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Regional Reviews: Connecticut and the Berkshires Regional Reviews by Fred Sokol Wicked Also see Zander's review of Say Goodnight, Gracie
The actors have the great fortune to be working with lyrics and music by Stephen Schwartz and benefit from the direction of Joe Mantello and musical staging by Wayne Cilento - with music supervision by Stephen Oremus. William David Brohn supplies orchestrations which have been adapted by Christopher Jahnke. Ostensibly, Elphaba (Harris) is green and bad while Glinda (Lindsay) is fair, blonde, and good. They discover one another while attending boarding school. Left to her own devices, Elphaba would blend in with the walls but, after all, she is green and this is just not possible. On the other hand, Glinda, for a time, is glowing, adored, and attracted to the handsome Fiyero (Matt Shingledecker). The plotting moves in various directions, one of which involves complexities with the male romantic interest. Adolescents in the house loved this! Elphaba is supposed to care for her wheelchair-bound sister, Nessarose (Jenny Fellner). At the school, headmistress Madame Morrible (Kathy Fitzgerald) is pretty much despised. Doctor Dillamond (Wayne Schroder at the recent Thursday matinee) is an atypical teacher to say the very least. To mention his visual would be a spoiler. Move ahead to the second act and, by now, Elphaba has taken to voice her criticisms toward The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Gene Weygandt). Nessarose has become Governor in Munchkinland ... eventually Elphaba hopes to liberate all the monkeys. Glinda will finally discover that Fiyero will not be her man. The musical is far from simplistic but is a story of a friendship which might well endure. During the final portion of the show, those witches, whose relationship has not been uniformly smooth, express forgiveness, show kindness, and admit that neither has been perfect. Schwartz brings us tunes such as "Popular," which sweet-voiced Kara Lindsay sings. She, Harris and others close the first act with the recognizable "Defying Gravity." Harris shines with her moments on "No Good Deed." The two women bring a lovely version of the duet "For Good" near the end of the production. In all, Wicked, often told in flashback mode, takes the Oz story and, if you will, creates a wicked spin since it is told by the two witches. The music is oftentimes soft rock variety and everyone wants to pull for the relatively more ugly Elphaba. Hence, she is a fun to root for underdog. Susan Hilferty's wardrobing is splendid. Lee's set is sometimes spectacular and the transitions, such as one to a glorious Emerald City, are precise. Actress Laurel Harris understudied Elphaba and Nessarose before embodying the green witch for each performance. The current tour affords Kara Lindsay, as Glinda, her first opportunity to star in this musical. Though they are cast as rivals, these young actresses have a great sense of one another which sustains. Their synergy permeates this large hall. It is possible to return to Wicked and focus upon one particular aspect of the show. In the end, however, the witches, separately and together, cannot be denied. The youthful stars performing at the Bushnell are poised, polished—yet brimming with enthusiasm. From afar, even, one appreciates their expressive authenticity. Wicked continues at the Bushnell Theatre in Hartford through November 23rd. For tickets, call (860) 987-5900 or bushnell.org. For more information on the tour, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.
- Fred Sokol |
