Review: WICKED Hits Harder Than You Remember Murat Theatre

Good news–it’s here! The Witch of the West and Glinda the Good have made their way to Indianapolis at the Murat Theatre. While WICKED has captured attention since it came to the stage in 2003, it has a renewed sense of power after the debut of the first half of its film adaptation. Many audience members were enthralled by the movie and may not have seen the stage musical. Many felt like they were coming home to Oz yet again, greeting each character like an old friend. No matter your past experience of WICKED, it’s good to see it, isn’t it? It has remained an anchor on Broadway because of its core messages of friendship, perseverance, integrity, and love.

Celeste:

I remember when WICKED started to garner attention. I was a middle schooler lost in the angst-y throes of hormones and uncertain self-esteem. I was drawn to the disparate main characters, Elphaba and Glinda. There’s something so encouraging about seeing two young women come together in friendship when the world has placed them in vastly different categories. That message, that hope, has endured. Naturally, I was more than ready to see another production come to life. I was thrilled to see that the hallmarks of the original have not been compromised. There were no heavy-handed attempts to make it more like the film or obnoxiously showy. WICKED is still WICKED, through and through. 

Now to the stars, which is clearly every person involved. It was a talented, well-rounded ensemble that included exceptional vocals, dancing, and overall stage presence. 

Olivia Valli was a charming Elphaba. Of course, you won’t get cast as Elphaba without the voice to match, and there was no exception here. Valli delivered humor and depth in equal measure to show us why Elphaba is the unexpected heroine we need. I appreciate the subtle ways she made Elphaba her own. There was no sense of “copying” the original that made it stale. Her delivery undoubtedly moved the audience, especially in the iconic number “Defying Gravity” where she makes the brave decision to stand on her own. I noticed more than one audience member in tears as we went into intermission. 

Elphaba is obviously a demanding role, but I have to give props to anyone who takes on Glinda. It requires a massive amount of comedic timing and a massive vocal range to match. Zoe Jensen seemed to not just thrive as Glinda but relish in the sheer joy of it all. I could watch her try to conjure a ball gown all day and would laugh every time. She also had heart at the moments when you needed it to prove that she had depth far beyond her vapid and perky presentation. 

My other two noteworthy characters were Madame Morrible (Eileen T’Kaye) and The Wizard (Blake Hammond). I had never been drawn to these roles before in a significant way, but they were both so talented, I was hooked. I always appreciate the sneaky villains, and they played sneaky villains so well, whether it was with academic dignity or vaudevillian charm. 

WICKED captured me in adolescence, and it still holds me in adulthood. Although it was one short day for me in the Emerald City, I hope to visit again soon. 

All WICKED performances in Indianapolis are sold out, but the North American tour continues into 2026, so watch for it to come to a city near you

Dylan:

Wicked isn’t just a Broadway favorite. It’s a politically sharp, emotionally layered story about what happens when systems define who’s good and who’s dangerous—long before anyone speaks. It’s about public image, control, media spin, and the cost of standing your ground. The show’s visual scale and pop-driven score still pull in audiences, but it’s the lead performances and tight ensemble work that make it hold up. If anything, Wicked feels more relevant now than it did when it opened.

Elphaba (Olivia Valli) is the center of gravity. She’s smart, instinctive, and hyper-aware of how others see her. Her green skin makes her an outsider on sight. The more she questions authority, the faster she’s framed as a threat. There’s no slow climb. Once she refuses to play along, the backlash is immediate. In a world built on performance, her refusal to self-edit becomes radical. When she launches into Defying Gravity, it’s not just a showstopper. It’s an act of political dissent. It’s one person breaking away from the narrative written for them—and facing the consequences.

The role only works when played with real emotional control. The best Elphabas don’t overplay the anger. They give you the fear, the isolation, the moral clarity. When she speaks up, it’s not for applause. It’s because no one else will. You don’t root for her because she’s perfect. You root for her because she sees the machinery and refuses to oil it.

Glinda (Zoe Jensen), at first glance, seems like her opposite. She plays by the rules. She wants the approval, the spotlight, the fairy-tale ending. But she’s not clueless. Her arc is about realizing how much compromise it takes to stay in power and how much you have to look away to keep your hands clean. Popular is a masterclass in comic delivery, but it’s also her last moment of real control. After that, things start cracking. Her loyalty gets tested. Her self-image starts to collapse. The strongest Glindas don’t just sell the comedy. They show you the discomfort behind the smile.

What makes Wicked land is that it never fully lets either woman off the hook. Elphaba doesn’t get to win cleanly. Glinda doesn’t get to stay innocent. They choose different paths, and neither is easy. But their relationship—spiky, messy, loyal—is the emotional core. When they meet in For Good, it matters. The scene only hits if the audience believes they’ve really seen each other. No gimmicks. Just two people who changed each other in ways they can’t undo.

The ensemble keeps the machine running. Whether they’re Shiz students, Emerald City elites, or the masses caught between rumor and truth, they’re not background noise. They shape the tone of every scene. You see how easily public opinion shifts, how crowds cheer one leader and condemn the next without understanding either. The choreography is exact. The vocals stay clean. But more importantly, the ensemble creates a believable world—one built on spectacle and control, easily swayed and quick to forget.

The production design is still one of Broadway’s best. It doesn’t drown the story. It elevates it. Costumes walk the line between fairy tale and fascism. Sets move seamlessly, shifting from classrooms to palaces to propaganda machines. The dragon above the proscenium isn’t just decorative. It’s a reminder of who’s watching, and who benefits from fear.

Wicked isn’t subtle, but it’s precise. It shows how authority maintains its image, how those who challenge it get labeled as unstable or dangerous, and how good intentions are never enough to survive a rigged system. It doesn’t ask the audience to pick a side. It asks them to think about what it costs to keep their hands clean.

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Indianapolis Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. XANADU (Red Barn Summer Theatre)

18.9% of votes

2. BE MORE CHILL (Eclipse Theatre Co)

9.5% of votes

3. CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (Footlite Musicals)

7.4% of votes

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