Now is the time to be Wicked with the movie and especially the musical now playing at the Pantages Theatre! The movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande was reviewed here: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2024/11/wicked-part-i-review.html. In comparison, the musical has a lively pace, stunning scenes, and of course it always great to catch live performances. It is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995). Interestingly, adaptation rights went first for a movie, but the musical by Stephen Schwartz arrived twenty-one years before the film. His latest musical is The Queen of Versailles, starring Kristin Chenoweth, which is planned to open on Broadway nex year.
The stage has a curtain with a large map of Oz, the settings were by Eugene Lee, this is a part of the show that should have been in the movie to establish setting. Above the stage is a large clockwork dragon. The Flying Monkeys clamber onto the stage, they have hair that are strands with glowing lights. One turns a wheel to open the curtain. Then, there is a celebration of the Munchkins. Glinda (Austen Danielle Bohmer) descends in a metal hoop like a Vegas stage piece. Bohmer was part of the Diana (2021) Broadway musical. She has a blue dress that reminds me of the live action Cinderella (2015). The costumes are by Susan HIlferty. Glinda here is charming, her goofiness brings audience laughs, and there is just a turning point to her search for being noticed.
Glinda tells the story of the Wicked Witch to the Munchkins. This takes place center stage where baby Elphaba is seen with green skin and rejected by the Witch’s Father (David Kaverman), Governor Thropp. This gets to the song, “No One Mourns the Wicked.” A Munchkin asks, “Glinda, is it true you were her friend?” Glinda is not only the storyteller setting up this tale, but acts almost as a political spin doctor. Elphaba (Carly Augenstein) runs out to center stage with her suitcase. Augenstein is the standby actor, very talented, her work includes Off Broadway with Fancy Nancy the Musical (2012). There is an closeness of stage that can really be seen in Elphaba with her practical, but guarded personality.
She wears a black suit and skirt, blue knit cap, and glasses, not a showy person. Also, it is great to see closeup Elphaba’s green make-up. A portrait of Dr. Dillamond moves on stage to show Shiz University. It was also noticeable when the students were repulsed by Elphaba. Galinda is on a staircase and then is startled by Elphaba. Her sister, Nessarose (Erica Ito) comes on stage in her wheelchair. Ito is the host of the Seaweed Brain podcast. Nessa is more supportive of her sister than in the film. The Witch’s Father notes that she was sent to the school to watch over her sister. Next Madame Morrible (Kelley Dorney) appears. Dorney was in the production of Annie at the Hollywood Bowl. The headmistress of Shiz University, the focus is more on Doctor Dillamond, until her role becomes very important later. She has a red dress with gold embroidery, white make-up and two tufts of hair like the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland (2010).
Galinda's fellow students, Pfanne, Shenshen, and Milla, fawn over her. They more part of the ensemble than in the film. Madame Morrible asks for volunteers to share a room, hands go up, with Elphaba, then hands go down. The only one with hand up, not noticing what is going on, is Galinda. Morrible begins to take away Nessa when Elphaba uses her power! This rolls her wheelchair across the stage to Elphaba, kinda neat effect. Morrible is impressed and offers to privately tutor Elphaba. She tells Elphaba that the Wizard may take interest in her. I think thiswould interest the students. Elphaba, alone, wonders at meeting the Wizard and sings, “The Wizard and I.” Still, she finds herself at odds with Galinda who wanted her own suite with “What is this Feeling?” They find themselves at opposite ends of the stage when we get the classroom with blackboard and the entrance of Doctor Dillamund (David Kaverman), the goat professor of history.
Kaverman was on the national tour of Motown: The Musical. He has a tan coat, two, long horns and goat face that makes me think of the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth (2006). Of course, he is an actual goat, seen in CGI form in the movie. Dillamund says he is “the sole animal on the faculty.” He says that talking animals were everywhere on campus. I like this look at Oz's past which seems to be like Narnia's talking animals. Elphaba answers the question that the change had happened with the Great Drought. Galinda is annoyed that the professor cannot pronounce the “a” in her name. Dillamond flips over the blackboard with the shocking red chalk message, “Animals should be seen and not heard.” The class is dismissed and Elphaba stays since she doesn’t have any friends. She shares some crackers with Doctor Dillamond. Then, Morrible arrives and Elphaba leaves.
Five Green Elixirs out of Five!
#Wicked, #PantagesTheatre, #StephenSchwartz, #EugeneLee, #CarlyAugenstein, #AustenDanielleBohmer, #XavierMcKinnon, #EricaIto, #KelleyDorney, #DavidKaverman
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