When a baseball team changes a pitcher, there are conferences at the mound, and signals to the bullpen, and warmup throws, and time for several commercials and even a beer or two. When a well-run theatrical company needs to make a change, the replacement slips onto the stage between numbers, and few in the audience realize it until an announcement is made.
As "Wicked," the high-powered, high-volume, high-spirited retake on the tales of the Wizard of Oz, opened at the Fox Theatre last night, Vicki Noon, co-starring as Elphaba, the green (as in color, not as inexperienced) witch, could not continue. Between "I'm Not That Girl," and the very next number, "One Short Day," Noon left the stage and was replaced by her standby, Anne Brummel. An announcement was made at intermission, observing Actors' Equity rules. Not many people had noticed. I didn't, though once I learned, along with the rest of the audience, I realized differences in the actresses' style and voices. Considering the speed of the switch, and her second-act performance, especially in "No Good Deed" ("goes unpunished," as legend says), it was quite an achievement for Brummel. The company did not announce a reason for Noon's departure, nor was there mention of her return.
The production is a delight to the eye, if an occasional pain in the ear. Eugene Lee's set, Susan Hilferty's costumes and–especially–Kenneth Posner's lights, are exciting. There's a dragon above the proscenium, its red eyes flashing from time to time. Several scenes have more green lights than a farm of Christmas trees, and there are acrobats and fliers among the cast. Natalie Daradich delights as Glinda, who arrives and departs, and just floats around, in her large bubble. Her Miss Goody Two Shoes approach was outstanding, and her occasional mangling of words hit the right comedic notes, a technique also used successfully by Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible, the school headmistress. Daradich's voice, however, did tend to slip into screech mode on occasion.
Don Amendolia, shown in a photo by Shari Hartbauer, is simply terrific as the Wizard, especially in "Wonderful," his duet with Brummel. A few soft shoe moves, and the skill and timing built over many years, make it an endearing performance. Chris Peluso was an effective Fiyero, a role originated on Broadway by St. Louisan Norbert Leo Butz, and David De Vries scored as Dr. Dillamond, one of the original scapegoats. Zach Hanna offered good work as Boq, the Munchkin.
Most of the familiar characters from the movie show up along the way, some with slight changes, and those familiar with the story (who isn't?) will note many similarities. The music is unmemorable, but serviceable enough, and there's a large enough amount of talent and energy on the stage to provide a good time for everyone.
"Wicked," at the Fox Theatre through July 11
–Joe