San Francisco’s Beaux Arts City Hall was lit up in green to celebrate the re-opening of “Wicked,” as it returns to the city where the long-running, lauded musical, “Wicked” had its pre-Broadway tryout — San Francisco’s Curran Theater on June 10, 2003. And its producers are confident they now will have a better reception than it first received.
Yes, critics and audiences were blasé at best about the 2003 opening. But after a significant three-month rewrite, “Wicked” became the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, having performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries worldwide and winning over 100 international awards, including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.
I had not seen “Wicked” until its current Orpheum Theatre run, so I have no memories of the Broadway stars who initially wowed the critics and stole the show. But I’m happy to report that the road show of “Wicked” is an extravaganza of a musical, with a complex book that can sometimes get lost amid the tremendous music, dance, and effects.
“Wicked” utilizes a creative prequel to L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” to flesh out the beloved characters’ origins and motivations. At its best, “Wicked” is the musical moral tale of the sad results when superficial qualities are valued over substance. One can extract a relevant political message today. At the lower end of the spectrum, it can seem like a rework of many familiar stories like “Mean Girls” and the Harry Potter genre.
Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” the musical is about two female sorcery school students, the shallow, self-centered, bubbling blonde Glinda (Austen Danielle Bohmer) and the highly intelligent and talented sorcerer, Elphaba (Lauren Samuels), whose green skin (via MAC makeup Chromacake) sets her apart in a white world, and colors her world view (pun intended). First leery of each other, then friends, then enemies, then frenemies, the two vie for the same love interest, the hunky Fiyero (Xavier McKinnon). The complex plot follows the two witches’ lives until it supplies a new ending to the original Oz book.
The lead actors have great voices, but Lauren Samuels’ timbre qualities work better in the vast theater, where Austen Danielle Bohmer’s higher range sometimes sounded a bit tinny. Some supporting roles, like Aymee Garcia’s Madame Morrible and Kinsley Leggs’ Doctor Dillamond, perform with verve. At the same time, the Wizard of Oz (Blake Hammond) didn’t add as much to the production as I would have expected from the meaty role.
With amazing special effects (Chic Silber), like Elphaba’s impressive, dramatically lit ascension to the top of the stage and the flying monkeys, “Wicked” effectively re-creates the magic of Oz. The huge, smoking metal dragon on top of the stage’s proscenium, the inventive sets of ever-changing cogs and wheels (Eugene Lee), the creatively bizarre Edwardian-styled costumes (Susan Hilferty), and the extraordinary lighting (Kenneth Posner) all add to the aura of the production.
“Wicked” runs at the Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, through October 13, 2024. Its length is approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission. Masks are optional. Tickets are available at https://www.broadwaysf.com/events/wicked/ or through the box office at 888-746-1799.
By Emily S. Mendel
© Emily S. Mendel 2024 All Rights Reserved
emilymendel@gmail.com
