Tony Award-winning Wicked, the Musical opened to a sold-out Opera House in Boston yesterday, leaving the spellbound Bostonians muttering “wicked.” A Prequel to The Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch long before Dorothy dropped in on Oz. Glinda is a beautiful, ambitious, and very popular witch. The other, Elphaba, is born with emerald green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. As Elphaba, the green one, Julia Murney transforms from an ugly duckling to an opinionated and compassionate witch. Recently featured in John Lennon, the Musical, Julia Murney demonstrated her vocal prowess and wide range in “No Good Deed.” In “Defying Gravity,” the climactic number of the show, she belted out the tune while hanging midair, leaving the audience dazzled with her abilities. Murney captured every emotion and nuance of the character aptly, much to the delight of the audience. Kendra Kassenbaum, who plays the ditzy and flirtatious sorority princess Glinda, dazzled the crowd with her with her feisty, sharp comedic zingers. Throwing out “blond-words,” such as “confusifying” and “disrespectation,” Kassenbaum gave an additional bit of whimsy to her character. Although setting herself apart as a strong actress of the show, Kassebaum stood out just as much as a vocalist with her excellent interpretation of the lyrics and melody. From her prom queen number “Popular” to the sentimental duet with Elphaba “For Good,” Kassenbaum took full advantage of her twinkling operatic voice, shining as the star of the show. Typically, the ensemble in a touring company is not particularly strong. However, Wicked chorus members proved the notion otherwise with flawless dancing and vocals. The set design utilizes the theme of wheels and cogs, along with the city of Oz as the backdrop. A life-size metal dragon sits atop the stage, overlooking the seats with its fiery red eyes. Lindsay Agostinelli ’07 said, “The show was a non-stopping movement and action. It never allowed a moment for the audience to take their eyes off the stage. Combined with great signing, the show was absolutely awesome.” Stephen Schwartz, who won an Academy Award for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt, wrote the music and lyrics. book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), and is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. Wicked the Musical will be running until May 12 in the Boston Opera House. The year-long tour will make stops in various cities across the country, spreading the magic of Glinda and Elphaba.
