Wicked second national tour is currently in Baltimore, MD for the second time for a month long run from October 03 to November 04, 2012. Wicked first visited Baltimore in 2007.

Here is the review of the Wicked musical by Tim Smith at BaltimoreSun.com:

Equal parts nostalgia and hipness, satire and sentiment, one-liners and philosophy, the hit musical “Wicked” remains a potent brew. Bewitching, even.

This tale-spin about life in Oz, before that rude girl from Kansas crashed the place, is neither quite as profound as its most ardent champions would aver, nor quite as empty as its detractors have charged. But the work’s component parts certainly come together snappily in ways that create entertainment writ large.

The plot, adapted by Winnie Holzman from the Gregory Maguire novel, presents a back-story for the peculiarly green woman we last saw in a puddle — the Wicked Witch of the West, who tried so darn hard for the return of those jeweled slippers in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”

Various details we accept as gospel from that movie get some interesting twists (better to … forget what you remember Margaret Hamilton’s iconic witch doing to the Scarecrow). And, like in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” characters are apt to shift between good to evil without warning.

Oz, it turns out, is not entirely Eden-like. The Wizard happily tells his people lies, because “they were lies they wanted to hear.” Prejudice, intolerance, suspicion of the “other,” power-hunger, fast-flying rumor — it’s all happening in or around this emerald-tinted world.

Some of these issues, especially a campaign against talking animals (a chilling classroom scene is fully Third Reich-redolent), could use more depth. But the fast-moving, if opera-length, show stays primarily focused on the emotional journey of the supposedly wicked witch, Elphaba, how and why she moved toward the dark side.

One of the tricky things about “Wicked” is how to keep the Glinda character from tilting the musical her way; she spreads glitter from the get-go and could go on to steal any scene.

The touring production boasts terrific balance and chemistry between the two leads — Christine Dwyer’s sensitive, wry Elphaba and Jeanna de Waal’s iridescent Glinda. Both are nuanced actresses who manage to tap into something genuine about the characters. Their unlikely friendship, the bond that changes both women “for good,” resonates strongly here.

Dwyer doesn’t just nail the glum, glib side of Elphaba, but unleashes the eager little girl beneath. Even in her most theatrical moments, she doesn’t lose a touch of humanness.

Would that Stephen Schwartz’s score contained a few more items of that cleverness. A lot of the songs are in generic pop mode, spinning their wheels over well-worn harmonic paths and failing to generate a really strong melodic hook.

The supporting cast does uniformly persuasive work. Paul Kreppel makes a disarming Wizard, Gina Ferrall a colorful Madame Morrible. Billy Harrigan Tighe has the fresh, all-Ozian looks and smooth swagger for Fiyero, the man who lights a spark under Elphaba and Glinda.

Read the complete review {Via BaltimoreSun.com}

Wicked musical performances at Hippodrome Theatre will continue through Sunday November 04, 2012. Buy Wicked Baltimore MD Tickets Online at discounted prices, Get $10 OFF on Orders of $350 or more by using code AFF$10.

Wicked Musical is currently playing at Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts through October 07, 2012.

Here is the review by Don Chareunsy at Las Vegas Weekly.

The song could be about “Wicked” itself, as the Broadway smash based on the 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire has become a theatrical phenomenon, winning three Tonys in 2004 and thrusting its two dynamic lead actresses Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda (or Guh-linda, with a Guh), and Idina Menzel as Elphie (Menzel, facing off against Chenoweth, went home with the statuette) into the spotlight.

No matter that “Wicked,” a prequel and parallel of Frank L. Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and the 1939 Hollywood classic “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland, has divided critics from day one (it was nominated for 11 Tonys and notably lost Best Musical, Best Book and Original Score to “Avenue Q”); it is critic proof — in the vein of the “Twilight” books and films — and has a devoted (fanatic) following like its predecessor “Rent.”

The scenic and costume design (the other two Tony winners) at Reynolds Hall on Thursday night were exemplary, and the supporting cast — Kim Zimmer (Madame Morrible — and, yes, Reva Shayne from “Guiding Light,” which garnered her four Emmys), Cliffton Hall (Fiyero), Tom McGowan (the Wonderful Wizard of Oz) and Demaree Hill (Nessarose) — under director Joe Mantello were very good.

But it’s no surprise that Parker and Murin are the exceptional standouts, and they hold their own against role originators Menzel and Chenoweth, respectively — big red ruby slippers to fill, indeed.

Murin is a comedic, ditzy blonde delight as Glinda, and she does the book by Winnie Holzman (“My So-Called Life”) proud with every hilarious vocal and physical delivery. Her rendition of “Popular” was a highlight of the evening; it’s good to be Glinda the Good Witch, who travels by bubble.

The audience heaped praise before, during and, in the valet line, post-show. The full standing ovation was immediate — and not just for Parker and Murin — and rousing.

“Wicked” is popular, and it will be po-pu-lar for many years to come. It’s Oz-some.

Read the complete review {Via LasVegasWeekly.com}

Wicked will continue performances at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts through October 07, 2012. Buy Wicked Las Vegas Nevada Tickets Online at discounted prices.

Wicked Broadway musical tour is currently performing in Montreal Canada from August 01 to August 26, 2012. Here is the Wicked musical review by Anne Sutherland, The Gazette.

The strength of the musical Wicked lies in the two leads, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. For all the sumptuous costumes, fancy sets, dry ice, flying monkeys and production numbers, it all boils down to whether these two dames can belt it out.

To state the obvious, the two leads are wicked good.

Wicked, the touring version that just touched down at Place des Arts for almost the entire month of August, is blessed with the gifted pipes of Jeanna de Waal as the saintly sweet Glinda and the superb Christine Dwyer as the flawed but ultimately redeemed Elphaba, the witch of the title.

It’s the story that purports to tell the tale of what happened before Dorothy and her house landed on the Witch of the East in the classic children’s book and 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.

Based on a series of books by Gregory Maguire, the musical backstory of the friendship of these two divergent characters has been a juggernaut on Broadway, London’s West End and broken all sorts of attendance and box office records since its debut in 2003. And it’s a great show, with outstanding songs culminating with the goosebump-raising vocals on Defying Gravity.

The story opens with widespread jubilation as the citizens of Oz celebrate the passing of the Wicked Witch of the West, a dastardly green creature who has been bedevilling the land. As fans of the story know, she was done in by a bucket of water tossed by Dorothy. Seems her soul was so unclean that pure water could melt her.

Elphaba is destined for great things, Morrible says, and will be introduced to the great Wizard of Oz, her lifelong dream.

The costumes are quite brilliant, particularly the numerous hues of green in the Emerald City tableaus and the candy-coloured gowns sported by the good witch.

Read the complete review {Via MontrealGazette.com}

Wicked musical showings at Salle Wilfrid Pelletier Place Des Arts continue until August 26, 2012. Experience the Spell of Wicked. Wicked Musical Montreal Quebec Canada Tickets are in full Demand! Avail $10 OFF on Wicked Place des Arts Ticket Orders of $250 or more by using code SUMMERFUNTN at Checkout!

The Broadway musical Wicked tour returns to East Lansing, MI and currently performing at Wharton Center – Cobb Great Hall through July 08, 2012. Here is the Wicked musical review by Bridgette Redman.

The production currently at Wharton Center is the second national tour, but unlike some shows that cut budgets and special effects for the second tour, this one shows no signs of being second best. Christine Dwyer (Elphaba) and Jeanna De Waal (Glinda) are strong vocalists who command the space with soaring voices that beautifully blend in their duets. They convincingly loathe and love each other and take the audience along their journey of growth and transformation.

It’s hard to believe a show as commercially successful as “Wicked” could be chock full of so much word play, irony, tragedy and political commentary. Yet, that’s exactly what this musical has. The show was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” which was in turn inspired by Frank L. Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” It follows the story of Elphaba, the woman who would become the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda (later Glinda) the Good Witch.

The story explores dependency, co-dependency, independence and interdependency. It contemplates how deceptive appearances can be and how truly wicked those who “create” truth by ramping up public anxiety are.

One of the more fascinating characters is Catherine Charlebois’ Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister, who eventually becomes governor of Munchkinland and the famous owner of the ruby slippers. Charlebois plays the innocent, embodying the “beautifully tragic” label that others tag on her merely because she uses a wheelchair. Like her sister, she is judged on appearances in dangerous ways and others underestimate her and fail to see who she really is.

There were no weak performances in this production and all of the stage magic, including a rather gratuitous dragon who existed only to create wonder and set the stage for the wizardry that was to come, remained slave to the most important part of this musical: the story.

Read the complete review {Via LansingStateJournal.com}

Wicked Play at Wharton Center – Cobb Great Hall through July 08, 2012. Experience the Spell of Wicked. Wicked Musical East Lansing MI Tickets are in full Demand! Avail $15 OFF on Wicked Wharton Center Ticket Orders of $350 or more by using code SUMMERTIXTN at Checkout!

Broadway Sacramento presents the national touring production of the hit Broadway musical Wicked from May 23 to June 17, 2012. Kim Carter (a Lincoln resident) reviewd Wicked and Praised the musical as an Inspiring Musical.

Read the review below:

I’ve wanted to see “Wicked” for years, but every time I’ve been in New York, it has been completely sold out. So I was thrilled to find out that Wicked’s national tour was stopping in Sacramento this summer, which meant I could finally see the show everyone has been raving about and that Variety declared “a cultural phenomenon.”

Lottery tickets: A lottery for $25 orchestra seats will be held before every performance. To enter, visit the Community Center Box Office 2 1/2 hours before the performance. Available only in-person, limit of two tickets per winner. If chosen, winners must pay cash for the tickets and show a valid photo ID.

“Wicked” is a musical told from the perspective of the Witches of Oz, a sort of prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.”

But it’s so much more than just that. It’s a heart-felt and clever experience with something for everyone.

The show has perhaps the grandest costumes and set you’ll ever see but it also has quite a bit of depth as it tackles issues of contemporary relevance, ranging from diversity to political corruption to animal rights.

“Wicked” is as enjoyable as it is inspiring and I highly recommend it (for all ages). “Wicked” has won 35 major awards (including a Grammy and three Tony awards) and I am surprised it hasn’t won even more.

Read the complete review {Via Lincoln News Messenger}

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Wicked is currently playing on tour in Durham, NC and the performances at Durham Performing Arts Center continue through Sunday May 27, 2012.

If your first question about the return of “Wicked” to the Durham Performing Arts Center is if you should see it again, the answer is yes. “Wicked” was here two years ago for a blockbuster month, and it will spend most of May at DPAC for a popular return engagement. The first time or second time you see this fly-away Broadway hit, you will like something different about it than the person sitting in the seat next to you. And there’s much to like.

This reviewer went into this show thinking about the roles of the strong leading women, noted by producer David Stone in an interview with The Herald-Sun last week. Elphaba (Christine Dwyer) and Glinda (Tiffany Haas) are powerful women and have a powerful friendship that transcends what keeps them apart. Like many college students who are thrown into rooming together, they come from different worlds and different perspectives. Yet both have qualities that bring them together as friends, and audiences like them, too. Dwyer and Haas excel in their roles.

Elphaba, Glinda, Madame Morrible (Marilyn Caskey) and Nessarose (Catherine Charlebois) are all examples of how to ascend to a power position, for good or evil. There’s Elphaba with her natural and earnest power, Glinda with her popularity power, Morrible with her diabolical behind-the-scenes power, and Nessarose, with her power given by nepotism and held onto with might. Except for Morrible, perhaps, we all see the good in these powerful women, even when they make bad choices.

That all this is pulled off in a musical with spectacular songs, fabulous sets and costumes and a compelling story is quite a feat. You won’t leave “Wicked” without kind words to say about it, whether you were most impressed by the technical, vocal, musical or writing talent. It’s too bad that audiences can’t see the orchestra, because they beautifully exemplify what this score can do.

Not to leave out the men: Billy Harrigan Tighe is charming as Fiyero, Timothy Britten Parker is convincing as goat professor Dr. Dillamond, and Dan Pacheco is spot on as Boq. The Wizard (Paul Kreppel) gives one of the best speeches heard on any Broadway tour – sung, of course – about politics and its smiling nefariousness. Kreppel is wonderfully cast as the Wizard. He does a superb job.

Read the complete review {The Herald-Sun}

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Wicked is currently performing on tour in North Charleston, SC at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center is a magical experience. Anne Brummel stars as Elphaba and Tiffany Haas is Glinda in the touring production of “Wicked.”

Wicked flown into the North Charleston Performing Arts Center for a nearly two-week engagement from April 18 to April 29, 2012.

Here is the review by Laura J. Gough @ The Post and Courier:

The PAC has been transformed into the magical land of Oz, complete with Munchkinland and the Yellow Brick Road.

“Wicked” tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda before Dorothy and before they became their more famous alter egos — the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Anne Brummel (left) stars as Elphaba and Tiffany Haas is Glinda in the touring production of “Wicked.” Theatergoers young and old showed up in elaborate costumes and greeted each other in the lobby as if they had known each other for years. They had only just met. As audience members entered the auditorium, the stage already had been brought to life by a red-eyed, smoke-breathing dragon hovering above the stage.

The scene was complete with a glittering map of Oz, and even the ushers were adorned with green bow ties. As the first round of Munchkins jumped and danced on stage, the excitement of the evening really set in. Soon entered Glinda (played by Tiffany Haas), floating down from above on her make-shift bubble. They rejoiced — the Wicked Witch was dead.

As the cast started into the first number, “No One Mourns the Wicked,” Haas got off to a shaky start. By the end of the first act, Brummel reminded us all that the Wicked Witch was worth rooting for in her amazing rendition of “Defying Gravity.” The end of the song has Brummel flying high above the stage bringing to life the tragic split of the friendship between her and Glinda.

Read the complete review {Via PostandCourier.com}

The Tony- and Grammy Award-winning blockbuster Wicked Musical will be at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center through April 29, 2012. Get $10 OFF on Wicked North Charleston SC Tickets Orders of $350 or more by using code #SpringSavings at Checkout.

Wicked is currently performing on tour in Denver, CO and at Buell Theatre Still Stands Strong. Wicked Cast: Starring Mamie Parris, Alli Mauzey, Andy Kelso, Liz McCartney, Emily Ferranti, Paul Slade Smith, Mark Jacoby and Justin Brill. Here is the review by Lisa Kennedy @ Denver Post Theater Critic.

“Wicked” is an outcast tale, a female friendship parable, a story of corruption and chicanery by authorities we — rather the denizens of the Emerald City — put our trust in. It is a wry reconsideration of good (is it overrated?) and evil (is it misunderstood?) — or at least L. Frank Baum’s version of that eternal tussle found in his classic novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

On opening night this production, starring Mamie Parris and Alli Mauzey, was quick-witted, generous and deft with the laughs, of which there are many. Still, I couldn’t help wishing for a better blend of the tender and the hilarious.

Parris and Mauzey portray Elphaba and Galinda. Eventually, Galinda adopts her better-known moniker, Glinda. Elphaba will claim her name, her fame or infamy, as the Wicked Witch of the West. Parris has a rich voice that fills out Elphaba’s sorrow and youthful angst. Mauzey brings stop-on-a-dime comedic timing to Galinda’s antics. She’s a tireless, rapid-fire trouper.

“Wicked” wastes little time in evoking one of the more indelible images of the movie, with winged monkeys climbing above the stage. But memories of Dorothy Gale, Kansas and Oz are quickly turned topsy turvy. The sets are evocative: spectacle without the clutter.

As the play opens, Glinda confirms the Wicked Witch of the West’s death by water bucket. “Wicked” then unfolds as a flashback about how the two came to know each other.

The Green and the Good meet when they arrive at Shiz University. The jade-hued daughter of the Munchkin governor has been sent to school ostensibly to keep an eye on her wheelchair-bound, fair-haired younger sister, Nessarose (Emily Ferranti). There is antagonism at first sight, then a tentative friendship and, later, something of a competing love interest in popular guy Fiyero (Andy Kelso, a graduate of Aurora’s Eaglecrest High School), who turns out to be deeper than his deep pockets.

Elphaba is gifted and the school’s Madame Morrible sees it and seizes upon it. The youngster’s talent might even get her an audience with the Wizard (Mark Jacoby). Liz McCartney as the full-figured doyen of the school takes to her role with a brassy aplomb.

Paul Slade Smith makes Dr. Dillamond touching as a horned professor soon to become a target. The rules are changing in Oz, and magical animals are no longer appreciated.

Three songs have approached classic status. This despite the critical ink spilled since the play’s 2003 debut debating whether the musical has any memorable tunes. A great many reviews said no, but then critics are used to losing arguments with audiences.

Read the complete review {Via denverpost.com}

Wicked Musical will play through Sunday, May 20 at the Buell Theatre, 1101 13th St. Get $10 OFF on Wicked Denver CO Ticket Orders of $350 or more by using code #SpringSavings at Checkout.

Wicked is currently playing at Bjcc Concert Hall and continue through Sunday, March 4, 2012.

Here is the preview of Wicked musical by Alec Harvey at AL.com:

“Wicked” is special, with spectacular special effects, sumptuous sets and beautiful costumes that rival any show that’s been in Birmingham. Throw in some endearing and affecting performances from Tiffany Haas and Anne Brummel, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Haas and Brummel play Glinda and Elphaba, two boarding school chums turned witches – the witches who become Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz.” In “Wicked,” based on Gregory Maguire’s much darker “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” we find out how they became who they were.

Haas and Brummel are a good match as the witches who form an unlikely bond. They both have soaring voices, and they are superb actresses, bringing out the comedic and dramatic aspects of their characters. That’s essential to the success of “Wicked,” since it’s kind of hard to like either one of them considering what they do to each other. Haas brings some heart to the character of Glinda, which might otherwise just be a caricature of a blonde, self-absorbed … witch. Brummel’s Elphaba is multi-dimensional, too, although her singing throughout most of Act I was a tad odd, almost tentative. But once she hit the high notes of the Act I closer, composer Stephen Schwartz’s emotional “Defying Gravity,” she hit her stride.

If Brummel was a little weaker in Act I, she wasn’t alone. Both Dan Pacheo as Boq and understudy Michael McCorry Rose as Fiyero were a bit off the mark musically. They were both OK, but what “OK” meant was that “Dancing Through Life,” their big number that should have been a showcase of dance and song, was listless and forgettable. Rose seemed uncomfortable dancing across the stage, much less through life, and you just didn’t believe that Pacheo’s Boq had fallen head over heels for Glinda. Both did get much better in Act II, but “Dancing Through Life” – usually a “Wicked” highlight — might just as well have been skipped.

Read the complete review {Via AL.com}

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Wicked is currently performing at the Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles CA. Los Angeles first encountered Wicked in 2005 when it broke box office records. It returned two years later for an extended run that lasted two years. Now Wicked is back, leaner but still a terrific crowd-pleaser. The cast is smaller as is the orchestra but that all goes to make the show seem even more intimate.

Wicked is the story of two witches, Elphaba, the unfortunate girl with the green skin, and the blonde and perfect Glinda. They grow up together and become rivals for the attention of the handsome Fiyero. They also eventually differ in their stands towards the Wizard’s regime and policy of taking speech away from animals. Elphaba sides with the animals and is called the Wicked Witch of the West while Glinda the Good becomes known as the Good Witch of the North.

If all this sounds familiar it is because Wicked is a parallel story to the famous L. Frank Baum story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Wicked, the book, concerned the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked, the musical has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz with a book by Winnie Holzman. When the musical opened on Broadway it was drubbed by the New York Times and received decidedly mixed notices, but went on to get ten Tony nominations, winning three, six Drama Desk Awards, and the Grammy. It opened in 2003 and to this day remains the top grossing show on Broadway on a regular basis. The show has spawned numerous international productions and two national tours. It remains the 14th longest-running Broadway show in history.

The cast is the all-around best I have seen and I have seen the show twice before. Katie Rose Clarke has a blast with Glinda and squeezes every possible laugh as well as exploiting the poignant moments in the script. Mamie Parris is a feisty Elphaba. Boy, can these women sing!

Mark Jacoby is the Wizard and does more with the role. The same can be said of Liz McCartney as Madame Morrible. Kyle Dean Massey is a revelation as Fiyero. Who knew Fiyero could dance? Stephanie Brown is an exceptional Nessarose. And it is nice to see Los Angeles native Kevin McMahon as part of this talented cast.
{Via blogcritics.org}

Wicked will play at the Pantages Theatre through January 29, 2012. Buy Wicked Los Angeles CA Tickets Online. Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Wicked Pantages Theatre Tickets Orders over $350!