Joan Marcus Vicki Noon as Elphaba and Natalie Daradich as Glinda
From the moment that Glinda, ruler of Oz, arrives by delicate bubble carriage to the finale when she leaves by same, “Wicked” sparkles like, well, fairy dust.
It’s gratifying that Joe Mantello’s flawless and lyrical production, with its seamless transitions, is still in such tiptop shape. It allows the show to reveal more of its depth and meaning, even if Stephen Schwartz’s score hasn’t gotten any more hummable from repeated exposure.
The power of “Wicked” — created by Schwartz and librettist Winnie Holzman from Gregory Maguire’s fanciful 1995 novel — rests on its portrait of two young women figuring out their relationship to each other and to men. Loyalty, friendship and love grow out of shallowness and seemingly unbridgeable differences.
“Wicked” also includes a secret connection between Elphaba and the Wizard, played with avuncular ease by former Guthrie and Chanhassen character actor Don Amendolia, who does a charming “Wonderful.”
Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel originated the roles of Glinda and Elphaba on Broadway, imprinting their respective characters with flighty cuteness and self-possessed intelligence. In this production, Daradich has the ditz down pat, inhabiting Glinda with a hair-tossing silliness but also with tremendous vocal agility and a wonderful sense of play.
Wicked is performing at Historic Orpheum Theatre mn in Minneapolis, MN till 9/19/2010. Buy your Wicked The Musical Minneapolis Tickets now!
