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Wicked coming to Rochester, Buffalo By Allison Kowalski Move over Glinda, there’s a new witch in town. In the Tony-award winning musical, Wicked, the story is flip-flopped and people are finally privy to the green witch’s, Elphaba’s, side of the story. Misunderstood, hated and outlawed, Elphaba proves to be a good witch while the Wizard of Oz is a tyrannical dictator yearning for an utopian, Hitler-like society. This musical, based on the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory McGuire, shows a brand new side of the witch to Wizard of Oz fans and viewers never seen before. Questions are answered, such as, “How did the witch become evil?” In fact, Elphaba is not evil, but the beloved wizard is. Wicked begins when Elphaba is on her way to Shiz University, and like any young adult, Elphaba struggles to fit in. Fitting in is no problem for her roommate Glinda, a perky, popular socialite, who at first appears to have more looks than brains. Eventually, an eccentric friendship develops between the green intellectual and the blonde, high-pitched princess. Throughout the musical there is an array of powerful duets and ballads that have the ability to make a person shiver. The funniest song in Wicked is “Popular.” Glinda dances around Elphaba, literally giving her a makeover, and tells her how to be popular. With a high-pitched voice and bubble-gum pink dress, it is hard to ignore Glinda. One of the most powerful songs of the musical is “Defying Gravity.” Glinda and Elphaba have chosen their respective sides and both wish each other well. The lyrics are intense and everyone, regardless of age can relate to them. “I’m through accepting limits / ’Cuz someone says they’re so / Some things I cannot change / But ’til I try, I’ll never know.” Besides meaningful lyrics, this musical has relatable characters dealing with the struggle to find love, acceptance and understanding something every person ultimately wants. Though this Tony-award winning musical shows an opposite side to the original Wizard of Oz, it can be equally as endearing and memorable for viewers. As Elphaba proves, it’s not easy being green. Wicked, the national tour, will be in New York this summer. From Wednesday, May 28 to Sunday, June 15, the company will perform at the Rochester Auditorium Center in Rochester, N.Y. and at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, N.Y. starting Wednesday, June 18 through Sunday, July 13. |
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