Wicked

"Wicked" first opened on Broadway in 2003, and since then it's been nominated for at least one award every year in several countries around the world. Among the accolades this vibrant musical has received are three Tonys, one Grammy, and 11 Drama Desk Awards. It's an impressive r�sum�. So, it's reasonable to say that audience expectations are often set pretty high.

Fortunately, the current production of "Wicked" (playing now at the Orpheum in San Francisco and touring the U.S. into 2017) absolutely meets those expectations. In fact, with a cast brimming with talent, anchored by two particularly magnetic leads, it goes quite a few steps further than that.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, "Wicked" gives us the backstory of the witches of Oz (Elphaba, better known as the Wicked Witch of West in Baum's original classic, and Glinda aka the Good Witch of the South). Apparently, things are a lot more complicated between these two characters than we've been led to believe. There's a reason that Elphaba wants those shoes other than pure malice. And Glinda isn't exactly the shining example of pure goodness that she wants us to think.

In fact, one of the delights of "Wicked" is that it turns upside down a lot of the assumptions and builds out all those flat characters that "The Wizard of Oz" left us with. We learn the origins of The Tin Man, the Lion, and the Scarecrow. We learn how it is that those monkeys fly. We discover the power-hungry malevolence in the heart of the Wizard. And we also find out how Oz itself has a rather recent history that resulted in a world far less diverse and tolerant than the one that existed before.

In some ways, what makes all this work is that the movie "The Wizard of Oz" is so well known that it almost functions as a kind of mythology (especially for those of us in the LGBT community). Getting the 411 on why Elphaba is such a nasty piece of work is something we really want to know.

Still, none of this would work that well were it not for the feast for the eyes and ears that "Wicked" delivers on stage. While many of the songs are somewhat forgettable, there are enough memorable ones (the delightfully comic "Popular," the rousing "Denying Gravity," or the soft and moving "For Good") that we remain consistently entertained. On top of that, the costumes, lighting and sets are rich, colorful and wickedly imaginative. And the choreography matches the mood of the scenes and characters so skillfully that it manages to add to the story rather than distract us from it.

However, at the heart of this production's success is a set of stand-out performances and an onstage chemistry between the leading players that makes the nuance of their relationships convincing and rich. As Elphaba, Emily Koch simply rocks it, and the range that Amanda Jane Cooper brings to Glinda really is quite amazing. That both women have a set of pipes on them that means they can belt out the tunes without a single false note makes even the more mundane numbers a real delight.

Supported by a cast that includes the outstanding Wendy Worthington (Madame Morrible), a compelling Stuart Zagnit (The Wizard) and the charming Sam Seferian (Boq), Koch and Cooper command your enthralled attention for the show's entire two-and-a-half hours.

Indeed, during that entire time you'll be transported. After all, we're not in Kansas anymore.

"Wicked" runs through April 16 at the Orpheum Theater, 1192 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. For information or tickets, call 888-746-1799 or visit www.shnsf.com.