"WICKED
works because it has something Broadway musicals, so addicted
to facetiousness and camp, have largely given up on: a story that
adults can take seriously. Adapted by Winnie Holzman from the
1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical reimagines a children's
tale in grown-up psychopolitical terms a lot more successfully
than, say Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine did for 'Into The
Woods'. As the Wizard (Joel Grey) puts it, "The best way to bring
folks together is to give them a really good enemy." Imagine:
a family musical that might make the Bush Administration squirm.
Which
isn't to say WICKED, under Joe Mantello's assured direction, lacks
funs. The show gets laughs by playing off famous bits from the
movie. It also provides a showcase for two fabulous Broadway stars.
Kristin Chenoweth, the Kewpie doll who won a Tony for 'You're
a Good Man, Charlie Brown,' is a perfect delight as Glinda. In
the tougher role of Elphaba, Idina Menzel is possibly even better,
a mix of vulnerability and feminist passion, with a rock voice
to raise the roof. With an awful lot of plot to establish, the
show drags in spots. But IF EVERY MUSICAL HAD A BRAIN, A HEART
AND THE COURAGE OF WICKED, BROADWAY REALLY WOULD BE A MAGICAL
PLACE."
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Richard Zoglin, Wicked Review Time Magazine
"HOORAY!
BROADWAY'S GOT A BIG NEW MUSICAL THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO RUN FOR
A DECADE OR TWO! If it doesn't please you, you're too tough to
please. It's funny and touching and full of beans (not to mention
child-friendly). Kristin Chenoweth finally has a full-fledged
star part that's worthy of her. Broadway buffs have been waiting
for her to land a bona fide star part in a successful show. Well,
this is it. She sings like a cherub and acts like a damned good
actress, and Stephen Schwartz has written her a show-stopping
comic turn. I can't imagine anyone in the world have done a better
job as Glinda. It's going to make her a star right this minute.
Idina Menzel nails her co-starring part with equal aplomb. Not
only does she look great in green, but she blends pathos and warmth
in just the right proportions. Joel Grey, bless him, is back on
stage. Stephen Schwartz has given us the most poignant new Broadway
ballad to come along in ages. Wayne Cilento has choreographed
with dapper precision -- this show moves. You'll be enchanted
by director Joe Mantello and set designer Eugene Lee's miraculously
elaborate-looking Kingdom of Oz. GO!"
-
Terry Teachout, Wicked Review The Wall Street Journal
"WICKED
IS STEEPED IN TALENT!
As
Glinda the Good Witch, Kristin Chenoweth is giving jaw-dropping
demonstrations of the science of show-biz aeronautics. She proves
that nothing can top undiluted star power. It's amazing how she
keeps metamorphosing before your eyes and ears. Her voice shifting
between operetta-ish trills and Broadway brass, her posture melting
between prom-queen vampiness and martial arts moves, she evokes
everyone from Jeanette MacDonald to Cameron Diaz, from Mary Martin
to Madonna. She turns one-liners into something so startling that
you have to laugh. Chenoweth is the real thing, melding decades
of performing traditions into something shiny and new. Be very
grateful that she has returned to the stage.
As
the Wicked Witch of the West, the talented Idina Menzel is a vocal
powerhouse and a commanding presence. She will no doubt dazzle
audiences.
Directed
by the understandably in-demand Joe Mantello, WICKED'S cast features
gold-standard veterans, Joel Grey and Carole Shelley, and bright
rising talents, Norbert Leo Butz and Christopher Fitzgerald. The
top-flight designers include Susan Hilferty (costumes), Kenneth
Posner (lighting) and Eugene Lee, whose sets are an ingeniously
arranged technoscape of wheels and cogs overseen by the wondrous
metal dragon that rests atop the proscenium.
There
are visual and verbal jokes aplenty in this recreation of Baum's
enchanted land where Glinda and Elphaba get to know each other
long before a little brat named Dorothy shows up. The contrast
between the young women, who wind up as reluctant roommates at
sorcery school, is used to examine a society that values surface
over substance, the illusion of doing good over the genuinely
noble act. It goes without saying that you don't have to squint
to fine parallels with a certain contemporary Western nation in
which artful presidential photo ops win more votes than legislative
change."
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Ben Brantley, Wicked Review The New York Times
"WICKED
IS GREAT FUN!
Kristin
Chenoweth, Broadway's favorite twisted Kewpie doll, is even more
expertly dark and adorable as Glinda. She is a twinkling contraction
of self-regard and subtext.
But
the news here is Idina Menzel. The actress, who created the role
of Maureen in "Rent," makes a radiant soulful idealist as Elphaba,
the born-green child whose fate is to be the Wicked Witch. Her
formidable presence contrasts wittily with the tiny Glinda, just
as Menzel's rock-belter voice contrast with Chenoweth's dainty-belting
soprano. The sly-pro, Joel Grey, as the Wizard, blossoms toward
the end in an all-out vaudevillian number. Carole Shelley is blissfully
nasty as the headmistress. Norbert Leo Butz makes the switch from
vacant pretty boy to revolutionary with charm, and William Youmans
is deeply touching as the professor goat. There is great fun in
learning where the black hat came from, why the monkeys fly, why
the Tin Woodsman has no heart, etc., and why the so-called Wicked
Witch is so determined to get those ruby slippers."
-
Linda Winer, Wicked Review Newsday
"WICKED
IS A SPECTACULAR SPECTACLE! Emerald City never had it so good.
It is delightfully debatable which witch is witchiest. Kristin
Chenoweth is quite entrancing as Glinda and just as entrancing
is Idina Menzel as the Wicked Witch. She also sings beautifully,
as do Chenoweth and the excellent Norbert Leo Butz, and has a
poignancy almost unexpected in such emerald circumstances. Carole
Shelley gives a deliciously overstated performance."
-
Clive Barnes, Wicked Review NY Post
"Remember
the last time an original Broadway musical made you laugh, cry
and think -- in the right places and for the right reasons? WICKED
IS THE MOST COMPLETE, AND COMPLETELY SATISFYING, NEW MUSICAL I'VE
COME ACROSS IN A LONG TIME. Winnie Holzman's libretto juggles
winning irreverence with thoughtfulness and heart. Kristin Chenoweth
is ideally cast as Glinda, a dizzy blonde whose peppy facade belies
a fragile heart, while Idina Menzel's Elphaba is a powerfully
human sorceress, particularly when delivering haunting new songs
by Stephen Schwartz. Joel Grey and Carole Shelley shine. Add in
tunes that you can actually leave the theatre humming, and you
have a thoroughly enchanting experience. WICKED IS A TRIUMPH!"
-
Elysa Gardner, Wicked Review USA Today
"The
delightful and joyfully irreverent prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz'
has a great sense of wit and fun. But what rockets it into superior
realm is the partnership of its stars, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina
Menzel. Two actresses triumphing together in the leading roles
of a major Broadway musical must be unique. Both are showstoppers
and their roles seem tailor-made for them. The blond and diminutive
bombshell, Chenoweth, who plays Glinda, is a born comedienne.
The tall and beautiful Menzel makes a brilliantly complex and
sympathetic Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. Stephen
Schwartz's score is clever and exhilarating, and Wicked's story
is a wonderful one. Winnie Holzman's winning book charms us without
trying. The confident good humor of it all is remarkable. But
the real magic of Wicked belongs to the fabulous performances
of Chenoweth and Menzel, witches for the ages.
BOOK
EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS. NEXT CHRISTMAS."
-
John Heilpern, Wicked Review The New York Observer
"WICKED IS AN IRRESISTIBLE EXTRAVAGANZA OF MUSIC, MAGIC, ARTISTRY
AND ENCHANTMENT. The delightful score by Stephen Schwartz, the
lavish sets by Eugene Lee, the creative staging by Joe Mantello
and the clever book by Winnie Holzman all conspire to keep OZ
fanatics on the edge of their seats with suspense, fascination
and laughter. The cast is wonderful, especially the two stars.
Ms. Chenoweth coos and vibrates like Little Lulu, Ms. Menzel even
makes green makeup attractive, and they both raise the roof with
some of the most sensational singing on Broadway. The imaginative
book has more twists and turns than the Yellow Brick Road, and
the second act piles on the surprises until the final curtain
leaves you with your eyes and mouth wide open. Nothing in Oz,
you see, happened the way Judy Garland thought it did. So, all
ye who enter here, check your cynicism at the door and get in
touch with the little kid inside you who's been begging to get
out. Neither of you will want to leave WICKED."
-
Rex Reed, Wicked Review The New York Observer
"DIVAS
AND ROMANCE AND THRILLS: OH MY! Toto, we're not in Oz anymore.
And it's a good thing, too. WICKED, a giddy postmodern riff on
'The Wizard of Oz', whips up a cyclone of witty jokes and eye-popping
visuals, making a bid for best new musical of the season. It's
a stellar production. Among the show's triumphs -- besides Winnie
Holzman's remarkably deft book, Eugene Lee's jaw-dropping set
and the eclectic costuming by Susan Hilferty -- are the female
leads. Simply put, Chenoweth and Menzel are two alluring, powerhouse
talents in total control of roles worthy of them. Chenoweth proves
again what a brilliant comedian she is, whereas Menzel breaks
your heart as the ugly-duckling-turned-avenging angel. WICKED
SOARS!"
-
David Cote, Wicked Review Time Out New York
"In
this lavishly designed reimagining of 'The Wizard of Oz', WICKED'S
WITCHES, PLAYED BY THE PULL-OUT-THE-STOPS IDINA MENZEL as the
Wicked Witch of the West AND THE GLITTERING KRISTIN CHENOWETH
as Glinda, REALLY MAKE MAGIC."
-
Alice King, Wicked Review Entertainment Weekly
"DESTINED
TO BE ONE OF BROADWAY'S MUST-SEE WONDERS! Truly an enchanting
musical, with splendid performances and a dazzling visual production,
WICKED is a fabulous new Oz fable for the 21st century. This rich
and enthralling musical delivers the sort of classic musical theater
sensibilities and spectacle that make Broadway at its best such
an unforgettable experience. Lusciously composed by Stephen Schwartz,
smartly written by Winnie Holzman and beautifully staged by Joe
Mantello, a marvel of inventiveness, WICKED IS ONE OF THOSE RARE
SHOWS THAT JUSTIFIES A $100 TICKET. THE COST IS EASILY PAID BACK
IN MEMORIES ALONE. A compelling Idina Menzel depicts Elphaba,
the Wicked Witch, with supersonic musicality. Her fierce, literally
high-flying first-act finale makes the crowd roar. An endearing
Kristin Chenoweth is superb, her glittering soprano and kittenish
air delineating Glinda's transformation from sorority princess
to ice queen. Together, they're a pair of bewitching misses whose
luminosity is never overshadowed by the fearsome splendor of designer
Eugene Lee's eccentric Industrial Age of an Oz, which glows under
Kenneth Posner's color-suffused lighting. Wittily dressed by Susan
Hilferty, the featured players are a treat! Joel Grey makes a
whimsical Wizard, and Carole Shelley is grand as a shifty schoolmarm."
-
Michael Sommers, Wicked Review The Star-Ledger
"SOMETHING
WONDERFUL THIS WAY COMES! Finally, a smart and thrilling musical
that is more than a comic strip. WICKED simply takes your breath
away. To begin with, it looks like a million dollars. And dare
we say it? Here's a Broadway show where you actually feel that
you got $100 worth of entertainment-and then some. It has a lush
and lively score by Stephen Schwartz. It has grandly magnificent
scenery by Eugene Lee and dazzling costumes by Susan Hilferty.
And it is directed by Joe Mantello, the most stylish and inventive
director working in theater today. It's got monkeys that fly over
the audience and a giant dragon whose eyes light up. And it's
got Joel Grey as the Wizard of Oz himself. What more could you
want? WICKED has at least six spectacular performances, from the
absolutely stellar Idina Menzel, the charming Kristin Chenoweth,
the absolutely priceless Carole Shelley, the supremely gifted
Norbert Leo Butz, Christopher Fitzgerald and, of course, the legendary
Grey. Wayne Cilento choreographs with an easy elegance that is
fast becoming a rarity on Broadway."
-
Jacques le Sourd, Wicked Review Gannett Newspapers
"A
ONE-OF-A-KIND MUSICAL - huge, ornate, serious, amusing and enormously
clever in clicking into our connections to 'The Wizard of Oz.'
It offers many pleasures as you watch it, and -- this is rare
--also stays with you. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, is played superbly
by Idina Menzel with a fierce, gripping intensity that still allows
us to see the vulnerability underneath."
-
Robert Feldberg, The Bergen Record
"A
SUREFIRE HIT! THIS SENSATIONAL PREQUEL TO 'THE WIZARD OF OZ' IS
THE KIND OF GRAND MUSICAL BROADWAY HAS BEEN MISSING FOR YEARS.
A terrific evening! As The Wicked Witch of the West, Idina Menzel
is a revelation. She is brilliant. Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth,
as Glinda, has mastered the portrayal of the ditzy, self-absorbed
blonde. Carole Shelley is glorious, and it's good to see Oscar
and Tony winner Joel Grey back on Broadway. 'WICKED' is anything
but. It's a continual joy."
-
Jeffrey Lyons, Wicked Review WNBC-TV
"KRISTIN
CHENOWETH AND IDINA MENZEL ARE MESMERIZING! Their talents cast
a wonderful spell. Composer Stephen Schwartz is a lucky man because
these stars are a songwriter's best friends. Their glorious voices
are matched by sensational acting. As the vain Glinda, Chenoweth
is an incredible comedian with impeccable timing. Idina Menzel,
who wowed us in 'Rent', is doing the same now. She sets the stage
on fire, convincingly switching from good to evil with chilling
ease."
-
Roma Torre, Wicked Review NY1
"WICKEDLY
WONDERFUL! This big new musical blew my mind! It is terrific in
every sense of the word. The two witches are merely sensational.
Idina Menzel plays the green one, and she sings beautifully. The
good witch is Kristin Chenoweth, the darling of Broadway, and
after you see her in WICKED, you will know why. She's hilarious
and can sing like a bird. When they sing together, it's heart-stopping.
The scenery is strictly knock-your-socks-off type witchcraft,
the costumes just right and the production looks like it cost
zillions."
-
David F. Richardson, Wicked Review WOR Radio
"A
big, lavish new musical that dares to see Oz from another angle.
It has a sterling cast with marvelous lead performances by Kristin
Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, two of the brightest stars in a new
generation of musical theater-talent. Chenoweth's perpetually
perky Glinda is vain, spoiled and absolutely adorable. And she
sings like a dream. So does Menzel, a fierce and compelling actress."
-
Michael Kuchwara, Wicked Review Associated Press
"Idina
Menzel is excellent. Kristin Chenoweth delivers the goods. Her
extraordinary voice and knowing humor shine. She's a thoroughbred.
Eugene Lee has given the show a spectacular whirligig set, Susan
Hilferty has imposed a wryly surreal Old World look and Winnie
Holzman has written a crisp book - she has invented a handful
of malapropisms to send up the sanctimonious Glinda, borrowed
some of the film's classic lines to good comic effect, and told
the intricate story with flair."
-
John Lahr, Wicked Review The New Yorker
"With
her knockout star turn, Chenoweth establishes herself as the most
bewitching musical-comedy actress of her generation. Idina Menzel
is a winning presence. She's a thrilling belter, a talent she
showed to great effect in 'Rent." In WICKED, she powers through
the ballads with a gusto that raises goose bumps, especially in
the Act 1 finale in which the sky is literally her limit. WICKED
IS A BONA FIDE CROWD-PLEASER."
-
Peter Marks, Wicked Review Washington Post
"Will
they share the Tony Award or force the voters to choose? These
are some of the thoughts sparked by the sterling performances
of Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Broadway has seen some
superbly matched starring duos in the last few seasons, but not
in a show this big. No musical I can remember has boasted such
an extravagantly talented supporting cast."
