Green Girls and Politics | "Wicked" @ BIH/Pantages

[cahwyguy]

It’s sad, somewhat, that I must start out with clarifying that I’m writing about the original live musical on stage, not the movie. We haven’t seen the movie yet. Perhaps Christmas Day.  But I’m leaning towards the Bob Dylan movie. I do wonder what those who have only seen the movie—never read the book, never seen the musical—would make of the stage musical. How would they feel with the direction into which the second act descends? For Wicked, my friends, is not a light and fluffy musical. Like other musicals with staying power, it has much deeper messages. You want light and fluffy. Go see Legally Blonde-The Musical. You can find your pink girl power there.

As you might have guessed, last night we saw Wicked at the Pantages. We rarely see the same production multiple times (and I consider a tour instances to be the same production as other tour instances, as they are the same producing and designing team). We’ve seen Hamilton three times. But normally, there needs to be something novel to make a show worth seeing again. A regional or small theatre mounting (such as 5-Star doing Frozen). An interesting twist in the execution (such as the Deaf West American Idiot). But, for example, Annie (which is also coming to the Pantages)—I have no urge to see it again.

This brings us to Wicked. We saw the tour when it first came to the Pantages in 2005. I think 20 years is a sufficient waiting period, and yes, the show has been on tour that long. No regional productions. No local productions. So it was time. My green friend, you’ve held up well.

Back when I first saw it, I didn’t write a detailed review. I was just getting started with my writeups. Since then, I’ve been doing more analysis. I’ve also read the books — multiple times. But I had forgotten the depth of the show. It’s popularity, of course, comes from the music and the implied girl power and friendship between the two principals: Elphaba and Galinda. There are those who see themselves as the outcast, never accepted, Elphaba. There are those who see themselves in the princess, Galinda. There are those who ache for those two sides to come together.

But watching the show last night, what struck me more was how political the show was, and how increasingly relevant the political heart of Greg Maguire’s book that remained in the show is. For Wicked, at its heart, is an intensely political show. It was written in the heart of the Bush administration, with commentaries on Bush’s treatment of political prisoners and the views against minorities. But in our new political era, it is even more timely. Here we have a story about a talented flim-flam man, who knows how to manipulate public opinion and spread falsehoods for his own power and gain. Here we have a society that has made a literal scapegoat of the Animals (following the book’s convention, Animals are the creatures that have the power of speech, whereas animals do not). They blame the Animals for their economic problems (remember the reference to the Great Drought), and then serve to exclude them and push them from society. Deport them, as you might characterize it. We see those who look different and act different being ostracized, and accepted only for what they can give to those in power. We have celebrities harnessed to spread the message of the flim-flam man, spreading lies and stories they know not to be true. But this has no resemblance to what we have seen in 2024-2025, does it.

And our heroine? She is someone who is rejected who uses her power to speak out for those that literally have lost the voice they used to have. She is able to sway others to her position and eventually sweeps the administration of the political flim-flam man away. He leaves the country, with the people unaware of the extent of his crimes, and his cronies end up in prison.

We need an Elphaba today to start the fight. We need a Glinda, post-Elphaba, to arise and push out the flim-flam man. Perhaps in 2026.

The best musicals reflect their times, and are often not well received when they first come out, although sometimes they are popular. Chicago was a failure when it first came out. But after OJ and the rise of the celebrity trial where we realized it was all showbiz, it was a hit. It has been going strong since then, with a steady stream of Roxies keeping the show going. Wicked was poorly received the season it debuts. Avenue Q was the big hit of that season. But although Avenue Q is still being produced regionally, Wicked remains open on Broadway and on tour. It resonated with audiences. They saw the girl power and the humor, and perhaps they absorbed the political message.

In response to the movie, there are those on the right who are claiming that the movie is “woke” and propaganda. A petition from Million Moms states: ““Of course, the musical contains a tremendous amount of witchcraft and sorcery, and that content prompts most parents to avoid taking their children to see Wicked. But the film also shows not-so-discrete crossdressing and men crushing on men, which parents may not expect. Instead of an uplifting Broadway musical about friendship and family, talents and resources were used to create a dark movie that also pushes wokeness.” Kristen Chenowith, the original Glinda, has spoken out against this statement. But even more: Wicked has always been political. It has always been “woke”. It was never a musical primarily about friendship and family: it was a musical about the importance of speaking out for those with no voice. It is a musical that makes the point that those whom our leaders purport to be “wicked” may really just be those who are speaking out to power, who are speaking up for truth and justice. Wicked has always been this way, from the original book, to the original musical.

[And, I guess I should note: Those on the other side of the political spectrum may also see their views in this. Sigh. But they are wrong.]

A musical that has been running this long has created a large family of Ephabas and Glindas. One might think a 20 year old tour might be tired, and the performances would be weaker. That clearly seemed to be the position of Charles McNulty of the LA Times, who bemoaned the fact that the tour cast wasn’t near Chenowith and Menzel. I disagree. I don’t think there was a weak performer in the entire tour cast. At worst, some were merely very good.

At our performance, we had some substitutions. The primary tour Ephaba, Lauren Samuels, was out for some reason. We didn’t have one of the other understudies or standbys; instead, the producers brought in a former Elphaba for the role: Olivia Valli. She was out when we saw the Pretty Woman tour, alas. She was outstanding, bringing a wonderful personality to the role. I was just fixated in watching her face. During the curtain call, she broadcast such happiness with being able to perform the role again. It was clear she was broadcasting that happiness during her performance. Had McNulty seen her, perhaps his opinion would have been different.

Our Glinda, Austen Danielle Bohmer, fell into the very good category. She was good in the role, but was more a Laura Bell Bundy as Elle than Kristen Chenowith. She lacked the little extra spark that the role needs. But it wasn’t a bad performance, but when up against Valli’s Ephie, she just couldn’t hold her own.

The other substitution we had was David Kaverman as the Wizard. He was good, but came off as a little too young, with not quite the paternalistic charm required. Was he even old enough to be Elphaba’s father?

Other cast members were very strong, including Kingsley Legg’s Dr. Dillamond, Erica Ito’s Nessarose, and Xavier McKinnon’s Fiyero. The production quality was very high; something my daughter commented upon. The orchestra was also very strong. One might think, after 20 years, the production values would get tired and worn, but the company seems to be doing an excellent job of keeping the quality and production high. This wasn’t a schlocky tour that was dependent on projection.

That leads to another side note: Some shows you know will fade into the history books because of their production demands. Few regional theatres will be able to do Back to the Future: The Musical because they can’t handle the productions and the Delorian. Similarly, could a regional theatre or an intimate theatre or school do Mrs Doubtfire because the the needs of the latex mask? Looking at Wicked from that point of view: It’s doable. Sure you need a flying rig, but that’s known technology from Peter Pan. You don’t need the dragon at the top of the stage, and pretty much everything else is achievable. I think there is the potential, when the tour eventually ends as it must, for Wicked to be a hit on the regional and smaller circuits. I’ll note that will be harder for Hamilton, as some creative thought will be required to rework the staging for venues without double turntables.

Attempting to wrap this up: With the movie now in theatres, should you shell out the bucks to see Wicked on stage. I think so. First, folks rarely sing back at a stage musical (and the ushers will slap them down if they do). At the movie, folks sing back to the screen (one reason I’m hesitant to see the movie). Second, you get to see the whole story. You don’t have to see Act I, and then wait a year for Act II. The musical condenses the story, and in doing so provides a tighter focus on the story. The performances on the tour are strong, and unless you have seen it on stage recently (I think it was out in LA just pre-pandemic), it is worth seeing again. Of course, if you have never seen it, you must see the stage version BEFORE the movie, so you get the whole story. I also strongly recommended reading the Greg Maguire books (and there are four, now five, in the series: Wicked, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. The latest in the series, Elphie, just came out. I haven’t read it yet.

Wicked continues at the Pantages through February 3.  You can buy tickets through the Pantages web page.

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Wicked. Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Winnie Holzman. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Directed by Joe Mantello. Musical Staging by Wayne Cilento.

Cast. Lauren Samuels Olivia Valli Elphaba; Austen Danielle Bohmer Galinda/Glinda; Aymee Garcia Madame Morrible; Blake Hammond David Kaverman The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Erica Ito Nessarose; Kingsley Leggs Doctor Dillamond; Xavier McKinnon Fiyero; Alex Vinh Boq; Jennifer Mariela Bermeo Ensemble; Anthony Lee Bryant Ensemble; Sean Burns Ensemble; Matt Densky Ensemble; Kelley Dorney Midwife, Ensemble; Kayla Goldsberry Witch’s Mother, Ensemble; Rose Iannaccone Ensemble; Mattie Tucker Joyner Ensemble; Lauren Leach Ensemble; Colin LeMoine Ensemble; Tiffany Rae Mallari Ensemble; Adelina Mitchell Ensemble; Brayden Newby Ensemble; Allsun O’Malley Ensemble; Madison Clair Parks Ensemble; Kat Rodriguez Ensemble; Derek Schiesel Ensemble; Wayne Schroder Witch’s Father, Ozian Official; DJ Smart Chistery; Brett Stoelker Ensemble; Ben Susak Ensemble; Justin Wirick Ensemble. Swings (⇑ indicates swung in): ⇑ Anthony Lee Bryant;  ⇑ Mattie Tucker Joyner; ⇑ David Kaverman; Kelly LaFarga Dance Captain; Marina Lazzaretto; ⇑ Ben Susak Dance Captain. Understudies: Anthony Lee Bryant u/s Chistery; Sean Burns u/s Boq; Matt Densky u/s Boq; Kelley Dorney u/s Madame Morrible; Mattie Tucker Joyner u/s Nessarose; ⇑ David Kaverman u/s Witch’s Father, Ozian Official, The Wizard, Dr. Dillamond; Colin LeMoine u/s Fiyero; Adelina Mitchell u/s Elphaba; Allsun O’Malley u/s Glinda, Nessarose; Madison Claire Parks u/s Glinda; Kat Rodriguez u/s Madame Morrible; Wayne Schroder u/s The Wizard, Dr. Dillamond; Brett Stoelker u/s Fiyero; Ben Susak u/s Chistery.  Standbys: Carly Augenstein Elphaba Standby.

Music Department (^Ł indicates local): William David Brohn Orchestrations Stephen Oremus Music Supervisor; Alex Lacamoire & Stephen Oremus Music Arrangements; Michael Keller Music Coordinator; Faith Seetoo Music Director, Conductor; Derek Shorter Associate Conductor, Keyboard 2; Luke Flood Keyboard 1; Amy Tatum^Ł Piccolo / Flute / Alto Flute / Recorder / Penny Whistle; Michelle Forrest^Ł Oboe / English Horn; Katie Faraudo^Ł French Horn; Jeff Driskill^Ł Soprano Sax/E♭ Clarinet/B♭ Clarinet / Bass Clarinet; Aaron Smith^Ł  Trumpet / Flugelhorn; Nick Daley^Ł  Tenor/Bass Trombone; Michael Valerio^Ł Bass (Acoustic / 5-String Electric / Fretless); Michael Abraham^Ł Guitar (Electric / Nylon String / Steel String / 12-String / Banjo / Mandolin); Chris Jago^Ł  Drums; Bruce Carver^Ł Percussion; Alby Potts^Ł Keyboard 3; Adam McDonald^Ł Keyboard 4; Mary Ekler^Ł Keyboard Sub; Eric Heinley^Ł  Orchestra Contractor.

Production and Creatives: Eugene Lee Set Design; Susan Hilferty Costume Designer; Kenneth Posner Lighting Design; Tony Meola Sound Design; Elaine J. McCarthy Projection Design; Tom Watson Hair and Wig Design; Joe Dulude II Makeup Designer; Jake Bell Technical Supervisor; James Lynn Abbott Dance Arrangements; The Telsey Office Casting; Lisa Leguillou Assoc. Director; Corinne McFadden Herrera Associate Choreographer; Edward Pierce Assoc. Scenic Designer; Chic Silber Special Effects; Dawn Fenton Production Stage Manager; Michelle Dunn Stage Manager; Colleen Danaher Asst. Stage Manager; Joseph Heaton Asst. Stage Manager; 321 Theatrical Management General Management.

Favorite minor credits: Sascha Kaminski Spellbooks; Bob Flanagan Puppets; Michael Durry Design Inc Flatheads and Monkey Wings; although a close second was Bra* Tenders Undergarments and hosiery. 

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending). We’re a bit light on theatre while my wife is recuperating from her knee replacement.

• December: ♦ Once Upon a Mattress at CTG/Ahmanson;
• January: ♦ Anything Goes (Concert) at Pasadena Playhouse (Pasadena Civic);
• February: ♦ Sondheim’s Old Friends at CTG/Ahmanson;  ♦ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at BIH/Pantages; ♦ Desperate Measures at ICT Long Beach
• March: ♦ Top Dog/Underdog at Pasadena Playhouse; ♣ Nefesh Mountain at McCabes; ♦ Fake It Until You Make It at CTG/Taper; ♦Drat the Cat at Group Rep; MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder @ TAS

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