half hours prior to each performance, at the Hobby Center box office for $25 cash. There is a limit of two per person.
Beyond the razzle dazzle, however, the show’s underlying themes feel more relevant today than ever. “Wicked” touches on division of classes, mob mentalities, scapegoating and political corruption. Today, it’s beyond just allegory. It’s a direct reflection of what’s happening throughout much of the country.
The show’s central storyline focuses on witches-in-training Glinda (Amanda Jane Cooper) and Elphaba (Emily Koch), who become unlikely besties at school. The compulsively upbeat Glinda is quickly embraced by the student body, while greenskinned, dour Elphaba becomes an outcast. She is ignored by her father and tolerated by her sister, Nessarose (Megan Masako Haley), who is confined to a wheelchair.
The bulk of the show’s scenes are beautifully built, an intricate mix of spoken words and songs. Glinda and Elphaba eventually arrive in front of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Stuart Zagnit), who is revealed to be a powerless man behind a curtain. He plans to use Elphaba’s formidable powers to strip animals — who speak, work and live among humans and Munchkins — of their rights. Elphaba is disgusted; Glinda is blinded by the promise of power.
“Wicked” has often been criticized for an uneasy balance of spectacle and substance. But it’s impossible to ignore the relevance of several key lines.
“If you make it discouraging enough, you can keep anyone silent,” says Dr. Dillamond (Chad Jen- nings), a goat who teaches history at Shiz University.
“The best way to bring folks together is to give them a really good enemy,” sneers The Wizard.
The cast is terrific, led by fearless performances from Cooper and Koch. The sets and staging are big and brash, but they never overshadow the actors, who carve out several affecting moments.
Cooper’s Glinda is hilarious, completely unafraid to look silly. Her grunts, sighs and kicks put a quirky twist on a seemingly perfect character. Koch is tremendously appealing as Elphaba, infusing her with a wry, nerdy charm.
The pair works up a true chemistry, and they’re both fantastic singers. Cooper is a hoot during “Popular,” and Koch has several standout moments, including “I’m Not That Girl” and the beloved “Defying Gravity.” They had much of the audience in tears during closing duet “For Good.”
Haley is appropriately icy as Nessarose, who can’t understand her sister’s complexities. Wendy Worthington strikes a brittle chord as Madame Morrible. Jake Boyd makes a fine Fiyero and does his best to not be overshadowed by such strong female characters.
“Wicked” is still grand fun, and it’s inspiring to see cast and audience so invested in a show. That it’s messages ring truer today only ensures an even longer, higher-flying run. joey.guerra@chron.com twitter.com/joeyguerra