Something Wicked That Way Goes

Nov. 4, 2016

City Opera House transports fans to big show

Based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the musical Wicked is a unique twist on the novel and film that inspired it, The Wizard of Oz.

Wicked isn’t seen through the Kansas eyes of one Dorothy Gale (The Wizard of Oz), but instead through the very different viewpoints of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda, aka Glinda, the Good Witch. But like The Wizard of Oz, the musical itself is a glorious, colorful production that’s a must-see for any theater fan, so Traverse City’s City Opera House has arranged a special excursion to take locals right to where the magic lives.

“Broadway Bound! is the best of Broadway without the trip to New York!” said Kristin Dockter, marketing director at the City Opera House (COH). On Nov. 12, COH hosts will guide a first-class trip from Traverse City to East Lansing’s Wharton Center (on the campus of Michigan State University) for a VIP performance of Wicked.

The COH selects one Broadway Bound! trip each fall and one each winter/spring. Since 2012, the program has taken guests to see big-ticket shows like Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, and Motown the Musical.

“Full Broadway shows are not presented in northern Michigan,” said Thom Paulson, COH development director, who will be one of the hosts on the bus for Wicked. “There is not a venue here that can handle the technical requirements of a Broadway show, but Wharton Center for Performing Arts is a Broadway-level venue, and Wicked is one of the best-selling of those shows. It’s a fun and exciting change of pace.”

“The bus ride itself is on a luxury motor coach with the hosts,” Dockter said. “They’ll often tell you points of interest along the way, and we have a gourmet boxed lunch on the way downstate. The guests set the tone for how much entertainment and engagement happen on the ride, but it seems something fun happens each trip. One trip we had some very talented guests who got the bus singing the Broadway tunes from the musical!” Once at Wharton, Broadway Bound! guests get dropped off right out front, have Zone 1 —“aka awesome!” said Dockter — seats, and an experience that includes access to the Wharton Center’s exclusive Jackson Donor Lounge. Open one hour prior to performances as well as during intermission, the luxury lounge offers VIPs the opportunity to relax and enjoy light refreshments, socializing, and private restrooms. After the show, Broadway Bound! guests enjoy a private dinner before boarding the bus for the trip back Up North.

Wicked looks at the untold story of the witches of The Wizard of Oz, but from a different angle: The two witches’ relationship started as a rivalry that turned into a friendship — until the world decided to label one witch good and the other one wicked. The musical score, which includes now-famous songs like “Popular,” “For Good,” and “Defying Gravity,” prompted The New York Times to call Wicked the defining musical of the decade.

“The backstory to The Wizard of Oz and the twist, from what we all knew growing up … is so creative,” Dockter said. “I have seen Wicked in Chicago, and at Wharton Center, and I still love being [transported] to Oz. I love all the green and glitter of the set, and the national tour cast delivers! Plus, with the Broadway Bound! excursion, there’s no driving [but a lot of] yummy food. Perfect!”

The Broadway Bound! excursion to the 2pm matinee of Wicked at the Wharton Center departs Traverse City on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:30am and returns at 9:30pm. For more information, visit cityoperahouse.org.

Wicked Fast Facts

• Nine million people have seen Wicked on Broadway since it began performances in fall 2003.

• On its national tour, the show’s audience nearly doubled: 17 million people have seen Wicked at non-Broadway shows.

• Merchandise sales for Wicked, including T-shirts, jewelry, and toys, have exceeded $150 million.

• The green complexion of the character Elphaba is created with MAC’s Chromacake in “Landscape Green.”

• A typical production of Wicked requires about 250 pounds of dry ice per show to create all of the dramatic fog needed during the storyline.

• The novel upon which the play was based, Wicked, by Gregory Maguire, still appears on bestseller lists 17 years after its initial publication, in large part due to the effects of the musical.

• Wicked has been performed in 13 countries and in several different languages, including Dutch, Spanish, German, Korean, and Japanese.

• The musical has achieved so much recognition that Elphaba’s costume and broom from the original production are on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

• The show has won over 100 major international awards, including a Grammy, three Tonys, and six Drama Desk awards.

• The rumors are true — there’s a Wicked movie in the works, with a release date tentatively set for December 2019.