Glinda, Elphaba complementary in ‘Wicked’

Until Oct. 2, Pittsburgh will play host to dancing munchkins and flying monkeys as the touring cast of “Wicked” brings its whimsical performance to the Benedum Center. “Wicked”

Sept. 7 – Oct. 2

Tuesday – Thursday: 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 8 p.m.; Saturday: 2 p.m.; Sunday: 1 p.m and 6:30 p.m.

Benedum Center

$35-$154

Grade: A

Until Oct. 2, Pittsburgh will play host to dancing munchkins and flying monkeys as the touring cast of “Wicked” brings its whimsical performance to the Benedum Center.

The Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical, based on the novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, presents the behind-the-scenes story of the classic “The Wizard of Oz.” The musical details the relationship between Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch. Before the hunt for a heart, courage and a brain, the two young witches developed a friendship.

The many parallels and references to the “The Wizard of Oz” explain each event from an alternate perspective and ensure consistency. For example, at one point Glinda asks Elphaba why she has returned to the Ozdust Ballroom and Elphaba fittingly responds, “There’s no place like home.”

Along with clever references, “Wicked” offers moments of humor and humanity between the witches, both wicked and good. In the end, both are characters with depth who cannot be categorized so easily.

While the storyline guides the audience, the element that sets “Wicked” apart from “The Wizard of Oz” is the music by Stephen Schwartz. While every character contributes their share of musical talent, Glinda (Lisa Livesay) and Elphaba (Anne Brummel) share many a duet, including popular songs “Defying Gravity” and “For Good.”

Both Livesay and Brummel expertly portray their characters — Livesay offers random shrieks of excitement and each song of hers includes much bobbing and bubbliness, while Brummel makes many sarcastic statements between her displays of courage. The two play off each other well with friendly banter and moments of bonding. Near the beginning of their friendship, the two engage in an awkward dance-off that turns into a moment of understanding between the witches, a situation that represents the humorous, endearing theme of the musical well.

In addition to the extravagance of the costumes, which change with every scene, the stage of the Benedum has been Oz-ified. It offers elements like a red-eyed, metal dragon that watches from above and backdrops ranging from an inviting sunset to the glitzy, green land of Oz. Special effects include smoke, flying monkeys and a very green-skinned Elphaba that make Pittsburgh feel a little more magical.