Let’s all rejoicify! “Wicked” is back in Charm City!

I’m coming into this as someone who has seen both parts of the film and never the stage musical. I had a fear that I would keep the films in the head and not enjoy this.

The show live is TREMENDOUS. The Emerald green is thrillifying. The costumes POP and that Clock Dragon is mystifying.

Ethan Kirschbaum gives us a captivating Fiyero. He has that blend of charm, slight cockiness, and carefree going on that leads you to ultimately root for him. Ethan delivers a great foot-tapping version of “Dancing Through Life”, which is one of my favorite songs from the show. He gives us a roaring and seductive version of “As Long As You’re Mine” in Act 2.

And then we have Galinda. I mean, Glinda. Zoe Jensen gives a great turn as Glinda The Good. She’s saccharin, hilarious, but ultimately pulls off the heavier moments in Act 2 with ease. The Glinda hair toss is ICONIC.

That leaves us with Elphaba. Elphaba has quickly become one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. She’s just someone you can’t help but root for. Not to mention, she’s become somewhat of a superhero to little ones everywhere. Jessie Davidson BLEW ME AWAY as Elphaba. She has a strong turn in “The Wizard and I”, and “No Good Deeds” is just iconic and flawless. But it’s her “Defying Gravity” that really got to me.

Davidson is entrancing during the “big” number of Act 1 and delivers ten fold. The moment where she is lifted in the air, and sings “It’s meeee”, I immediately had goosebumps. My eyes couldn’t leave her and my heart started to pound as she lifts into the air surrounded by a sea of black cape. I could feel everyone around me just anticipating her battle cry. I don’t know whose decision it was to have 5 second or so of silence before the cry is unleashed; but it is effective and culminated in jubilance and deafening applause and screams from the audience.

Don’t walk, DEFY GRAVITY, and see “Wicked” at The Hippodrome until January 11th! Buy tix