EVENTS
Wicked!! Worth travelling west to the Wharton.
July 18th, 2008

Wicked was a wonderful production. If anything could make you fall in love with the wicked witch of the west it was this performance.  It was lifted up to its expectation and then some. Part comedy, Part romance, yet still suspenseful enough to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire performance. A surprising combination which ended in one of the best shows I’ve seen in years.

The performance alone was topnotch, but to be able to see it in the Wharton Theater only added to the experience.  Wicked, with all its costumes and music beats seeing anything in a movie theater, no matter what computer technology they can use to try to impress.

With the size of the theater, you felt every word, heard every song as if it was being played just for you. Personally, I found myself feeling and making faces right along with the actors. The performers were so believable, I found myself laughing, singing and crying too. Wicked has a great connection with the audience and kept them in tune at all times. This is definitely not a play where anyone is going to be nodding off.  The story which explains the bad-attitude of the Wicked Witch of the West and also tells of the lies that emerged from the Emerald city give you a completely different look at a person we’ve always thought was evil.

The Wicked does a great job of tying the ends of any questions you might have from the story “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.  If there was ever a Part 1 to that well known classic, this is it.

Getting to the Wharton Theater

Construction was very heavy on this Thursday afternoon and it seemed like every road we turned on was closed. But with all that traffic, we were still able to make it to the Wharton Center, in East Lansing, on Bouge St. and Wilson, on schedule. We picked up our tickets and found our seats, front and center.

As soon as we sat down I could tell it was going to be good. I was in awe with the decorations and design of the building.  My surroundings were enough to make the hassles of the drive well worth it.  Even the closed curtain had fascinating pictures and maps on it.

When the orchestra started, I knew we were in for a treat; it was delightful and being conducted by Boko Suzuki, would you expect anything less?  The performers did a fantastic job and I can’t say enough about this play. I’d especially like to mention, Katie Rose Clarke who played Glinda, Carmen Cusack as Elphaba (wicked witch) and Cliffton Hall as Fiyero. They added character and passion to their roles.

When the performance began, Glinda floated down from the ceiling while singing to the munchkins when unexpectedly her wig came off!  She put it back on acting like it was all part of the performance.  She then looked at us and asked “how does my hair look?’’  It was hilarious and shows the talent of the performers.

Without giving the ending away, I’ll leave it that this is a must see performance.  If you’ve ever seen the “Wizard of Oz” and who hasn’t, this is almost mandatory as it clears up many stories that show leaves you wondering about.  You’ll get your moneys worth and a surprise ending too!  Seeing it at the Wharton Theater only added to the wonderful show.

Courtney Taylor

Wowed by Wicked at the Wharton!

Take a trip West this summer and experience the outstanding musical Wicked, at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts in East Lansing.

The untold story of the Witches of OZ kept you in suspense until the very last second. The voices of the cast were superb and the story was captivating for all ages. The 7:30pm show that we attended was packed full and the audience rose to its feet within seconds of the curtain call with a roar of approval.

From Bravo to Elphaba (wicked witch of the west), Carmen Cusack and Glinda, played by Katie Rose Clarke, the performances were absolutely phenomenal.  The costumes, special effects and music were comparable to something you would expect to see on Broadway.  Seeing it only 45 minutes from our home in Hartland was an added bonus and we cant wait to go back to the Wharton for another performance.

I would recommend this musical for anyone who has ever seen the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, both young and old.  It was well worth the drive out of the metro area.

--Monica Lynn


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