On Theater: A ‘Wicked’ good time in Oz

Once upon a time, the rival witches of Oz — Glinda the good and Elphaba the green — were BFFs, college roommates who developed an unusual friendship despite their differences in hue and disposition.

Of course, we all know how that turned out, since virtually everybody above the age of 2 probably has seen the classic 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz” at least once. How that story came about is the topic of the megahit musical “Wicked,” now back for yet another visit to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

And while the youngsters in the audience, especially the first-timers, marvel at the magnificent special effects, which are more fun than a barrel of flying monkeys, their elders will chuckle at some of the pointed quips referencing the Judy Garland flick — “Lemons and apples and pears.” “Oh, my.” or “There’s no place like home,” the movie’s famous closing line.

In the end, however, “Wicked” succeeds on the vocal strength of its two leading ladies, and here director Joe Mantello’s touring production truly excels. Both Amanda Jane Cooper (Glinda) and Emily Koch (Elphaba) display strong, beautiful voices to match their dramatic, often satirical, talents.

Koch revels in one of the most spectacular first-act closing numbers ever staged, “Defying Gravity,” in which her character finally realizes the full extent of the evil powers under her command, grows to superhuman stature and realizes that despite Kermit’s cautions, it really is easy being green.

It’s also possible for audiences to root for her, even given the depths of her “villainy,” since we view it from Elphaba’s perspective as an animal-rights advocate.

Cooper, on the other hand, initially borrows from the Elle Woods school of ditzy blond cutie pies, pushing the adorability factor and dropping malapropisms by the carload. She also benefits from the maturation process, ceding the buff but bland prince to her green friend in the plaintive solo “I’m Not That Girl,” an ironic reprise of one of Elphaba’s earlier numbers.

Wendy Worthington, reminiscent of Hermione Gingold as the corpulent educator/commandant Madame Morrible, also renders some egregious alterations of dialogue. Stuart Zagnit is a jolly old soul as the wizard, an old con man who’s fallen into a pretty good racket in the Emerald City.

Others adding fine touches of drama and poignancy are Jake Boyd as the soldier who pursues both leading ladies, Sam Seferian as the Munchkin with the hots for Glinda, Chad Hennings as a literal old goat of a professor, and Megan Masako Haley as Elphaba’s wheelchair-bound younger sister.

And as for how the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion came into being, those backstories are covered in “Wicked” as well. Audiences will snicker when Glinda refers to Dorothy’s dog as “Dodo.”

Technically, “Wicked” comes on with a flourish, brilliantly created by Eugene Lee (set design), Susan Hilferty (costumes), Kenneth Posner (lighting) and Tony Meola (sound). The scenes featuring the flying monkeys are particularly astonishing, and William David Brohn’s orchestrations keep the production’s soul aloft.

“Wicked” has been here before and undoubtedly will be here again and again as long as there are youngsters to experience the show with a first viewer’s awe and wonderment — like my two granddaughters at Friday’s performance. It’s a wickedly good time at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

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TOM TITUS reviews local theater.

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IF YOU GO

What: “Wicked”

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays until March 6

Cost: Tickets start at $49

Information: (714) 556-2787