Something “Wicked” this way comes

“Wicked” that “thrillifying” musical is casting its magical spell at the Bushnell through December 9.
The musical, first produced on Broadway in 2003 where it won Tony Awards for costumes and set and best actress in a musical, is based on the novel by the same name, written by Gregory Maguire.
Basically it is the story of L. Frank Baum’s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” but all upside down, inside out, and backwards, from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West.
That witch, named Elphaba (a tip of the hat from Maguire to Baum, whose initials L.F.B. make up her acronymed name) is, as most know, green as green can be, from the tip of her head to the bottom of her toes.
Bookish Elphaba, played with underdog passion by understudy Marcie Dodd at last Thursday’s matinee performance, is roomed with the young, blonde and beautiful Glinda, the eventual Good Witch, at witches’ boarding school, and it is “loath” at first sight. Glinda is played to comic perfection by Katie Rose Clarke.
Its a story of girl meets girl, girl loathes girl, girl likes girl, boy comes into the picture and falls in love with girl, but “witch” girl? And…well, the ending won’t be “spoil-afied” here.
The story eventually catches up to the plot of the original, with Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion making cameo appearances.
But there are other subtexts within the plot, too, with grown up political implications. The Wizard of Oz, played with alacrity by P.J. Benjamin, is manipulating the world he runs to maintain his power, with the help of his public relations assistant, the Madame Morrible, played with “fantabulicious eviliosity” by Alma Cuervo.
The color green also symbolizes the fragility of nature. In this Ozian world where the animals could speak, but are eventually literally used as scapegoats by the Wizard with the unwitting assistance of Elphaba, to make Oz citizens unite against nature to explain why the world has gone horribly wrong.
The music has a “popish” fast-paced up beat, and the performers were all energetic, professional, and well rehearsed, singing songs such as “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “Wonderful,” and “For Good.”
Particularly moving song was the song at the end of Act One, “Defying Gravity,” sung with power and passion by Dodd.
Clarke as Glinda the Good Witch was “spenderificently” goofy as the perfectly popular and spoiled Glinda. Her comic talents were well showcased in the song “Popular.”
At one point early on in the musical Glinda’s will is thwarted and she says in a stunned manner, “I didn't get my way…I think I need to sit down.”
Later in the classroom, when the learned professor Dr. Dillamond, who happens to be a sheep, played “baaaa-rilliantly” by Tom Flynn, is waxing philosophic about the problems in their world, Glinda blurted out “Don’t you think you could just stop harping on the past and teach us history instead?”
There is a prince, because honestly, what fantasy tale could be complete without one?
However, in this musical that prince, named Fiyero, is a partying callow cad, played with just the right air of entitlement by Cliffton Hall, who proudly announces he is working on “learning to live the unexamined life by dancing through life.”
The steel-girded, solid set with outsized clockwork gears designed by Eugene Lee resembled an industrial nightmarish vision right out of a Tim Burton movie.
The costumes by Susan Hilferty were unequivocally brilliant in color, detail, variety, and design. From Glinda’s “Little Mermaid”-like light blue glittery gown, to the asymmetrically ruffled and petticoated party dresses of the ensemble, to Madame Morrible’s bustled floor-sweeping extravaganza, the costumes were a fanciful amalgamation of Dr. Seuss-meets-Christian Lacroix’s haute couture in munchkin land.
This musical appeals to all ages, but seems to resonate particularly with teenagers, with its moral that appearances are deceiving. Last Thursday’s matinee performance was filled to near capacity, and over half the attendees were school-aged kids. But is the show too frightening for the very young?
At the conclusion of the show one 9-year-old boy told his mother that he thought the flying monkeys were creepy, but his 4-year-old brother was unfazed.
However, children younger than four-years-old are not allowed by management to see the show. Those flying monkeys were pretty creepy.
A good litmus test for the musical would be, if your child has seen the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” and isn’t frightened, then by all means, they are vigorously “encouragized” to go see “Wicked.”


WICKED

Three Stars

Theater: The Bushnell

Location: The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave. Hartford

Production: Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Winnie Holzman. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Directed by Joe Mantello. Musical staging by Wayne Cilento. Set by Eugene Lee. Costumes by Susan Hilferty.

Running time: 2 1/2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission

Show Times: Friday Nov. 8 p.m., Saturday Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Tuesday- Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 9

Tickets: $39-$84. Call 987-5900 or visit their Web site at www.bushnell.org

ACTOR...CHARACTER
Katie Rose Clarke...Glinda
Carmen Cusack...Elphaba
Cliffton Hall...Fiyero
Alma Cuervo...Madame Morrible
Deedee Magno Hall...Nessarose
Brad Weinstock...Boq
P.J. Benjamin...The Wizard of Oz
Paul Slade Smith...Witch’s father, Ozian official, Wizard and Dillamond understudy, ensemble
Tom Flynn...Doctor Dillamond
Kyle Hill...Chistery