Broadway Phenom Wicked Returns to the Hub
Emerald City’s witches take up residence at Boston Opera House
Amanda Jane Cooper (left) stars as Glinda and Jessica Vosk plays Elphaba in the national touring production of the long-running Broadway musical Wicked, at the Boston Opera House through July 23. Photo by Joan Marcus/© Broadway.com
The land of Oz is again visiting Boston. The Broadway juggernaut Wicked has taken up residence at the Boston Opera House through July 23.
The Tony-winning musical debuted on the Great White Way in 2003 and is now the ninth longest running show in Broadway history. Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Wicked is a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s beloved book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation, The Wizard of Oz. Set in the Emerald City long before the arrival of Dorothy and Toto, it traces the unlikely friendship of two young women who meet in college—often misunderstood Elphaba (played by Jessica Vosk), born with emerald skin and a fiery temperament, and Galinda (Amanda Jane Cooper), a beautiful, ambitious, and popular blonde. The musical explores how circumstance and character conspire to bring about a falling out between the two and their resulting different destinies: Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.
With such popular songs as “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” and “As Long as You’re Mine,” Wicked quickly became a classic, spawning touring productions throughout the country and around the globe.
A dazzling exploration of friendship, rivalry, and the nature of good and evil, Wicked is ideal family fare. You’ll never think of the land of Oz in the same light again. See why Variety calls the show a “cultural phenomenon.” But hurry, tickets are selling fast and the show is in town for only a couple of weeks more.
Forgive the pun, but you’re sure to have a wicked good time.
Wicked the Musical is at the Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, through July 23. The run time is two hours and 45 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets range from $39 to $275 and can be purchased online or through the ticket office at 866-523-7469. Find information on tickets and show times here.
Lauren Frias can be reached at lnfrias@bu.edu.
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