Wicked Awesome

I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve gotten to see a number of musicals in my life on and off Broadway. From Phantom of the Opera to The Lion King, from Les Miserables to Cats, Aida, Avenue Q, et al. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing some of the best singers, watching some of the best dancers, and viewed some of the best design work in the business. However, all my preconceived notions about the stage were thrown in to the garbage this last weekend as I finally got my chance to witness what is, in my opinion, the best musical ever to grace the theater. No, I’m not kidding or overreacting. Wicked really is that good.

Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and produced by a stellar creative team consisting of Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, Joe Mantello, Wayne Cilento, and Eugene Lee. The premise is to tell the other side of the story of The Wizard of Oz, that of how the Wicked Which of the West (whose real name is Elphaba) became who she is, and you’ll be surprised by how it all came to pass. You’ll have to read the book or see the show to find out more.

The production is simply incredible. The two stars, Helene York who plays Glinda and Marcie Dodd who plays Elphaba, not only put on a fantastic showcase of acting and humor (on that note, some of the best on-stage chemistry I’ve ever seen) but also vocal talent that I haven’t heard since I was lucky enough to see Phantom on Broadway. Dodd’s “Defying Gravity” is simply breathtaking and will give you chills, at least it gave me them. The rest of the cast does a fantastic job of providing a great foundation of acting and singing talent for York and Dodd. The costume and set design is very artistic and appealing and when combined with the unbelievable lighting work makes for some serious eye candy never really witnessed on stage before. How much more can I say? In two and a half hours (with a fifteen minute intermission) you really get the whole package, a theater lover’s dream musical. So my advice? Go see Wicked. Right now. No, stop reading this blog, grab a ticket (or two or twelve), and go do yourself a favor, nay, a service and treat yourself to this spectacular show.

by Aaron Gertler