I could marvel at the music, the book, the chorus, the sets, the costumes, and the special effects, all deserving of marvel, but I think I'm just going to marvel at the leads, Donna Vivino as Elfaba and Stefanie Brown as Galinda or Glinda, depending on which scene you might be discussing. First to Elfaba (named for L. Frank Baum), the girl who was born green, and as a result scorned and mocked; and, as a result of the scorn and mockery, toughing it out on the outside while pining for normalcy on the inside. Donna Vivino was "fantastarocian." Very green, hair pulled tightly back, dressed not to please, she was beautiful to me from the beginning and grew more beautiful as the story unfolded. Her voice can break your heart or knock you over. Her glare can scare the toughest Oz guard, and her smile melt you. (This is not a reference to melting by water.) I can't imagine anyone looking better or more capable in a pointy witch hat.
Stefanie Brown, understudy to both Glinda and Nessarose, how can you go back to the chorus after being the consummate good witch? My Lord, Stefanie you are so funny, so sweet, so intentionally vacant, and with the voice of an occasionally raucous angel. You must be a special person and a special talent to go from flying in a bubble to dancing in the second row smoothly. You were "awesomocian!"
I know that a lot of people go to WICKED multiple times because they so love the experience. I'd love to go again, too, but, should we do so, I know, that however fine the female leads may be, I'll always feel that Donna Vivino and Stefanie Brown are the real Elfaba and Glinda.
Glad you enjoyed it! When I saw it in Rochester last year, the crowd unfortunately took me out of it often by laughing at scenes that were in no way funny. Took me back to my "soliloquy" in TV KIDS, equally not funny, that got the same response one of the nights. Not sure I ever told you about that, but I didn't want to go back out there to face that particular crowd again - had to have a mid-length, out-of-character conversation with Rick and Laura to calm down, if memory serves. An early lesson that you can't necessarily dictate your audience's response to art...
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