Review: Wicked at San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

On a spur of the moment, I purchased two tickets to see Wicked at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Inna was always interested in seeing Wicked, though I was more ambivalent.

Summary:

With exceptional costumes, unique sets, and spectacular special effects, Wicked was entertaining despite the weak musical score and easily forgettable lyrics. The plot is quite simple:  Elphaba - the Wicked Witch of the West (the Green Witch) - is really the "good" witch (despite her green skin and unattractive appearance).

I especially enjoyed two songs: "Popular" and "Defying Gravity." The rest of the score is easily forgettable.

Here are more details on the show, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Act I

In the Land of Oz, the Ozians are rejoicing over the demise of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda the Good Witch talks about Elphaba's past, where her mother was seen having an affair after Elphaba's father, the governor of Munchkinland, went out of town. As her mother has this affair, she drinks a green elixir. She then gives birth to a baby girl with green skin ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). An Ozian asks Glinda if she and Elphaba are friends. She reluctantly admits they were, leading Glinda to tell them how they became best friends. A flashback starts with a scene at Shiz University when Elphaba arrives with her father and younger sister, Nessarose ("Dear Old Shiz"). Due to her green skin, Elphaba's father resents her and showers his affection for Nessarose, who is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair due to a birth defect. As their father says goodbye, he gives Nessarose a pair of silver slippers. The headmistress, Madame Morrible, takes Nessarose under her protection, leaving Elphaba and the beautiful and popular Galinda as roommates to their chagrin. Elphaba attempts to take back her sister, and her anger manifests physically in an explosion. Madame Morrible recognizes that Elphaba has extraordinary powers and decides to teach her sorcery. She tells Elphaba her powers might allow her to one day work with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, something Elphaba has dreamed of her whole life ("The Wizard and I"). All this attention does little to endear Elphaba to Galinda, and the feeling is mutual ("What is this Feeling?"). They fight constantly, even in their classes, such as their history class with Dr. Dillamond, the only animal Professor (an intelligent goat) at the university, who is beginning to suffer from discrimination. He tells Elphaba a conspiracy is afoot to stop animals from speaking, and she wants to let the Wizard know, for he would undoubtedly prevent it ("Something Bad").

Later, the Winkie Prince, Fiyero Tigelaar, arrives at Shiz and gets the other students thinking about his philosophy of just 'dancing through life.' They all decided to have an orientation party at the Ozdust Ballroom that evening. Boq, a Munchkin who has developed a crush on Galinda, tries to invite her to the party, but she convinces him to ask Nessarose out of pity, leaving Galinda free to go with Fiyero. Nessarose, who has a crush on Boq, is delighted and tells her sister how Galinda made it happen. When Galinda gives Elphaba an ugly hat to wear at the party, Elphaba takes it as an act of kindness. At the evening party, Boq tries to tell Nessarose why he invited her but is too nice to hurt her feelings ("Dancing Through Life"). She continues to fall for him. At Elphaba's obliging request, Madame Morrible arrives to tell Galinda she can join her sorcery class. Elphaba arrives wearing the witch's hat, only to find the other students laughing and staring while she awkwardly dances alone. Galinda feels regretful and goes dancing with Elphaba. Soon, everyone joins them, and the two girls look at each other in a new light. Back in their room, they continue to bond. Galinda decides to give Elphaba a makeover ("Popular").

The next day in class, Dr. Dillamond tells the students that he has been excommunicated. Elphaba wants to help, but no one will stand up to her. Afterward, the students are introduced to the cage, which will keep animals controlled so they never learn to speak. The cage being shown contains a tiny lion cub. Elphaba's fury cannot be stopped, and in the ensuing chaos, she and Fiyero steal the lion cub in the cage and escape. They share a tender moment before he leaves to free the lion cub. Elphaba reminds herself how pointless it is to wish for something to happen between them ("I'm Not That Girl"). Madame Morrible comes to tell her that the Wizard has decided to meet her. Nessarose and Galinda come to see her off, and Fiyero meets her, too. Galinda tries to win Fiyero's respect by changing her name to 'Glinda' in solidarity with Dr. Dillamond, who always mispronounced her name. Still, Fiyero is not impressed, saying goodbye to Elphaba instead. Elphaba invites Glinda to the Emerald City ("One Short Day").

The girls meet the Wizard of Oz, who turns out to be less intimidating than they thought ("A Sentimental Man"). He promises Elphaba that he will grant her request if she proves herself. Madame Morrible appears, the Wizard's new 'press secretary.' She gives Elphaba an ancient book of spells called the Grimmerie, which only the magically gifted can read. Elphaba is asked to try a levitation spell on the Wizard's monkey servant, Chemistry. However, the spell does not go the way Elphaba plans when Chester sprouts wings, and she realizes that the Wizard is behind the suppression of the animals. Elphaba realizes the Wizard has no powers and he is merely a fraud. She runs away, and to prevent the truth from getting out, Madame Morrible spreads reports that Elphaba is a 'wicked witch.' This only reaffirms Elphaba's belief that she must not let anyone hold her down. She performs a spell on a broom and flies away from the Emerald City, never to return ("Defying Gravity").

Act II[edit]

Sometime later, Elphaba's opposition to the Wizard's regime earned her the title"' the Wicked Witch of the West.' Glinda has become the positive public front of the Wizard's regime, given the title 'Glinda the Good' and positioned by Madame Morrible as the nation's defender against the witch ("No One Mourns the Wicked (Reprise)"). A press conference celebrating Fiyero's appointment as guard captain (a position he accepted to find Elphaba) is hijacked by the crowd's panicked rumors about the witch, including a story that she will be melted by water. Fiyero is incredulous and not convinced by Glinda's insistence that Elphaba does not want to be found. He is further angered when Madame Morrible announces his engagement to Glinda and runs off. Glinda attempts to keep a cheerful front for the press, but clearly, she realizes her dream life has come at a great price ("Thank Goodness").

Elphaba pays a visit to Nessarose, now the governor of Munchkinland, following the death of their father. Nessarose has taken away the rights of the Munchkins in a desperate attempt to keep Boq at her side. Elphaba tries to convince her sister to side with her against the Wizard, but Nessarose is more concerned with her own problems. Elphaba tries to help by giving Nessarose the power to walk, turning the silver slippers into the 'ruby slippers.' Convinced that Boq must love her now, Nessarose calls for him, but he only sees this as proof that she no longer needs him. Hurt, Nessarose takes Elphaba's spellbook and tries to cast a spell to make Boq fall in love with her. However, the spell backfires, making her the 'Wicked Witch of the East' and shrinking Boq's heart ("The Wicked Witch of the East"). Elphaba works another spell to save his life, if in a different condition. When Boq awakens, he is disgusted at his new state as a man-made tin.

Elphaba returns to the Wizard's palace to free the monkey servants and comes across the Wizard himself. He tries once again to convince her to work with him, telling her that he is not evil - just an average man who came into his position by chance, and he offers to redeem Elphaba's reputation ("Wonderful"). She is almost won over until she sees Dr. Dillamond, who has lost the power of speech. Angered by this, Elphaba accuses the Wizard, but he calls the guards to arrest Elphaba for fraud. In response, Fiyero and the guards enter, followed by Glinda. However, Fiyero helps Elphaba escape and leaves with her. Although broken-hearted at Fiyero switching sides with Elphaba ("I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)"), Glinda suggests to the Wizard and Madame Morrible that the way to apprehend Elphaba is to use her sister as bait, allowing the officials to recapture Elphaba once and for all.

Elphaba and Fiyero are both surprised by the strength of their feelings for each other and promise to always be together ("As Long As You're Mine"). Their happiness is interrupted when Elphaba suddenly sees Nessarose being in danger. Before Elphaba leaves to investigate, Fiyero tells her about a castle, Kiamo Ko, that his family owns and where she can stay.

Glinda and Elphaba meet again at the site where Nessarose has been crushed by a house with a girl named Dorothy Gale inside. Fueled by the rivalry over Fiyero, the two have a heated argument. The guards arrive to arrest Elphaba. Fiyero arrives and holds Glinda,, hostage until Elphaba is allowed to go free. Glinda pleads for the guards not to harm him, but they do not listen, as they escort Fiyero to the field where they can interrogate and torture him (by crucifixion). Elphaba tries to cast a spell to protect him but is crestfallen by the limitations of her power. She decides that from then on, she will live up to her reputation ("No Good Deed").

Later, all its citizens unite back at Oz's capital, declaring war on Elphaba due to Madame Morrible and Boq's testimony against her. Meanwhile, Glinda realizes that Madame Morrible, who can control the weather, is responsible for Nessarose's death, but Madame Morrible simply reminds her that blood is on her hands, too. Glinda flees in horror to warn Elphaba as the angry mob sets out to take Kiamo Ko ("March of the Witch Hunters").

Elphaba has already captured Dorothy back at the castle, refusing to release her until she relinquishes Nessarose's slippers – the only things left of her dead sister. Glinda travels to Elphaba's castle to warn her of the danger and persuade her to let Dorothy go. Elphaba refuses until she receives a letter saying that Fiyero has died. The two women forgive each other, acknowledging they have both made mistakes. To help her in the future, Elphaba gives the Grimmerie to Glinda. The two friends embrace each other for the last time before saying goodbye ("For Good"). As the mob arrives, Elphaba tells Glinda to hide, and she watches helplessly from the shadows as Dorothy throws a bucket of water on Elphaba, who appears to disintegrate. Shaken, Glinda sees that all that remains of her friend is her hat and the bottle of green elixir.

In the Emerald City, Glinda confronts the Wizard with Elphaba's bottle, which he recognizes as identical to his own. He was Elphaba's biological father and the cause of her green skin. He breaks down in sorrow, and Madame Morrible surmises that Elphaba's powers are strong because she was a child of two worlds. Glinda banishes the Wizard of Oz and sends Madame Morrible to prison.

Meanwhile, back at Kiamo Ko, Fiyero (now a scarecrow) comes to where Elphaba was melted. Making sure that no one is watching, he knocks on the floor, and out from a trap door steps Elphaba, very much alive; the entire thing was a ruse to convince her enemies of her death and to ensure her future with Fiyero, who was transformed into the scarecrow by her spell. Before leaving, Elphaba regrets that she will never see Glinda again and tells her they are alive. Simultaneously, returning to the musical's starting point, Glinda promises the people of Oz to properly earn her title as Glinda the Good. As the people celebrate and Glinda mourns, Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz ("Finale").

Wicked Report Card

Overall: 3 out of 5

Positives

• Exceptional costumes
• Broadway-quality sets
• Spectacular special effects

Negatives

• Average-quality singing with uninspiring lyrics
• The musical score felt boring and uninteresting