Interludes

VIEWPOINTS: 10 Years On, Revisiting “Wicked” and “Avenue Q”

• By drediman
• February 4, 2014
• No Comments

Has it already been 10 years since that memorable David and Goliath showdown between the naughty but spirited “Avenue Q” and that behemoth of a musical “Wicked”? Indeed, it has.

To commemorate that epic rivalry, I made return trips to attend these popular musicals last week, both of which opened in New York during the 2003-2004 season and are amazingly still running. Although that season’s coveted Best Musical Tony Award went to “Avenue Q”, only the mega-hit “Wicked” is still on the Great White Way. Back in 2009, “Avenue Q” made the smart decision to transfer back Off-Broadway (where it had its origins) when box office sales started dipping five years into its run. “Wicked”, on the other hand, continues to be a nightly sell-out at the cavernous Gershwin Theater. “Wicked”, which a features a well-known score by Stephen Schwartz, is the kind of once-in-a-decade smash of the likes of Disney’s “The Lion King” in the 1990s and Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” in the 1980s. So how are they holding up? Rather well, I’m happy to report, but not in the most obvious ways.

First up, I saw “Wicked”, which played a rare Friday matinee prior to / due to the Super Bowl here in New York. The show, as to be expected, continues to be a piece of well-oiled stagecraft. Once again, I marveled at the way director Joe Mantello’s deceptively complex staging efficiently and clearly told Gregory Maguire’s eventful backstory to “The Wizard of Oz”. Although the staging still isn’t as imaginative or nuanced as I would have hoped, the production is direct and bold enough to reach the very last rows of the Gershwin Theater, one of Broadway’s largest theaters. Given that national tours usually play even larger houses than the Gershwin, Mr. Mantello’s staging may be one of the primary reasons for the show’s huge success on the road (there are currently two national tours of “Wicked”). Due to the onset of familiarity of the iconic big moments (“Defying Gravity”, I am talking to you), those definitively-blocked numbers no longer have the visceral punch they used to have. This is not necessarily a bad thing. As a result, the show now feels more balanced, allowing other songs in Stephen Schwartz’s score and the smaller moments to come forward and add texture to the show. For the first time, songs like “I’m Not that Girl” and “A Sentimental Man” seemed emotionally essential to the show and not just a cog in the storytelling machine. For its tenth anniversary, the “Wicked” producers have cast a fine duo to helm the Broadway production. Lindsay Mendez not only has the big voice, she also has the acting chops to fully commit to the emotionally arc of Elphaba’s journey. My experience with this show has been that you likely get an actress who has either one or the other. Ms. Mendez has both, giving an affecting performance with distinctive vocal flair. Ali Mauzy, as Glinda, does a delightful job of making the role her own without resorting to a Kristin Chenowith imitation, as many actresses before her have done. Note that both actresses are scheduled to depart the production in mid-February. Catch them if you can before they leave.

That same evening, I caught “Avenue Q” at New York’s equivalent of a suburban mall for Off-Broadway theater, New World Stages. In recent years, this subterranean theater complex has hosted Off-Broadway transfers of easy-to-run, less-in-demand Broadway shows such as the British hit “The 39 Steps” and the wonderful “Peter and the Starcatcher”. As with “Wicked”, “Avenue Q” has mellowed over the years, and not necessarily for the worse. Although the show’s scene-stealing ribald humor no longer tickles the funny bone as it once did, especially in this post-“Book of Mormon” world, the softer, more philosophical and existential moments (“Mix Tape”, “For Now”) come through more effectively than before to make the show a more balanced, even bleaker, experience. Despite some unfortunate sound design issues and reduced orchestrations, the score is as tuneful as ever. However, hearing the two scores back-to-back now makes me question the Tony voters’ decision to honor “Avenue Q”’s charming score by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx over Stephen Schwartz’s more ambitious if slightly generic work for “Wicked”. The songs in “Avenue Q” tend to sit proudly on top of the show as standalone showcases like vaudeville acts, whereas “Wicked”’s music is integral to the show’s storytelling. It’s a case of apples versus oranges, I suppose. “Avenue Q” has always done an excellent job of casting the show. The current cast at New World Stages is no exception, featuring a handful of talented and attractive singers/actors/puppeteers. They do a fine job letting the material speak for itself without unnecessary, distracting hamming.

All-in-all, both shows, in their current shape, are worth a repeat (or first!) visit. Here’s to another successful decade for both shows!