The entire audience rises to applaud as the cast members take their final bow of the night.
Behind me, I hear two girls quietly weeping with amazement, as I feel my own eyes fill with tears. Not only because of what I have just witnessed, but because the little theatre girl inside of me recognizes the feeling of an accomplished bow—though on a smaller stage—and remembers that she once dreamed of being on a big one.
Her expectations, turns out, are exceeded.
I shuffle into my seat at New York City’s Gershwin Theatre, Row O, seat 113, right in the middle. An animatronic dragon sits on top of the curtains. A map of Oz covers the stage, with an emerald light shining through.
All through the sides of the stage I can see stairs, ropes, wheels, lights, and platforms. In that moment, I can only imagine what they are going to turn into, but I know it is going to be good.
The show starts. I’m immediately greeted by Glinda, the good witch, who descends in a giant bubble contraption. An indication that the visuals for the rest of the show are going to be unlike any I’ve seen before.
From Elphaba’s breathtaking flight during “Defying Gravity” to the Wizard’s animatronic presence, to hundreds of pounds of dry ice—every effect is beyond impressive.
The costumes alone are a work of art, each ensemble and lead glowing with color and texture. From the glittering gowns to the prestigious Shiz University uniforms, every design detail is intentional, bringing the stage alive.
The performance itself showcases immense talent from everyone in the cast. The one character that sticks out to me is Glinda, played by Allie Trimm. Every line of hers lands perfectly. Her timing is sharp, her voice bright, and she leans into Glinda’s quirks in a way that make the whole theatre laugh. Her acting, from gasps to facial reactions, brings a unique liveliness to scenes I’ve seen many times before online.
Elphaba, played by Lencia Kebede, hits every note plus more. The style in her voice brings boldness to her musical numbers, depicting the power the character holds. Her acting, however, seems a bit rushed and exaggerated in the first half. It isn’t my favorite portrayal of Elphaba, but it gets better as the show goes on and the character becomes more tolerable.
When it’s time for one of my favorite numbers, “Dancing Through Life,” Fiyero and the choreography shine through. The energy of the scene pops out at the audience with the slamming of the books, the spins, and the playful movements.
This Fiyero, Jordan Litz, is a natural for the role, except for the occasional softness in his vocals. At times, I find myself wishing for a bit more power behind his voice. Still, his performance is one of the most memorable moments of the night, right alongside “One Short Day.”
The show’s joy-filled numbers have the audience engaged and smiling from start to finish.
As much as the Broadway cast of Wicked blows me away, having attended an off-Broadway show the night before causes me to realize what makes Broadway live up to its name. I’d go as far as to say the talent in major off-Broadway roles is similar to those on, but what sets Broadway apart goes far beyond the cast. It’s the performances, sets, designs, lighting and technicalities working together that makes Broadway, Broadway. Wicked embodies all of these elements and is, therefore, the perfect first show to see on a Broadway stage.