Theater review: ‘Wicked’ charms Fox audience

Whether it is your first or fifth time seeing “Wicked,” the musical remains a joyous special experience that only live theater can provide.

The latest national tour making the Fox their home for four weeks is a flawless production that casts its magic spell over an enthralled audience.

You could have heard a pin drop during the show-stopping “Defying Gravity,” and the applause afterwards was deafening.

After 12 years, the show’s quality is retained — a colorful spectacle in song and dance, with a dazzling, clever scenic design.

The charm of “Wicked” is its ingenious blending of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” characters with a fresh re-imagined story, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel that explores an unorthodox friendship between the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

They met at Shiz, a college specializing in supernatural studies, and eventually become fond of each other despite their very obvious differences. Their up-and-down journey is given emotional heft through their bonding and their challenges, as they become significantly tested.

The songs by legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Pippin”) advance the story in intriguing fashion, with a variety of styles, from the dramatic “No One Mourns the Wicked” and romantic “As Long As You’re Mine” to the peppy “Popular” and ebullient “One Short Day.” The stirring Act One finale “Defying Gravity” is one of the most incredible musical numbers in Broadway history.

The outstanding book work by writer Winnie Holzman (“thirtysomething’) really intensifies the interesting dynamics of the pair’s friendship. She knows how to write about women and women’s issues with such wit and poignancy.

That girlfriend bond gives this musical its emotional center, and is why the two leading characters are such plum roles. By the time they sing the touching ‘For Good,” you may need to pull out a tissue.

On Thursday, due to Emily Koch’s illness, standby Mary Kate Morrissey took over the part of Elphaba, the misunderstood green girl used to being shunned but able to stand up for herself, her integrity intact. She didn’t miss a beat, and was a strong, vibrant presence.

She worked exceptionally well with a perky Amanda Jane Cooper, who played Glinda with ease. She had played the part on the first national tour, and their work together was impassioned and moving.

The pair received a thunderous ovation at curtain call, a loud roar from the crowd that kept going and going. In fact, the audience quickly stood up after the show ended to express their happiness.

The ensemble is tight. Jake Boyd was an appealing Fiyero, the Winkie prince and object of Glinda’s affection who grows close to Elphaba. Also impressive were Wendy Worthington as the flamboyant headmistress Madame Morrible, Zagnit as the shyster Wizard and Chad Jennings as a sympathetic Doctor Dillamond.

“Wicked” is truly an exceptional work of theater that is proving, after 12 years, that it has genuine staying power and has firmly cemented its status as an American classic.

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Theater review: ‘Wicked’ charms Fox audience."