Witchy tale wows crowd at Boston Opera House. Jackie Burns and Chandra Lee Schwartz are Amazing in Wicked at the Boston Opera House.

Jackie Burns as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, and Chandra Lee Schwartz as Galinda, in “Wicked,’’ at the Boston Opera House

By now, seven years into the “Wicked’’ phenomenon, it is clear that this revisionist take on “The Wizard of Oz,’’ one of the most potent myths of the 20th century, has established a pretty potent 21st-century myth of its own.

Boston Opera House is full with the response of the largely female audience to “Wicked’’. While it’s an uneven production, the reality is that each iteration of this musical rises or falls on the strength of its Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch — and in Jackie Burns, this “Wicked’’ boasts an Elphaba who could go broom to broom against Idina Menzel herself. Whether she is belting out a truly stunning version of “Defying Gravity’’ to close the first act or cracking your heart by confessing, brokenly, that “I’m Not That Girl,’’ Burns brings a richness of emotional coloration to the role of the green-skinned outcast who discovers that she has supernatural powers. The rest of the cast does not match Burns’s level of radiant intensity, and there are some dead spots between the musical numbers.

Chandra Lee Schwartz plays the other key role, Glinda as a kind of cross between Reese Witherspoon’s Elle in “Legally Blonde’’ and Teri Garr’s Inga in Mel Brooks’s “Young Frankenstein.’’ Luckily for this “Wicked,’’ Jackie Burns retains full possession of her powers of song, from start to finish.

Wicked is performing at Boston Opera House in Boston, MA Through Oct. 17. Tickets $38-$108

West End musical Wicked is to head into its fifth year in London after announcing an extension to its booking period.

Wicked at Apollo Victoria Theatre

Tickets for the show will now be available until October 29th 2011, which may be good news for those who have not yet managed to see it at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Wicked opened at the Apollo Victoria theatre on 27 September 2006 and has since entertained millions of audience members with its dazzling costumes and addictive score. At this year’s Laurence Olivier Awards, the show was awarded the first ever Laurence Olivier Audience Award for Most Popular Show, which was voted for by over 58,000 Official London Theatre users. Wicked welcomed its three millionth visitor on August 4th 2010.

Lee Mead, Louise Dearman and Rachel Tucker are currently among the cast members delighting audiences in the musical.

Since 2006, the Wicked stage has been filled with dozens of musical stars including Idina Menzel – who transferred from the original Broadway cast to open the show in London – Helen Dallimore, Miriam Margolyes, Kerry Ellis, Alexia Khadime and Diane Pilkington.

Buy your Wicked London GL Tickets now!