Wicked back on stage at Hollywood Pantages

Above: Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked

It is truly a wicked Christmas season in Los Angeles. Not only is the film adaptation of Wicked currently on screen; a new touring production of the Broadway musical is at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood from December 4 through February 2. Performances run Tuesday through Saturday. Show times are 7:30pm on weeknights, 8pm on Fridays, 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays, and 1pm and 6:30pm on Sundays, with some additional matinee performances on holidays.

Based on Gregory’ Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked portrays the back story of the witch before the events in L. Frank Baum’s novel, The Wizard of Oz. The live show also incorporates elements from MGM’S film version of The Wizard of Oz; in particular, the musical’s protagonist, Elphaba, is derived from the character’s depiction in the 1939 classic, though seen in a more sympathetic light.

The perennially popular musical has been staged several times in Los Angeles, usually selling out most performances, so it’s no surprise to see it back at the Pantages when interest has been piqued by the film adaptation. We reviewed a touring production back 2005, which we found reasonably entertaining, though the proliferation of songs bogged down a narrative that should have been much more focused (particularly the second half, which tried too hard to shoe-in famous characters from The Wizard of Oz).

Get more information here.