"Popular" Musical, "Wicked" in San Francisco

On Sept. 21, at 1 PM in the San Francisco Orpheum theater, the broadway national tour of “Wicked” performed its Saturday matinee. The tour has performed on the road for a few months now and is having a long run at the Orpheum theater going on from Aug. 28 to Oct. 13. They are currently playing in a beautiful space where a good view can be captured by any seat in the theater. Audience members can feel connected and present with the show from anywhere in the gorgeous Orpheum theater.

Within the first few moments of the show, the audience was captivated by the presence of the leading lady, Elphaba, portrayed by the wickedly talented Lauren Samules. From the first few lines, the audience knew that Samules was not only playing Elphaba, but truly embodied her and made the character her own. Her acting and vocal abilities worked hand in hand. The longer the show ran, the more Samuels was able to capture her audience and differentiate her voice from not only the recording version of “Wicked,” but also all other Elphabas before her. 

Alongside the wicked witch of the west, there is always a good witch needed. The role of Glinda was portrayed by Austen Danielle Bohmer. The dynamic that Bohmer and Samules had was both entertaining and heartwarming. Their voices blended together extravagantly and their chemistry was perfect. The final song, “For Good,” was an emotional tribute to the impact a person can have on you and the love you will always have for that person. It was an impactful song that moved the audience. With the portrayal of Bohmer and Samuels, and the way they sang the song, you can see the love these two characters have for each other and the strength of their friendship. 

One of the uniqueness of the show is their use of technical extravagances: from the climax of the song “Defying Gravity” to the dragon overlooking the audience members. The cast did a brilliant job with helping everything flow well, with only one mishap at the beginning with Nessarose’s wheelchair. When the chair was supposed to spin, it only stayed in place, and the actress in the chair had to move it herself. 

If there was anyone that stole the show, it was the character Boq, played by Alex Vihn. Any scene he was in, all eyes were on him. His character choices were both funny and accurate, and made the connections of this show to, “The Wizard of Oz,” even more compelling. He is truly a triple threat with his singing, dancing, and acting, catapulting him to his success and this role. 

Overall, this whole cast had something new to bring to the table. Wicked is already a compelling story with beautiful shots, breathtaking music, and heartwarming performances. The audience after this performance was left just as moved as the thousands of different ones before it, whether its their first time seeing wicked or their fifth, the show never fails to leave an impact on its audience.