Last Updated on February 24, 2024, 12:22 AM | Published: February 24, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY — Wicked is one of the longest-running and most popular shows on Broadway, and that is never more obvious than when the tour comes to town.
The 20th anniversary touring production of Wicked returns to Oklahoma City, now through March 10th, 2024 at the Civic Center Music Hall. The 3-week run means there’s plenty of time to snag tickets if you can find them. Perhaps contributing to the excitement is the upcoming film adaptation, which debuted a trailer during the Super Bowl this year and was met with lots of buzz online about the film.
The reviewed performance on media night was absolutely packed in the Civic Center, despite it being a midweek show that starts at the same time as a home Thunder game.
Wicked is sweetly nostalgic in many ways, and one of the most notable is who was originally cast. In 2003, Wicked put a then-rising star and relatively unknown Kristin Chenoweth on the performing arts map. The Oklahoma City native Chenoweth grew up in local theater, then honed her vocal skills at Oklahoma City University before starring in Wicked as the shining young witch Glinda.
Alongside her, another mostly unknown Idina Menzel portrayed the green witch Elphaba. These performers solidified their Broadway immortality and originated two of the most iconic roles in musical theater history.
Wicked flips the script on an already beloved and familiar tale. Glinda, otherwise known as The Good Witch, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, have a backstory that came before Dorothy and her little dog, too. This Wizard of Oz prequel of sorts brings the humanity and relatability factor to archetypes of what we’ve always seen as Good vs. Evil.
Echoes of Chenoweth’s original character remain in this new touring cast. Celia Hottenstein is dynamic and charming as the young Glinda. While Chenoweth’s vibrato and vocal range are second to none, Hottenstein gives it a run and pulls off the performance effortlessly.
Wicked flips the script on an already beloved and familiar tale.
Adrienne Proctor
Misunderstood and outcast for her green skin, Elphaba is both the underdog and the protagonist of this tale. Olivia Valli beautifully represents this famous role, humanizing a would-be villain and making her as complex as any of us.
Together, Valli and Hottenstein redefine what it means to be wicked, and the message is powerfully relatable to the present-day audience.
The technical elements of the show leave no expense spared, and Wicked is a marvel of Oz-like proportions. The musical numbers soar along with spirits as Elphaba finally steps into her own. “Defying Gravity”, the closing number in Act I, is a much-anticipated moment that pays dividends. Musical arrangements by famed composer Alex Lacamoire make the auditory experience an emotional one.
One of the best aspects of live theater is the immediacy of the art form. When an audience gathers to watch a show, we are all in it together for the duration. Theatre is becoming riskier in our increasingly busy lives. Long gone are the days of 3-hour musicals. Two and a half hours is pushing the limit of our collective attention spans, and the cracks are starting to show.
The restless audience during the reviewed performance results in a disruptive experience. Phones coming out and whispers amongst the crowd do nothing to help the mood.
This isn’t a carefully curated streaming playlist, but a live performance with actors and technicians who feed off the energy of the audience. The experience serves as a reminder to those attending this and any of the Broadway tours. The people in attendance have paid a lot of money to be there, and the performers on stage have sacrificed even more to perform in the show.
We should all try to be respectful of this style of art, lest we lose the opportunity to experience it altogether.
Wicked can seem overwhelming and complex, but at its core it’s a simple story of friendship. What happens when people, girls at that, are underestimated and discounted by society, can serve as a cautionary tale in the best or worst way.
Wicked gives back the power to the powerless and a voice to the voiceless, and who can’t relate to that feeling. This theme explains why Wicked has endured the test of time. The technical elements and spectacle of the vision may draw audiences in, but what keeps them coming back over and over is how Wicked makes them feel.
We’ve all been the villains in our own stories at times, and Wicked gives us permission to take back that narrative, to defy not just gravity, but all the naysayers who ever said we couldn’t accomplish something. Those who get the chance to witness this iconic show will leave feeling uplifted, and most certainly changed for good.
For tickets to this extended run, which are selling out fast, visit okcbroadway.com.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
