Review: Gasteyer and Reinders Depart Windy City's 'Wicked'

So if you dare to find her, don't look to the Mid-West sky any longer. Sadly, after creating the role of Elphaba for the Chicago production of "Wicked", Ana Gasteyer is brooming it back to the East Coast to star in the Broadway revival of "Three Penny Opera" opposite Cyndi Lauper. Having been lucky enough to see this production transform itself into a staple of Chicago theater, it is going to be hard to imagine this show without Ms. Gasteyer's earnest performance. We attended the leads final Friday evening performance. From her first big ballad, "The Wizard and I" to her final goodbye duet with her best friend, Glinda, in "For Good", the audience becomes totally convinced, immersed and captivated in Elphaba's journey to what most surmise is to the dark side. The thing about Ana more so then any other woman who has played the role is that you know that she has been Elphie. As a young violin player who had to wear an eye patch in grade school to correct a vision problem –Ana has felt like that outsider, the vulnerable girl and it comes through crystal clear on the Ford Oriental stage.

Leaving the show this past weekend as well is Kate Reinders, who is equally as stage strong in the role of Glinda, which oddly enough, can be much more difficult of a role to master then her green counter-part. It's a difficult balance not to become a caricature of the blond popular queen of Shiz University but Kate captures the tenderness and complexity like a pro. And we at Stage Door Chicago only wish her the best on her next project - which we hope is "Legally Blond" – but would love to see her in anything.

Luckily, staying with the production, which is still selling out every performance, are Chicago stage veterans Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible, who is the most delicious Madame to perform the role either on Broadway or on tour; Gene Weygandt as the Wizard and Northwestern University graduate Heidi Kettering as Elphaba's sister, Nessarose who is a dynamic force on the stage.

Dreamy Kirstoffer Cusick is also staying with the production as the lovelorn Fiyero. Mr. Cusick brings a powerful voice and Bolger-esque dance moves to his role. His competent dancing should come as no surprise since in 1989 Kristoffer and his dance partner were crowned junior dance champions on Star Search.

What makes "Wicked" such an incredible experience is not only watching the performances, but the sheer electricity exuded by the audience. As Rondi Reed has said after hearing the thunderous roar from the crowd "it's like a rock concert" every night and after seeing this production who can blame them for reacting in such a euphoric fashion? The cast and crew have made the Chicago production of Wicked something truly to be proud of and show has become a destination point to tourists and locals as much as the Broadway production has in New York.

Beginning Tuesday, January 23^rd, Kristy Cates takes over the role of Elphaba and Stacy Morgan Lewis takes over as Glinda.

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