Before there was the ever-popular film version of Wicked, there was the stage production that birthed it all.
Since it made its debut on Broadway in 2003, WICKED the musical has remained one of the most successful and popular musicals in the world, with more than 67 million people worldwide having seen the production.
As 1 of the 67 million people who have seen this musical three times, WICKED holds a special place in my heart as one of my favourite musicals of all time. This isn’t just because of the songs but also the costumes and stage production that continues to be one of the best I’ve seen.
For those who have yet to get their introduction to WICKED (via the film), the musical tells the story of what happened before The Wizard of Oz, when two young women — Elphaba and Glinda — meet at school, in the land of Oz. Initially rivals, the two soon become friends and were later forced to pick sides after the world decides to label them based on its perception of “good” and “wicked”.
And, unlike the film, the musical has a conclusion.
While I would always say that Elphaba is my favourite character from the musical, this production of WICKED might have actually converted me into more of a Glinda fan. Though I stand firm that no one can beat the OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth, Courtney Monsma’s Glinda has become one of the standouts for me.
From the start of Act 1, Courtney stole the show with her vocals and mannerisms that gave Glinda a lot more character, especially when she was performing her solo number “Popular”.
In every stage production of WICKED, every performer who plays Glinda often put their own take into performing this number and Courtney was no exception. I could feel her excitable energy to give Elphaba a makeover through her energy, kicks, and even the subdued moments with the little gestures.
On the other hand, Zoe Coppinger’s portrayal of Elphaba was not one that I really liked, partly due to my preference of Elphaba having a slightly lower vocal range like Idina Menzel or Lindsay Mendez. Zoe’s Elphaba did throw me off a little, especially in the earlier musical numbers of Act 1, where her vocals didn’t create a contrast with that of Courtney’s.
She, however, changed my mind when it came time for her big number “Defying Gravity”, giving me the same goosebumps I got when I first heard the song live on stage. While nobody could ever compare to the OG Elphaba, Zoe held her own, making the song an impactful one in her own right; stealing the spotlight back as we transition into Act 2.
While I felt that everyone was a lot stronger in Act 2, I thought that the performance of my favourite song “As Long As You’re Mine” stood out a little from the rest. Bias aside, the song is such a standout because it is an emotional one that showcases the longing, desperation and love that Fiyero and Elphaba has for each other.
Having heard various versions with other Fiyeros like Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit, and Derek Klena, I had expected the same kind of warm emotion in the vocals during the song, and suffice to say Liam Head’s Fiyero delivered.
Not only did I feel the chemistry between both characters as they sang the song, but they performed it with this sense of urgency and assurance for each other that truly captured the moment of reunification.
Another standout performance that I have to highlight was “For Good”. Both Courtney and Zoe performed this song with such heart that it moved me to tears.
The song, which also concludes the story between Glinda and Elphaba, is one that I think resonates with a lot of people, because it speaks of a person that we may have encountered, who had helped us through a chapter of our lives in a positive manner.
For Glinda, meeting Elphaba opened her eyes to the world, and helped her to think outside of herself. For Elphaba, meeting Glinda taught her to be confident and to do what she felt was right.
In many ways, it feels like WICKED captures snippets of our everyday lives that we can identify with; be it in our personal lives or what is happening in the world today. If there is one thing that rings true, it is how important it is for us to accept one another as we are, without the need to vilify a person for being different.
