Wicked at Overture Center

Opening July 9 at the Overture Center for the Arts, Wicked is back in Madison and not to be missed! Since its Broadway debut in 2003, Wicked has captivated and thrilled audiences nationwide. Full of heart, humor, and powerful vocal performances, Wicked is a standout gem of a show, bringing a new side to a classic, beloved tale of Oz and its magical inhabitants and the struggle they face between good and evil. Wicked is loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which in turn was based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel and the 1939 film Wizard of Oz. 

Wicked focuses on the backstory of Elphaba, the notorious green-skinned “Wicked Witch of the West” and how she became the villain we all love to hate. At its’ core, Wicked focuses on the unlikely friendship that forms between misunderstood, “evil” Elphaba and the popular, rich, & “good” Glinda. Despite a rocky beginning, their mutual loathing transforms into a deep bond, changing both of their lives for good. The musical follows the journey of both their friendship and personal challenges they face, including a love triangle and the dark truth behind the Wizard of Oz’s rule. 

Right from the first note of the opening song, Wicked is a visual masterpiece. The set design is full of Gothic influences and conflicting backgrounds of both light and dark, mirroring the struggle between “good” and “evil” that the characters face. Seeing the beloved backdrops of the Yellow Brick Road or the Emerald City truly felt like Oz was being brought to life! The costumes were also absolutely stunning, from Elphaba’s intricately detailed black dress or the variety of glittering gowns worn by Glinda, adding extra sparkle to her dazzling personality. The musical is also full of incredible special effects, most notably Elphaba’s levitation. Song-wise, Wicked is full of charmingly funny lyrics and explosive vocals from the leads. Famous hits such as “Defying Gravity”, “Popular”, and “For Good” are some of the highlights from the musical’s score, but the songs throughout were very energetic and wonderfully performed by the cast. Jessie Davidson’s (Elphaba) performance was incredible, and not only did she kill her version of “Defying Gravity”, but another strong standout was “No Good Deed”. Zoe Jensen as Glinda was one of the best parts of this production, as her comedic timing and vocals are among some of the strongest I’ve seen for this role. 

Being a huge fan of the original film Wizard of Oz, I found Wicked to be delightful and such a unique approach to telling a villain origin story. The message behind it is so strong, a reflection on what it means to be misunderstood, and how those with power can warp perception of both heroes and villains, and how someone can be forced into either role. Plus, knowing how the characters end up gives the whole thing so much more emotional impact. Seeing it performed in front of me with such a spectacular cast gave me even more love for this story! Whether you’re a longtime fan of the movie/musical or a newcomer, the Overture’s production of Wicked is one to go see! 

Reviewed by Emilie Giardina 

Highly Recommended 

Wicked is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, with one intermission. This production is playing July 9-27, 2025 at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. The Overture is located at 201 State St, Madison, WI. Tickets for Wicked can be purchased online via the Overture’s website or by calling the box office at 608-258-4141. 

White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour presented by TUTA THEATRE

In 2010, 29-year-old playwright Nassim Soleimanpour could not acquire a visa to leave his native country of Iran. He wrote White Rabbit Red Rabbit that year, an entreaty to the rest of the world, or perhaps a lifeline, thrown into the dark. The world has been responding since its premiere at the Edinburgh and Summerworks festival in 2011. Since its debut, White Rabbit Red Rabbit has been translated into more than 30 different languages and been performed over 3000 times by some of the best and brightest actors of stage and screen.

Part confessional, part Animal Farm, part cry into the dark, White Rabbit Red Rabbit is like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I’m sorry to inform you, you won’t see it either. That’s because it’s an “experimental” play. It is performed cold, by a different actor each night, who opens an envelope containing the script onstage before the audience. There are no rehearsals, no director and no set to speak of (though a few props). Because of this, each night is utterly unique, and I hesitate to give much away in terms of what happens. The audience participates to a degree – you might want to wear comfortable clothing.

The actor serves as the conduit between the writer, Soleimanpour, and the audience. Sometimes the actor serves as a literal voice for the playwright, sometimes as a character in a story, sometimes as themselves, sometimes as a director.

This sort of experience would only attract a certain kind of actor: one who is comfortable in their own skin, one who can improvise and react on a dime, one who can access a deep, emotional well without any preparation. Tuta theatre company member Huy Nguyen was our conduit, and he performed with a self-effacing charm that was inviting and light-hearted at times, and movingly still at others. Nguyen embraced the uncertainty with a sense of humor and invited the audience to participate with him fully at every moment. We were all on the ride together. There were moments of silliness, catharsis and retrospection. Nguyen willingly opened his heart and his soul to the audience, and we were all rewarded as a result.

Because of its ephemeral nature, written to be interpreted by each actor in each city or language they perform in, White Rabbit Red Rabbit is as universal as it is specific. It explores power dynamics, the need for connection, the undeniable human desire for freedom, and a supplication for altruism. In the world of the play, and perhaps in the real world, when we witness death, suffering or tragedy we become complicit in it. Yet, like in life, it is hard to find examples of any choice that is definitely the right one, hard to know what an outcome will be. This experience is like life, in that sense. No one, not even the actor, knows how it will end, and no one knows if their choice is the right one.

This uncertainty creates a tension and vulnerability that is tangible: the woman seated next to me was squirming in her seat at one point, so frightened she was, of the choices we needed to make. To ask a roomful of strangers to trust each other, to ask the actor to trust an audience with this kind of blind faith, is a transformative experience. It’s one you shouldn’t miss.

TUTA Theatre’s line up for the rest of the run is below:

Oak Park Festival Theatre Presents TWELFTH NIGHT or What You will on its 50th

Austin Gardens, the site for Oak Park Festival Theatre’s summer programming is framed by tall trees, state of the art facilities and walking paths dotted with benches. In the center, a clearing carpeted in soft grass practically begs for picnickers. This is where OPFT places their stage. For this production of Twelfth Night or What You Will, Scenic Designer Evan Frank produced a lovely, blue island for Illyria that had all the windows, doors and crannies one could hope for, and was laden with more and more plants and green things as the show carried on.

Theater in the park is a time-honored tradition in cities all over this country, and Oak Park, unsurprisingly, does it to good natured, tranquil and crystal clean perfection. Couple the park with OPFT’s new, state of the art lighting grid that is as beautiful as it is green and the scenery alone is worth the night out. The sound system is also of an uncommonly high quality for outdoor theater. But what of the play itself?

For its fiftieth season, Artistic Director Peter G. Anderson chose a favorite for many (me included): Twelfth Night. The play was written around the year 1600, to commemorate the Elizabethan English, Catholic holiday of Candlemass, the day that closes the Christmas season. The plot, involving lots of mistaken identity and ridiculous costumes, is lifted in part from the holiday itself, which was a topsy turvy festival when servants would dress up as their masters, men and women in the opposite gender’s clothing, etc, and everyone would eat, drink and sing their way out of the holy season.

The story of Twelfth night begins with VIOLA (Ama Kuwonu) a young woman recently shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria. She had been traveling with her twin brother, SEBASTIAN (Noah Lash) who she presumes drowned. In order to keep herself safe and possibly find a way off the island, she disguises herself as a young man named Cesario, and is quickly hired by the island’s Lord, DUKE ORSINO (Evan Ozer) who is hopelessly in love with a beautiful noblewoman, OLIVIA (Madison Kiernan). Orsino hires Viola/Cesario to help him woo Olivia, who has shut herself up at home after the loss of her own brother, and has rejected Orsino’s proposals of marriage.

Focusing on the shared grief of the two leading ladies, director Anderson adds a new scene at the opening of the play: the funeral of Olivia’s brother. After that, the play moves along as it normally does, and we are soon introduced to the “mechanicals” of this play:  SIR TOBY BELCH ( the excellent Kevin Theis) Olivia’s cousin and a notorious drunken partier, MARIA (a shining Julia Rowley) Olivia’s smart, capable handmaid, SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK ( a lovably dense J Cody Hunt) as well as FABIAN (an unexpectedly hilarious Kason Chesky) another servant in the house, and FESTE (the affable Elijah Newman) Olivia’s professional Fool – and minstrel. Then of course, there is the foil: MALVOLIO, played to a pompous “T” by Josh Carpenter. As usual, it is their scenes that are the biggest crowd pleasers, and they play to the audience with unabashed fun. Theis’ Sir Toby is a smart guy who chooses to grift and party mostly because he can. Theis walks the fine line between total jerk and lovable con artist perfectly. You get the impression that if someone gave him a reason to do more than party, he’d take it, but no one’s had an argument strong enough against it (yet). Hunt’s Sir Andrew has a boisterous physicality that is perfect for the role. Chesky holds his own with the smaller role of Fabian with a talent for physical comedy. He is present at every moment, reacting to the chaos around him with genuine, and hilarious, fear. Rowley’s Maria was another standout, her Maria is an intelligent, self-possessed young woman filled with equal parts affection and admonishment for her fellows. Rowley infuses Maria with a likable, exasperated charm that takes some of the mean edge off her prank.

As is often the case in a comedy, the romantic leads have a much harder job. Ozer’s Orsino pines dramatically over Olivia, with poetry, music and general Emo-behavior, while Viola pines, much more anxiously, over him. Meanwhile, Kiernan’s Olivia has a sorority girl vibe that immediately gets you thinking she and Orsino wouldn’t be a good match regardless. Olivia falls for Kuwonu’s “Cesario,” who can talk to her without the over-dramatic poetry, or stammering on about her beauty. One interesting choice was a new moment between Orsino and “Cesario” that builds the tension between them well and introduces some confusion into Orsino’s confidence in his feelings for Olivia. This helps with his later change of heart.

There were moments of weakness. Sebastian’s sudden acceptance of his new wife is as surprising as usual but given an extra layer of confusion based on some of the scenes between him and Nathan Hile’s slightly incongruous Antonio – the only character dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. One gets the impression that Sebastian is up for anything, or anyone, at any moment. The mics were in the floor of the stage, which meant everyone could be heard clearly, but most of the actors were projecting as if there were no mics. While this worked well when the sound cut out for a few moments, it often meant that they were “projecting” into a speaker uncomfortably close to the audience’s ears. This, and some of the musical pieces, made me wonder if the performers had a monitor that was working well for them – one got the impression that they could not necessarily hear themselves.

That said, it was a lovely night, and the audience had a wonderful time. A special mention should go to Movement Choreographer Margo O’Connell, the physical comedy was especially well done – a must in Shakespeare. For example, the scenes where Carpenter’s Malvolio reads the letter suggesting he wear “yellow stockings and cross garters” and the one in which he wears said outfit, had the audience laughing uproariously. The ensemble worked together seamlessly in a tightly choreographed, comedic dance and Malvolio’s attempt to seduce Olivia was a feat of over the top, physical clownery.

This show is appropriate for families, and the facilities are perfect for an evening picnic. There aren’t many better ways to spend a summer evening.

Recommended

Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia

The Oak Park Festival Theatre stage is at: Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

July 5 – August 16. Schedule: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 7 p.m.; Wednesday performances on July 9, July 23, and August 6 at 8 p.m.

Tickets: General Admission: $40; children under 12 free. Discounts available for seniors and students. Group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Pay What You Will at any Wednesday or Thursday performance (walk-ups only). Box Office: www.oakparkfestival.com

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.

Tuta Theatre bring fire and water to life with TOM & ELIZA

Tuta Theatre’s space is a tiny black box, tucked away behind a storefront. The lobby looks like someone’s garage that has been used for storage for the past decade (at least). You have to enter through an ally. Don’t let that stop you – the truism about good restaurants, that they’ll spend money on good food or good ambience, but not both, applies to theater as well.

Entering the theater space, there is a square, black hole where the stage should be. If you squint, two figures appear to be sitting in the middle of it, utterly still. Even more disturbing, most of the audience doesn’t appear to notice. They chat and shuffle to their seats, like any audience, anywhere. Then the house lights go down, and Tom (Clifton Frei) and Eliza (Seoyoung Park) appear. They are dressed in plain linen, sitting on stools, barefoot. Microphones hang by their heads, the stage beneath them glints like a mirror. They speak.

With this initially stilted opening, as sparse as it is informative, the two begin a parallel, cyclical, rhythmic conversation about their shared life and their secret desperation that is a breathless, engrossing and haunting examination of what would normally be considered a pretty ideal trajectory. They go to school and get jobs, they meet and have sex, they get married and have children. They love their children. They have stable careers. All the while, they never leave their stools, they never actually touch. This separation is the first indicator that Tom and Eliza is bigger than two people.

The staging, by director Aileen Wen McGroddy is a masterful lesson in minimalism. Each element, from the sound design by Alex Trinh and the lighting by Keith Parham, to the deceptively simple scenic and costume design by Tatiana Kahvegian, is used to maximum effect and as sparsely as possible. For example, there are moments when Tom and Eliza are turned away from each other, using the microphones to talk. Their voices fill the space, creating a sense of almost uncomfortable intimacy, while neither touching nor even looking at each other. It is a reminder that a well told story, with a talented cast, needs very little to launch an audience into a visceral experience. That said, there is much roiling beneath the surface.

Tom, we learn, is an author who writes about the rivers that birthed civilization. Eliza, a librarian with an unexpected obsession. Tom is delicate and loving. Eliza is emotionally cold, her only real source of joy can be found in destruction.  It is a story about the desperate search for meaning that can derail a life, and examines, under the harsh light of truth, the bleak mundanity that plagues so many modern lives, and the actions we take to feel alive. Yet, it is often very funny and even silly.

This is in part due to the stellar cast. Frei’s Tom is a delicate, damp sort of fellow who longs for connection and can’t find any satisfaction in the life he’s made for himself. Frei’s pure physical strength as he arches his body over and around his stool is captivating – he is always utterly in control. As he dissolves into a metaphorical puddle of former humanity, his physicality is almost painful to see. Park’s facial expressions are perfect and doll-like. Her Eliza has an intensity of focus that is unnerving and just this side of human. The elements of fire and water they each seem to carry within them dance around each other in increasingly distanced ways. The conclusion feels inevitable and yet, as is always the case with excellent fiction, still surprises.

Near the end of the show, there is a moment when the whole room goes utterly dark. Afterwards, walking out into the balmy Chicago summer night, it felt as though we were re-entering America after a strange, unsettling journey in another country. This thoughtful, provoking piece, despite the darkness of the message, left me with a feeling of awe of what theater can do.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.