If you don’t already have tickets for the Broadway tour of “Wicked,” you need to get ‘em.
While our sports reporter was covering the Pacers’ game six win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, I was across town at Old National Centre, where audiences were transported to the land of Oz. Directed by Joe Mantello and with music and staging by Wayne Cilenta, “Wicked” is now playing at the Murat Theatre at the Old National Centre June 18-July 6.
Written by Winnie Holzman with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, “Wicked” debuted on Broadway in 2003, starring Kristen Chenoweth as Glinda “the Good” and Idina Menzel as Elphaba, the misunderstood “Wicked Witch of the West.” The musical is the 4th longest-running show on Broadway and has won more than 100 international awards, including a Grammy and three Tonys.
The first time I saw “Wicked,” I was on a school field trip to Pittsburgh. Our choir had gone to participate in a workshop at Carnegie Mellon (I think), and then we visited a series of museums before catching the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a performance of “Wicked.”
I was 17 and had never seen a Broadway musical before. Mary Kate Morrissey and Gina Claire Mason were a formidable duo. The opening notes struck me like lightning.
It changed the trajectory of my life … as live theatre so often does.
In my time covering live theatre, concerts, festivals and art shows, nothing has lit my blood on fire quite like “Wicked” has — from the heartfelt storylines, thrilling characters and catchy power ballads to the intensity of the company, whimsical choreography and dazzling costumes.
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Eight years later, I feel like a teenager discovering her love of theatre again. Right from the first crescendo of “No One Mourns the Wicked,” the show just yanks your soul right out of your body. The eerie layered choral harmonies crash over the percussive swell of the orchestra and slam into you like ocean waves.
And then there’s Glinda (Zoe Jensen), who floats down onto the stage in a giant bubble, wearing a glittering powder blue bubble dress with perfectly styled blonde baby doll curls. It’s a little disorienting, but if you suspend your disbelief for a few hours, you’ll go on the wildest ride full of magic and discomfort and friendship and acceptance.
One of the things that makes “Wicked” so special is the stylistic choices each actress brings to the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, specifically in the numbers “Popular,” “Defying Gravity” and “No Good Deed.” In my review of “Wicked: Part One,” I said that I’d seen several different Elphabas take the stage over the years, but truthfully, I have never seen a performance quite like Olivia Valli’s.
Valli’s Elphaba commands the stage with a sort of endearing awkwardness, a vibrant awareness and a powerhouse voice that sent chills down my spine and rooted me to my seat in awe. She’s funny and raw; it’s guttural and delicate in ways everyone can appreciate.
It’s a perfect match for Jensen’s Glinda, who’s perky and ambitious; bubbly and outrageous; kind but not necessarily good.
The rest of the cast fill in the blanks to weave a complex and challenging but worthwhile narrative. Fiyero (Ethan Kirschbaum) is charming but thoughtful, Nessarose (Jada Temple) is “tragically beautiful” but willful and commanding, and Boq (Nicolas Garza) is surprisingly gentle, funny and pleasant.
However, costume design has always been one of my favorite things about “Wicked.”
Each piece unique and complex from the unconventional Shiz University uniforms to Fiyero’s riding pants to the emerald pointe shoes worn by select company members. But Elphaba’s “twisted Edwardian” Wicked Witch dress — which appears black at first glance — is truly a glittering rainbow of fabrics, torn apart and sewn back together, reminiscent of gemstones buried in soil.
However, specific pieces in the show nod to different eras of fashion history. I’d be remiss if I didn’t celebrate the genius behind Glinda’s blue bubble dress and her engagement gown — both inspired by “Junon” and “Venus,” the iconic sister ball gowns from Christian Dior’s 1949-50 Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection. The dresses are currently housed in the de Young Museum in San Francisco, too fragile to be worn but timelessly stunning.
There is so much to love about this show — the soundtrack is amazing by itself, but hearing it played by a live orchestra with a chorus full of industry professionals singing at the top of their game, it truly cannot be beat, and with the addition of eccentric lighting, staging and effects, “Wicked” is a magically immersive experience.
“Wicked” is onstage at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre for 21 more performances now through July 6. The show is two hours and 45 minutes including a 15-minute intermission. It’s recommended for audiences aged 8 and older; children under 5 will not be permitted.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit indianapolis.broadway.com/shows/wicked.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
