Cast: Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Victoria Matlock (Elphaba), Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero), P. J. Benjamin (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
For more info about the touring cast, see the Wicked Tour site.
As always, I highly recommend the musical Wicked! For my original review, see Wicked Original Broadway Cast.
The show is just as good almost 3 years later as it was when I first saw it at the Gershwin. Of course, the cast isn't always as great, but the overall impression is still wonderful and it's such a fun show.
I know I was disappointed with Katie Adams when I saw her, but I think that Kendra did about the same in the opening scenes. Fortunately, Kendra got better as the show continued. I was really worried with Kendra in the first scene, but she seemed to ease into the roll and by the time they got to the first duet with Elphaba, she was more like the Glinda's I've loved in previous productions.
We saw Victoria Matlock, the standby for Elphaba as Elphaba and she was totally wonderful! The Wizard and I is always the big test for me with any new Elphaba and she did a great job! I'd say that her performance was better than Stephanie J. Block's, though not as good as Shoshana Bean (and no one will be as good as Idina Menzel for me, even if Stephanie J. Block did originate the roll in San Francisco).
Sebastian Arcelus was wonderful as Fiyero. I'd say he's second only to Norbert Leo Butz for me in Fiyeros, which is saying a lot, since Norbert created the roll on Broadway and did such a wonderful job. Jennifer Waldman (Nessarose), K. Todd Freeman (Dr. Dillamond), and most of the rest of the cast did a wonderful job.
Having seen Joel Grey and Ben Vereen as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, P. J. Benjamin had a lot to live up to, so it's not surprising that his performance didn't wow me. I try not to compare to those I've seen before, but it's so difficult. Alma Cuervo did a great job as Madam Morrible. I'd say she was as good (if not better than) Carole Shelley on the night that I saw her.
Wicked is a great show for anyone who likes to think about what might have really happened to lead up to the events you see in The Wizard of Oz or anyone who thought that Dorothy was a bit of a pain in the neck. The music (by Stephen Schwartz) is amazing and the story (modified by Winnie Holzman) is even better than the book by Gregory Maguire in my opinion. It really ties in with what you know from the movie/musical The Wizard of Oz, which is fun to see.
My grade for the musical overall is still an A+, but my grade for the performance I saw on this day is below.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, musical, Stephen Schwartz, tour
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams