Head to East Lansing for a 'Wicked' night at the theater

by Tim Agne | MLive.com

Tuesday July 22, 2008, 2:30 PM

Courtesy photoCarmen Cusack plays Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, in the touring production of "Wicked."

Before I moved to Michigan, I remember seeing an ad at the Detroit Metro baggage claim inviting travelers to check out the Broadway musical "Wicked." In Chicago.

While that may have laid the foundation for a fun weekend in the Windy City, Michiganders can have just as good a time planning an evening in East Lansing, where "Wicked" is showing through Aug. 10 at Michigan State University's Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

For Broadway neophytes — and I'm a bit of a newbie here myself — "Wicked" follows the witches from "The Wizard of Oz." Based on Gregory Maguire's revisionist novel, the musical turns Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road into a tiny subplot in the much larger story of Elphaba, who comes to be known as The Wicked Witch of the West.

You don't have to remember much about Oz to know that it ain't gonna end pretty for Elphaba. Some water and some smoke. What a world, right? While "Wicked" has plenty to hook you in, this bit of dramatic irony will keep you riveted.

Actress Carmen Cusack lends a lovable awkwardness and perfectly witchy look to Elphaba, a green-skinned outcast who impresses her university professors with a natural aptitude for magic. They pair her with peppy overachiever Glinda, played with "Legally Blonde" flair by Katie Rose Clarke, and the initial rivalry gives way to an unlikely friendship.

In a twist with heavy political undertones, Elphaba learns that the Wizard of Oz is behind a plot to silence and cage the world's talking animals. She steals a book of spells and becomes a fugitive while Glinda remains in the Emerald City, working for the corrupt leaders who have labeled her best friend a wicked witch.

As Elphaba struggles to protect her loved ones and liberate the animals, the audience gets to see her magic give rise to a talking lion, a tin woodsman, a dancing scarecrow, some flying monkeys and a pair of ruby slippers. And then, of course, a pretty girl from Kansas shows up with a bucket.

I brought my mom and my sister. They both cried.

Musical theater probably isn't the best medium for telling such a complicated story, but "Wicked" gives it one heck of a college try. You can hear a growing confidence in Cusack's singing as Elphaba becomes more powerful and angry. Clarke tones down the physical comedy as Glinda finds that living her dream doesn't make her happy. Even the once-vibrant set gets dark and dismal.

Courtesy photoThe clock motif dominates the scenery as the citizens of Oz sing and dance.

Speaking of the set, this is the coolest looking stage I've ever seen (again, I haven't been to many musicals, and I'm easily impressed by shiny things). We see the entire show through The Clock of the Time Dragon, a device that doesn't get much explanation in the show. But the moving gears and hands roll in quick, seamless scene changes, and the sets never fail to impress.

As for that giant robot dragon thrust above the audience, well, it looks pretty gnarly the handful of times it moves. I think the dragon is supposed to punctuate the significance of a few key moments in the show.

In the end, you might be more likely to remember "Wicked" for stunning visuals and a dark, complicated story than its musical numbers, but everything comes together in a show that will wow the whole family. It certainly wowed mine.

Visiting Michigan State

Courtesy photoGlinda decides she's going to make her roommate Elphaba popular.

This was my first trip to Wharton Center, but it seems like a great venue for the "Wicked." The auditorium boasts solid acoustics and roomy seats, and it's small enough that any ticket should get you a good view of the stage. If you prefer, you can rent binoculars.

Just don't show up late — the lack of a center aisle means you might have to step over a lot of patrons to get to your seat in the middle of a show that doesn't stop for scene changes.

Still, everybody on the way out of the theater seemed quite happy in spite of me stepping on their toes earlier.

After the show, we popped into an Applebee's near the I-96. Ask a Michigan State alum, and I'm sure you'll get a slew of more colorful recommendations for dining or nightlife in East Lansing.

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Tim Agne talks about movies and writes about video games for MLive.com.