John Davidson as the Wizard of Oz
Wicked is back in town and what a joy that is. The Good Witch and the Bad Witch, the Flying Monkeys and the Fire Breathing Dragon, The Wizard of Oz and the Yellow Brick Road: musical theater at its best.
It all began back in 1900 when L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, creating characters who are outliving us all and good luck to them for that because they're appearing now at Miami's Arsht Center in the Stephen Schwartz/Winnie Holzman version that opened on Broadway in 2003. This one is based on the 1996 book by Gregory Maguire: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
This time around Dorothy and Toto are reduced to a coupe of snide jokes as they hide in a cellar; the emphasis is on the girls, Elphaba the baddie and Glinda the goodie, and this is no kiddie version.
The strength of the show is the core. Book, music, lyrics are bright, fast and funny. The production values are extraordinary, the cast is excellent.
Carrie St. Louis is wonderfully, connivingly funny as Glinda the Good as she helps Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West endure her wicked ways. Alyssa Fox, as wicked as can be, still brings tears to the heart. Veteran entertainer John Davidson plays the Wizard of Oz. His genuine niceness is a delight.
Now it's time to gush. This is not a show at which the audience claps politely. Instead there are shouts of joy after almost every scene. And rightfully so. The brilliance of the sets, costuming, lighting, sound and the not so simple running of the show are testament to the professionalism of Wicked.
More gushing, too for the singing and dancing, just as wonderful as every other aspect of the show.
The seventeen piece orchestra is lead by P. Jason Yarcho.
Directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento.
Wicked plays through March 29 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. 305-949-6722 http://www.arshtcenter.org
