Review: ‘Wicked’ tale bewitches San Francisco audiences

By Jessica Luthi
EDITOR IN CHIEF

If you recall the 1939 classic movie “The Wizard of Oz,” you’ll remember a young girl named Dorothy, who was ripped from her home in Kansas by a tornado and  transplanted to the land of Oz.

But “Wicked”, the Broadway musical, is not the simple retelling of the 1939 film. It is based on the novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire.

“Wicked”, the stage show, tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and what made her so “wicked.”

The show opens with the people of Oz singing excitedly about hearing from Glinda, the Good, about the death of the Wicked Witch of West. Glinda, played by Kendra Kassebaum, then begins to tell the story of the wicked witch.

The story itself begins in Munchkinland with the birth of  Elphaba, played by Teal Hicks. Elphaba, the eldest daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland is a little different — she is green. Her childhood was difficult because of her permanent emerald green complexion.

Elphaba goes off to Shiz University with her sister Nessarose. The head mistress at Shiz, Madame Morrible (Carol Kane) feels Nessarose should room with her because Nessarose is not only the favorite daughter of the Governor, but she is also restricted to a wheel chair. This leaves Elphaba to room with Galinda (who later drops the letter ‘a’ to become Glinda).  Although they hate each other at first, Elphaba and Galinda eventually become best friends.

While at the university, Elphaba studies hard in hopes of one day meeting the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She gets her wish, but soon finds out the wizard is a fraud. He is nothing but a normal human being and hiding behind the “magic” of machinery. The wizard, knowing Elphaba has great power, tries to convince her to help with his quest for “normalcy” in the land of Oz. But Elphaba contests. Afraid that the truth about him would spread, the wizard labeled Elphaba as a “wicked witch,” making her a fugitive.

This story, in short, is one of misunderstandings, justice, prejudice and the will to do good.

The performances were nothing short of amazing. With her strong vocals and natural charisma, Hicks shone as Elphaba. She commanded the stage like she has been doing for nearly 20 years. Kassebaum was radiant as Glinda. Although her vocals were a little weak in the beginning, she bounced back and was strong throughout the rest of the performance. And Kane was brilliant as Madame Morrible. She is a treasure with her versatility and natural charisma, making her the perfect addition to any cast.
By the end of the show, you will be humming songs and reminiscing about the story of Oz. This is a performance which musical and non-musical lovers alike can enjoy. Although the show is excellent, the prices for tickets are a little steep, especially if you’re a college student —$80 to $100. Your best bet to save money is going to a weekday matinee or getting a bunch of your friends together for a group ticket discount.  But either way, the show is definitely worth it.