WICKED Chicago Reviews

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 11:54am

I don't see this up already -- so I'll post. WICKED reviews in CHICAGO are coming in.
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CHICAGO SUN TIMES:

A great and powerful Oz

July 15, 2005

BY MISHA DAVENPORT Staff Reporter Advertisement


Chicago finally has its own "Wicked," and this production is second to none. Forget about booking a trip to the Big Apple. A better production of this show is playing nightly in your own backyard.

The "Wicked" at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre offers up a cauldron of powerful mojo thanks to its two leading ladies, "Saturday Night Live" alumna Ana Gasteyer and Broadway up-and-comer Kate Reinders. The two share a chemistry that was missing from the recent touring production.

The show -- which officially began its open run Wednesday -- follows the lives and loves of the witches of Oz, namely the tragic green-skinned Elphaba (Gasteyer; whose character will go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West) and the popular but ditzy Galinda (Reinders, whose character will drop the first "a" in her name later to become Glinda the Good Witch). The pair begin as foes, end up as friends and eventually cross paths with the Wizard of Oz. Elphaba becomes Public Enemy No. 1, while Glinda chooses to work for the guy. Their individual choices fracture their friendship, setting up a rivalry that will spill over into both Frank L. Baum's original book and the MGM musical.

"It's not a lie -- it's just a different way of looking at things" is a bit of dialogue spoken twice in the show, and it serves as its thesis. This is the Oz you know with the camera firmly on the Wicked Witch of the West, not some Kansas farm girl. The intention here isn't to invalidate what you've come to know and love from the Oz myths, but rather expand on it.

An Elphaba you can believe Gasteyer's performance is a triumph, better than the Elphabas in both the original Broadway cast and the touring company. No disrespect to Idina Menzel's Tony-winning turn in the role or to the terrific stage work by Stephanie J. Block (the tour's Elphaba), but both began every song firmly in Ethel Merman belting mode. Such "American Idol" antics might bowl over an audience but do very little in terms of developing a believable character or advancing a plot.

That's not to say Gasteyer can't sing -- she can go note for note with the best. But she starts her songs in a quieter place so the tunes actually build and go somewhere. Whether this is an artistic choice or an actor's desire to preserve the pipes doesn't matter. At the end of Act One, as Gasteyer towers above the audience "Defying Gravity," you believe her character has come into her own because you've witnessed the journey from an awkward and unpopular girl to a powerful force to be reckoned with both visually and vocally.

We also see a glimmer of Elphaba's "wickedness" a little bit earlier as Gasteyer goes toe-to-toe with Reinders in the song "What Is This Feeling?" that has the odd-couple roommates pitted against each other. By the end of the first act, when Gasteyer sings "And nobody in all of Oz/no wizard that there is or was/is ever going to bring me down," we see a Wicked Witch of the West that's congruent with both book and film (though she's gained our sympathy and allegiance in the process).

It's also easy to see why Gasteyer's co-star Reinders, likable and watchable, was signaled out for praise in the recent Broadway flop "Good Vibrations." We're lucky to have her on loan from the Great White Way (where even greater things certainly await her).

Here she has taken a one-dimensional character -- the ditzy, popular blond -- and turned her into something more complex without diminishing the comedic elements of the role. Nowhere is this more apparent than in "Thank Goodness," a second-act song that has the actress spoofing "Evita" for laughs one moment and displaying a caged-bird fragility the next.

As the wizard, Chicago stage veteran Gene Weygandt is charming and sly. On Broadway, the character's Act Two number with Elphaba, "Wonderful," felt disposable, as if it was in the show because original wizard Joel Grey had a contract stipulating two songs. Now things have a purpose as Weygandt seems to be tempting Gasteyer with a Faustian offer of both redemption and fame.

Doing more with Morrible Steppenwolf ensemble member Rondi Reed fares less well as Madame Morrible, the teacher of sorcery turned press secretary, but only because she has less to do. It's a stock character, but Reed approaches the role with all the pomp and bitchy circumstance of Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth, and it works.

Yes, the plot is confusing at times and the score isn't composer Stephen Schwartz's best work, but make no mistake: There is magic in this "Wicked." You just have to be willing to see it.

Fortunately, with Gasteyer and Reinders at the helm, you don't have to try too hard.


http://www.suntimes.com/output/theater/cst-ftr-wicked15.html


Updated On: 7/15/05 at 11:54 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 11:56am

THEATREMANIA.COM:

Wicked
Reviewed By: Jonathan Abarbanel


Imagine a nation that used fear-mongering to cow its people and cynically exploited differences in color and race to demonize its minority citizens. Imagine a government that used national calamity to impinge upon citizens' rights, and portrayed opponents as evil and treacherous. Imagine a land of shrinking diversity and expanding intolerance that justified its actions in the name of a contented and unquestioning majority.
Of course, that will sound like innumerable nations throughout history from Ancient Egypt to well, you fill in the blank. The minority victims might be Jews, Asians, Negroes, Native Americans, Arcadians, gays -- or talking animals and Munchkins. For certainly that's how it is in the Land of Oz as realized in Wicked, the much-talked-about Broadway musical which has just begun an open run in Chicago (following the national tour's departure for points West).

Arguably, Wicked is the most overtly political musical since The Cradle Will Rock. Indirect references to the United States -- the Wizard, remember, is from the U.S. of A -- reveal the strong stand of the authors and producers, as do the gear-meshing scenic designs (by Eugene Lee) that suggest a society increasingly homogenized through the spread of clockwork industrial technology.

For those who haven't seen the Broadway production -- myself included -- this version was worth the wait. This is a fine, strong troupe of actors -- if noticeably on the young side (especially among the chorus) -- giving a revved-up performance in a physically lavish production that looks every dime of the several million dollars it costs. Indeed, the scenic and lighting elements are complete duplicates of the original Broadway wizardry (pardon the expression). From the vaguely Dickensian costumes (a reference to 19th-century industrial expansion) to Emerald City's Art Deco glitter to flying monkeys and soaring witches, this Wicked has all the razzle-dazzle synonymous with a big Broadway show.


In the starring roles, alto Ana Gasteyer and mezzo Kate Reinders, as Elphaba and Glinda, the green and white witches respectively, prove to be a powerful pair with great pipes. Their striking physical contrast places the big-boned and athletic Gasteyer against the petite and graceful Reinders. Hesitant friends at first, they become each other's steadfast emotional mirror, remaining so even after circumstances make them reluctant romantic and political rivals.

The leading ladies are supported by local favorites Rondi Reed (a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble) as Madame Morrible and Gene Weygandt as the Wizard. In some ways, Morrible is the show's pivotal --or certainly catalytic -- character, morphing from a benign Prof. Dumbledore type into the manipulative architect of the Big Lie against Elphaba. Since Wicked isn't about her, the reasons for her volte-face are not well established -- power? public recognition? sex with His Ozness? -- but that's not the regally bewigged Reed's fault.

The score by Stephen Schwartz has sharper lyrics than music, the latter being too repetitively anthem-like to be distinctive. Big numbers such as "Defying Gravity" (Elphaba's Act I closer) and "For Good," the last of several Elphaba-Glinda duets, have been ballyhooed enough to stand out, and they do pack emotional wallops. But in context there are other numbers that are just as big, among them "I'm Not That Girl" and "No Good Deed." The truly charming numbers -- and there aren't many -- stick to Broadway formula, such as Glinda's Broadway strut, "Popular," and the Wizard's song-and-dance, "Wonderful."


Still, the music is the physical force driving a show that short-changes dance in favor of musical staging. Indeed, Wayne Cilento's billing reads "musical staging by" and not choreography, and there's a difference. Obvious opportunities for break-out dance numbers are ignored in abundance; so the decision to integrate "musical staging" into a flowing dramatic whole certainly was taken early and at the highest level by director Joe Mantello and the show's authors and producers.

Fans of Gregory Maguire's novel may criticize the changes made by stage adapter Winnie Holzman; she finds a way to send Elphaba and Fiyero - who are both ladies' love interest -- into a bittersweet sunset together, and establishes several reference points to the familiar The Wizard of Oz film not found in the original. But most theatergoers will find Wicked well worth the big ticket price. It's a whomping good show that puts its politics front-and-center all wrapped up in a big, entertaining package.

www.theatremania.com


Updated On: 7/15/05 at 11:56 AM

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:00pm

Yay! Great reviews.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:01pm

Do we think Ana will transfer to NYC eventually?
Updated On: 7/15/05 at 12:01 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:02pm

That's the buzz Bobby Bubby.

I think she'll replace S. Bean in January. Updated On: 7/15/05 at 12:02 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:05pm

If Ana came to New York, even I would have to see WICKED again.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:05pm

Chicago is getting a hell of a lot better reviews than Broadway did.

I really wish I lived near Chicago!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:05pm

I'd hope so. Hoepfully the producers have seen the light and realize that Wicked can't survive without at least one solid lead.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:07pm

Sadly, Bobby -- it can. It could run for years with a terrible cast, but I don't think Mantello will let that happen.

[Georgeanne]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:07pm

I do hope Ana comes to NYC, it'd give me a reason to go and see the show. It's great that she's getting such positive reviews of her performance!

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:09pm

No mention of Telly or Heidi though...


And wtf? Ana as an alto and Kate as a mezzo? O.o;

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:13pm

I would DIE of happiness if Ana came to NYC...then die from the credit card bill when I buy tickets for my 5th time...

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:16pm

Is this show selling well in Chicago? Sorry, I avoid most Wicked threads.

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:21pm

Thanks MB-- I checked this morning and saw no reviews. I still don't see a Tribune review- have you? I haven't seen the paper today.

I find it very amusing that Hedy Weiss wasn't given the chance to re-review it for the Sun-Times. I wonder if the Trib review isn't late because they are re-proofing it. The last review required a correction when it said that Elphaba didn't fly.

There's another interesting story on the trib site about what might be coming next: They say Disney won't be doing any shows here, but "Spelling Bee" might be coming in for a sit-down. They also say that Wicked is the biggest grossing show in Chicago hsitory, pulling in $1.3 Million last week.
Will `Wicked' make for more Chicago shows?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:25pm

my thread about the article Joe is talking about: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=859347&dt=071505114253

yes, shilling my own thread .

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:35pm

Sorry Jai, didn't mean to Thread-step. I didn't see it, I swear!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:40pm

haha no problem

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:44pm

Jack Helbig review in the "Daily Herald"- the paper that covers most of the Chicago suburbs; I think he's the only one who loved Kassebaum. Click the link for a couple of nice pictures, too.

Chicago's Wicked dazzles
By Jack Helbig
Daily Herald Correspondent
Posted Thursday, July 14, 2005

The story goes that advance tickets sales for the touring production of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s “Wicked” were so strong, producers decided to create a second, permanent Chicago company to take over after the touring company moved on to Los Angeles.

The Chicago company officially opened Wednesday night and the good news is that the show is every bit as big, beautiful, and packed tight with Broadway razzle-dazzle as the touring production.

Eugene Lee’s art nouveau-inspired, Tony-Award-Winning sets, remain, on second viewing, jaw—dropping gorgeous. Lee manages at once to create the look and feel of the illustrations in the original “Wizard of Oz” books without slavishly reproducing them. Likewise, Susan Hilferty’s endlessly inventive costume designs are a show in themselves.

Yes, there is nothing particularly memorable about Schwartz’s tunes, but they are blasted at the audience with such power and verve they are, at least temporarily, electrifying. Those who have never seen “Wicked” before, either on Broadway, or in the touring incarnation that just passed through town, will not be disappointed.

This show remains a thoroughly satisfying visual and aural experience.

Those who have experienced the show before, as this critic has, may have reason for picking a few nits. On second viewing the show feels too long for such a featherweight story. Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Holtzman’s adaptation continually teases, promising to tell us all about the secret lives of the two women with magical powers who had the most influence on Dorothy’s famous adventures in Oz, Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. But again and again Holtzman does not live up to her promise, substituting a frantic plot, full of unexpected turns and soap opera twists, for a real story.

On the positive side, the performances in the “Chicago company” compare favorably to those in the tour. Kate Reinder’s Glinda (or Galinda as she is called early in the show) is sweet and funny enough, though she lacks both the sexiness and full comic power of Kendra Kassebaum. On the other hand, there is nothing lacking in Ana Gasteyer’s take on Elphaba. Those audience members who only know Gasteyer from her work on “Saturday Night Live” may be surprised at how much authority she projects. Most TV actors have trouble projecting past the second row; Gasteyer fills the theater with her singing; she has a power and authority we associate with seasoned Broadway veterans. And no one can deliver comic lines with as much finesse.

Among the true Chicagoans in the cast, Gene Weygandt, a regular at Drury Lane Oakbrook and the Marriott Theatre, is the stand out as the Wizard. He many only be on stage for a short time, but his few minutes in the spot light are among the best in the show. His duet with Elphaba in the second act, “Wonderful,” may be the smartest and wittiest moment in the show. It is certainly one of the most entertaining.





Wicked Herald Review

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:50pm

^ Whoa. First time I've ever heard anything good about "Wonderful" lol.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:52pm

off-topic, but a long time coming.......

Joe -- once George W goes away, and we get the same rights as straight folks, will you marry me????

Updated On: 7/15/05 at 12:52 PM

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 12:59pm

OMG..the first review was 99% how I feel! it was dead on!

my only difference is that I still like Stephanie J. Block better :) but not by a whole lot. I'm sooo glad we have our own cast! yay! going again on wednesday!

Updated On: 7/15/05 at 12:59 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 1:42pm

Wow...I really wanna see the show. On the Wicked Chicago website, they say Kate's last name is ReindeErs. Which is it? Reinders or Reindeers?

I hope Ana comes to NY. Kate too...

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 1:44pm

Reinders. NO! You can't have Ana. She's ours!

[Parks]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 1:45pm

Oh, and this review sucks for the Broadway show. :-p

I feel bad for Broadway...this show seems so...FRESH and new.

[xxnewgirlxx]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 1:47pm

I loved the Chicago production much more than the touring one. Ana ROCKS, and I agree that Gene is the best Wizard yet..and Telly is the best Boq.