Inside the experience of seeing 'Wicked' on Broadway for the first time

Just before the film adaptation releases nationwide, one New York Theatre Guide writer reports on what it's like to watch the hit musical live on Broadway.

I can’t believe I made it this long without having seen Wicked either. I’m a 30-year-old, queer New Yorker whose friends are mostly theatre fans, and I’ve been subjected to more dance remixes of “Popular” than I care to admit.

Everything I knew about the show came through friends and cultural osmosis. I knew some songs and the general premise: Wicked is a revisionist take on the characters from The Wizard of Oz, focusing on the unlikely friendship between college roommates Glinda (the future Good Witch of the North) and Elphaba (the future Wicked Witch of the West). I didn’t avoid the show; I just never got around to it. Until Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

Wicked is now the fourth-longest running show in Broadway history and arguably one of the most popular pieces of modern musical theatre. Even when the show hasn’t been "in the moment," as it is now that a film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande is releasing later this month, you can count on theatre fans to sing “Defying Gravity” at karaoke, reference the show’s lime-green palette, or joke about Elphaba and Glinda's sisterly/frenemy relationship.

And over 20 years and 8,000 performances since its Broadway premiere in 2003, Wicked still contains a bunch of magic.

Entering the world of Oz

Although the Gershwin Theatre bears some traces of Oz throughout the lobby, like a large map and merchandise stands, you disappear into Wicked’s world once you enter the theatre. Wicked still brings all the spectacle and fun audiences want from a Broadway show: Stephen Schwartz’s music is epic, giving the story a grand scale that extends beyond the stage. It's easy to get wrapped up in this Oz, which is busy and full of life, due to a talented ensemble that makes the big numbers feel alive.

The production itself is also exciting. Susan Hilferty's costumes are beautifully detailed, encrusted with jewels that catch the show’s colorful lights and beam into the audience. The Time Dragon — a rickety puppet of metal, bolts, and smoke — has eyes that glow green as the show starts. And the rest of Eugene Lee's excellent set design, filled with gears, cogs, and vine branches that creep over everything yet remain transparent, contribute to Wicked’s exploration of its heavier themes, like abuses of power and propaganda.

Wicked marries audience-approved thrill – with fun stagecraft and enjoyable special effects – with largely compelling thematic material. The political topics unfold through characters like the mysterious Wizard, who plays a key role in shaping the course of the women's friendship and their public image. Although other recent musicals have sought to deal with complex ideas for a variety of audiences, rarely have they managed to be both topical and utterly theatrical.

Discovering Wicked anew

Having been mostly unfamiliar with Wicked's contents beyond what I had absorbed from others, I found that Wicked, like its characters, is both magical and flawed on stage. At times, the show rushes the actors (and audience) through its scenes — of course, there's a lot of plot to pack into 2.5 hours, but nonetheless, I sometimes felt like I didn't have time to fully take in the emotional consequences of one narrative turn before moving to the next.

But it is Mary Kate Morrissey, currently starring as the emerald-skinned Elphaba, who has no problem staying grounded even when headed towards the Western skies. Her defensiveness turns to righteousness, which is crafted with a nuance that both articulates a sympathy for her decisions but a recognition of the way in which they go awry and are fueled by impulse.

Of all Elphaba's songs, including the 11 o'clock number "No Good Deed," the famous Act 1 closer, “Defying Gravity,” reaches the greatest heights. When Morrissey was up in the air, I thought nothing could bring her down.

Why Wicked still defies gravity

The enduring power of Wicked is perhaps less in the material itself than in the verve its cast and creative team put into it. They believe in the magic of the show, which extends into the audience. And that was worth the wait.

After decades of hearing about Wicked through jokes and references, experiencing it with an audience and feeling its grand ambitions channeled through its performances was the most impressive part. Wicked keeps a bit of enchantment on Broadway — hopefully, for good.

Photo credit: Wicked on Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)