
Wicked, the Tony Award-winning musical, returns for its third stop at The Music Hall at Fair Park.
Forget the trip to Broadway. The current national tour of “Wicked,” being staged at The Music Hall at Fair Park, is every bit as good as the red-hot musical staged on the Great White Way.
The show, which runs in Dallas through June 27, saves Broadway fans the time, trouble and expense of a New York trip. The Dallas Summer Musicals presentation (www.DallasSummerMusicals.org) dazzles with its musical tale of what happened before Dorothy and Toto ever were blown into the Wizard’s turf.
The original show, which opened in 2003, broke Broadway boxoffice records with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the two leading roles. For audiences wanting to hear Stephen Schwartz’s music at its best, this current tour, the third at The Music Hall at Fair Park, will not disappoint. Not only does the orchestra deliver a full sound, the leads are first rate.
As Elphaba, Donna Vivino showcases powerhouse pipes, exploding in her musical moments. Her “Defying Gravity” turn closes out the first act with a wow-factor because of her rock-star qualities. Chandra Lee Schwartz brings both the wide vocal range and terminal cuteness necessary for Glinda the Good.
The sets, the lighting, the costumes combine for a top-rate production. The production is staged at a level unusual for a touring show, from the enormous red-eyed dragon atop the stage to the whimsical green costumes and imaginative lighting design.
The show, which won three Tony Awards and still packs the New York theater after nearly eight years, is strongest in the first act. “Popular,” “The Wizard and I,” “I’m Not That Girl” and, of course, “Defying Gravity” all are power house songs wowing the audience before intermission.
Still the musical’s songs and humorous references to “The Wizard of Oz” supply enough to make other shows green with envy. Dallas’ current “Wicked” casts a spell with its wickedly good entertainment.