Review: WICKED at Providence Performing Arts Center

One could be forgiven for feeling a little burned out on Wicked these days.  After two super-sized movies and a press tour that seemed to last a decade, Wicked-mania feels a bit on the wane.  However, there is no substitute for seeing this show live on stage.  This show is more relevant than ever,  and the current touring cast are exceptional.

Wicked is the story-behind-the-story of the Wizard of Oz, focusing on how the “Wicked Witch of the West” came to be known by that title, and what was going on in Oz before Dorothy’s arrival.  It deals with themes of friendship and love, feeling like you don’t belong, propaganda, rising fascism, and good vs. evil.  There’s a lot there, and that’s a big part of the reason multiple viewings only enhance the experience.  It also has some of the best songs of the last 20 years, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.

The power of this production relies on the chemistry and vocal talents of Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (The Good), and thankfully Jessie Davidson (Elphaba) and Zoe Jensen (Glinda) hot every note perfectly, with seemingly no effort at all.  Glinda, as a character, can get very close to seeming annoying or over saccharine, but Jensen manages these landmines beautifully. Her Glinda has a grounding humanity and is among the funnier performances I’ve seen.  She handles the physical comedy of the role incredibly well, in addition to delivering her songs in a voice that is clear and pure.

Jessie Davidson’s Elphaba starts out standoffish, but also somewhat shy, and it is lovely to watch that character grow as she starts to see the world and The Wizard for what they really are.  Elphaba also has the most famous song of the production “Defying Gravity”, which felt slightly under-produced in terms of special effects, but still brought the house down.  Davidson also has believable chemistry with Fiyero, played by Ethan Kirshbaum, and an excellent rapport with Jensen’s Glinda.

Rounding out the main cast are Eileen T’Kay as Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan as the Wizard, Drew McVety as Doctor Dillamond, Jada Temple as Nessarose and Nicolas Gara as Boq, all of whom are excellent.  The depth of talent among all the performers in this show is staggering–from the swings to the orchestra, everyone is flawless.