ARTS NET, Tampa Bay*

Boom starts out promisingly enough.  (continue reading…)

 Little House On The Prairie is based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s popular classic book series from 70 years ago and on the 1970’s TV show. (continue reading…)

Wicked completely lives up to the hype.

It isn’t often in theater that everything comes together:  the score, the scenery, the costumes, the talent of the cast and, most importantly, the plot.  Wicked has it all.  Taken from Gregory Maguire’s original 1995 novel, Wicked is the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.

Elphaba has a back story as a misunderstood child made different by circumstances beyond her control.  The story begins when the two girls are made roommates at boarding school.  The two couldn’t be more different; Glinda is something out of “Legally Blonde,” all perky and confident, though ditzy, in her pink sparkly party dresses.  Elphaba, a green “Emily doll” in her shapeless black garments, hair pulled back into a plain black braid, is too intelligent and talented for her own good.  She deeply feels her classmates’ scorn.  Elphaba has a good heart; she cares for her handicapped sister and champions abused animals, and her teachers recognize her gifts in the realm of magic.  The rest of the story goes on to tell how she came to be the misunderstood figure she is today.

The weaving of the Wizzard of Oz plot as we know it into an alternate history of the misunderstood witch is nothing short of brilliant.  No matter how glitzy and beautiful a production is, no matter how talented the cast, the whole thing can fall apart without a strong plot.  This is where Wicked comes out head and shoulders above most other musicals.  We truly care about Elphaba and even the ditzy Glinda.  All characters develop and deepen during the course of the show.

Some of the production numbers are dazzling such as Elphaba’s first full realization of her powers in “Defying Gravity.”  This song, which came just before the intermission, practically had the audience at a standing ovation even mid-play.

The cast couldn’t be more talented.  All voices more than excelled.  Donna Vivino as Elphaba has a powerful voice and is a great actress, immediately getting the audience to empathize with the plight of the “different” kid in school.  It takes a commanding performer to pull off this larger-than-life part, and Vivino does it to perfection.

It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect Glinda than Chandra Lee Schwartz.  She has a pure voice, and she plays the character with fitting perkiness, yet shows the character’s depth.  It’s gratifying to see her take her character from superficial self-absorption at the beginning of the show to having a fully-realized personality at the end.  Schwartz makes us root for and like Glinda, even when she’s being a bubble-head.

The other performers also excelled: Randy Danson is great as the snarky Madame Horrible whose special talent is manipulating the weather (oh… in creating twisters, maybe?). Richard H. Blake plays Fiyero, the love interest who is a closet thinker.  Not only is he well-cast physically but he possesses the sincerity to play the part.  Richard Kline was a nice surprise as The Wizzard.  (I had to really think back to remember that he was Jack Tripper’s friend in Three’s Company.)  He’s fittingly a good-natured curmudgeon.

The dancers change from Oz street people to students to Emerald City revelers with ease.  Choreography by James Lynn Abbot echoes the Steampunk feel of Eugene Lee’s set design.  All dancers are spot on, good enough to be solo performers in their own right.  The flying monkeys are too good to be true: cute and terrifying all at the same time.

Music and Lyrics by Randy Danson are especially strong and pleasurably ‘gee-whiz show-tuney.’  They really know how to make the emotion of the songs rise then end with a bang.  There are several memorable tunes, such sd “What’s this Feeling,” “For Good,” and especially “Defying Gravity.”

Sets by Eugene Lee are nothing short of amazing with tjeor Steampunk feel of cogs and gears and a metallic fire-breathing dragon looming over the audience. Projections by Elaine J. McCarthy and Lighting by Kenneth Posner bring it all together and completely draw us into the Wicked world.  During the rain sequence I really had to look hard to realize it was actually a light illusion.

I can’t rave about this show enough. If you’re thinking about going to this show, don’t think twice. Immediately call or go to the link below.  Shows like Wicked only come along once in a decade and you shouldn’t miss it.

Wicked will be playing at Carol Morsani Hall through Feb. 28^th, Tues. 7:30 p.m., Wed. 7:30 p.m., Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 and 8 p.m., Sun. 2 and 7:30 p.m. For more information about tickets, click here.

I have to admit, I walked in a little bit late to The Big Bang only to find two men on stage cavorting in their underwear and having a fine time for themselves.  (continue reading…)

There’s a reason why the Florida Orchestra always sells out their Cirque de la Symphonie productions.  The performance was absolutely riveting.  (continue reading…)