Broadway’s biggest blockbuster “Wicked” is playing the second time at Proctors Theatre, Schenectady NY. Wicked will be at Proctors Theatre through November 25, 2012. Bob Goepfert reviewed the musical at Saratogian.com. Here is the review:
Wicked musical is just as good and, arguably, even better, than the first, which is a great tribute to the production.
That’s because “Wicked” is a show in which the storyline is more important than its musical component. If you are not involved in the story, you might find the material too dense.
Yes, the score is pleasant enough to be enjoyed alone and, when special effects are added to the first-act closer “Defying Gravity,” it’s a goose bump moment. But songs like the love duet “As Long As You Are Mine” and the ode to friendship “For Good,” while lovely, take on an added resonance because of our attachment to the characters and the situation of which they are singing
The biggest hurdle for audiences who saw the first “Wicked” at Proctors is familiarity with the plot. “Wicked” turns the traditional “Wizard of Oz” tale on its heels, as most of the fun comes from the revelations about how the Wicked Witch of the East and Glinda, the Good Witch, got their reputations.
That said, the talented cast captures the essence of the story and develops the friendships and romances between the characters while keeping the balance between comedy and intense drama. This production is always engaging.
The two leads are terrific. The central figure is Elphaba, the girl who was born with skin an odd shade of green which made her an outsider. Christine Dwyer plays the woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East as an outspoken, independent woman, but also indicates her need for acceptance.
Almost stealing the show from Elphaba is Glinda, who is portrayed in a delightfully comic manner by Jeanna De Waal. De Waal’s Glinda grows from being a self-centered, dumb blonde to become an emerging independent woman with a world view.
In many ways, Glinda’s journey is more satisfying than is Elphaba’s. That’s because Elphaba’s destiny is almost preordained while Glinda’s growth comes from increasing self-awareness.
Read the complete review {Via Saratogian.com}
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