It
took me 8 years to catch up with the phenomenal world wide successful
musical "Wicked" and it was a full house last night for the performance
at the Broward Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale.

The
story, by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, tells
the story of Glinda and Elphaba, future witches, from their initial
meeting at Shiz University up to, and including, a visit to Oz by
Dorothy and Toto from the famous novel by L. Frank Baum and the M-G-M
movie "The Wizard of Oz", is told in flashback by Glinda.

Along
the way we meet the wizard of Oz, (Mark Jacoby), munchkins like Boq,
(Justin Brill), who loves Glinda,  Fiyero (Colin Hanlon), who is loved
by Glinda while he falls in love with Elphaba, the latter's sister
Nessarose, (Stephanie Brown), Madame Morrible, (Randy Danson), the
Headmistress at Shiz, along with other students at Shiz and citizens,
Palace guards, denizens and monkeys of Oz.

One
the many reasons for the success of "Wicked" is the score with music
and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz including the two hits "Defying Gravity"
and "Popular". I was particularly impressed with the unfamiliar, to me,
"As Long As You're Mine" sung by Elphaba and Fiyero. With 9 local
musicians added to the 5 that travels with "Wicked" the cast gets solid
musical backing.

Another reason for the
success is that Elphaba represents people who are different, in her case
being green, and the friendship between her and Glinda, the two the
show revolves around. The roles are played by Chandra Lee Schwartz as
Glinda and Jackie Burns as Elphaba. I found the former chewing the
scenery a little too much in the first act doing much better in the
second act. The latter was perfect from beginning to end showing the arc
of growth from her first scene to the last and standing out vocally
especially in her solos. In her duets, whether with Colin Hanon, Randy
Danson, Mark Jacoby or Chandra Lee Schwartz she modulates her voice so
as not to overpower them. In "Defying Gravity" she lets it all out and
gets the ovation she has earned and deserves.
Along with Stephen
Schwartz, the choreographer Wayne Cilento, the director Joe Mantello,
special effects person Chic Silber, and other production people, they
have made "Wicked" a model of what made Broadway musicals the standard
by which modern day musicals are judged.
1st act 1 hour and 25 minutes  Intermission  17 minutes  2nd act 1 hour and 3 minutes  Total 2 hours and 45 minutes
Strobe lights   excessive amount of smoke
"Wicked" will be playing at the Broward Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale until Sunday, April 24.
Future show schedule:
"Rain"  October 4-16, 2011 
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast" November 15-27, 2011 
"Jersey Boys"  January 11-29, 2012 
"Billy Elliot The Musical"  February 29- March 11, 2012 
"Rodgers and hammerstein's South Pacific" April 10-22, 2012
"La Cage Aux Folles"  June 12-24, 2012