Vivian DeGain Better at 50 Blog
Columnist and arts writerThe green stuff our dreams are made of … “Wicked” review
‘Wicked’ The green stuff our dreams are made of
By Vivian DeGain
Oakland Press 12-12-08
When it comes to making magic of our hopes and dreams, the classic movie that comes to mind for nearly 70 years, is “The Wizard of Oz,” 1939, starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. Based on the children’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum in 1900, the characters, including the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the Good Witch, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, have become icons for the epic modern search.
As three generations have grown up with Dorothy – becoming more sophisticated, more inquiring and more thirsty about The Emerald City’s back story – the musical “Wicked” is all about what’s really going on there in that Land of Oz.
Who is that green-faced Wicked Witch named Elphaba?
How did she get green, get wicked and what happened to her?
Who is Glinda the Good Witch? How did the ruby slippers become enchanted?
Three-time Tony Award-winning “Wicked,” is a musical all about the untold story of Oz and her witches, which opened at Detroit’s Opera Theatre.
“Wicked,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell” and “Pippin”) has become the one to see on Broadway or anywhere it plays.
The story is fantastic.
The songs are fantastic.
The cast is fantastic.
The special effects are fantastic.
Let’s just say “Wicked” flies.
The touring company here will feature Katie Rose Clark as Glinda.
Clark, 24 and originally from Friendswood, Texas, has been a New York city girl for three years now, where she earned honors for her lead role on Broadway for “The Light in the Piazza.”
Clark said, while on tour with “Wicked” currently in Minneapolis, that performing Glinda is a joy to play every night – and a challenge.
A Sam Houston State University graduate, Clark said the “Wicked” story is really about the relationship between the two witches. Elphaba is smart, fiery, misunderstood. Glinda is beautiful, popular and usually get what she wants.
“Glinda is a young girl with a big story all about her journey to grow up in life and in the world, and what is truly important as she becomes a woman,” Clark said.
“The challenge is the endurance required to play the role vocally, physically and emotionally! The range is outrageous, all over the vocal map. In addition to being on stage about 80 percent of the time, I begin by singing soprano from a deep coloratura to a high C, and the score also calls for me to belt out mid-range pop songs.”
Both roles, Glinda and Elphaba, are matched in the amount of endurance and style. The roles are opposites, complements, different sides of the same coin – and both powerful.
“We have been described as the yin to each other’s yang, the perfect match for each other. She inspires me. What I don’t have, she teaches me and visa versa. We are like sisters, soul mates,” Clark said.
Musically, Glinda’s song “Popular” requires that they play off each other. They sing a wonderful grand finale, “For Good,” (…you may not have changed me for the better for you have changed me for good.”)
As “Wicked” hits the road to make our holidays wonderful, Clark said her arduous touring dates provide her with an occasional day or two to go home, herself.
“Oh yes. I have to get me a little bit of Texas now and then,” to stay grounded, she said.
“Wicked” the musical’s book, was written by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” and “thirtysomething”) and was based on the 1995 best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. The musical in Detroit is directed by 2003 and 2004 Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (“Take Me Out,” “Glengarry Glen Ross”) and features musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento. “Wicked” is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
Elphaba will be played in Detroit by Donna Vivino.
The show is about 2 and a half hours long with an intermission, recommended for children over 8, and not recommended for children under 4 years old.
After all, how long did that wizard and those flying monkeys keep us awake?
Contact Vivian DeGain at degainvi@comcast.net
SIDEBAR 1:
‘Wicked’ Fun Facts
* ‘Wicked’ performances opened in New York at The Gershwin Theatre in October 2003.
* There are 22 songs in “Wicked.”
* They use some 200 pounds of dry ice per show.
* ‘Wicked’ has won twenty major awards, including the Grammy Award, three Tony Awards, and six Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical.
* The Grammy Award-winning (Best Musical Show Album) original cast recording of ‘Wicked’ went platinum for over 1 million copies sold, in November 2006.
* The novel ‘Wicked’ by Gregory Maguire, published in 1995, has sold over 3 million copies. The novel still ranks on bestseller lists.
