‘Wicked’ is Here: Musical Enchants San Diego Audiences with Magic of Oz

Since the story of Elphaba and Glinda was reimagined in movie theaters last fall, younger audiences have been rediscovering Wicked and its origins on Broadway.

On Wednesday, Wicked returned to the San Diego Civic Theatre for the first time since 2018, giving those local fans the chance to see the production transform the stage with elaborate set designs and costumes.

Set years before Dorothy hit the Yellow Brick Road, the musical offers a different perspective on the classic Wizard of Oz tale with a deeper backstory behind its beloved characters.

It follows the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, roommates at Shiz University who grow up to become the future Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good in the Land of Oz. 

Despite her talent and strong sense of justice to fight corruption in Oz, Elphaba is portrayed as an outcast due to the color of her skin. Her character faces prejudice for being green and is labeled as “wicked” when she stands up against the Wizard for his abuse of power. 

As for Glinda, her popularity and “goodness” uplift her in the eyes of Oz. Under the guise of being good, her character originally acts out on her own insecurities by bullying Elphaba at school and later pursues a position in the Emerald City for her own political gain. 

Overall, “Wicked” explores different themes of good and evil, revealing that what is inherently good or evil is much deeper that what appears on the surface.

The moving backdrops recreating Emerald City and the campus at Shiz University on the latest national tour added a layer of wonder to the Broadway San Diego production.

The use of puppetry to portray the Wizard’s Head and Clock of Time Dragon also give San Diego audiences a piece of Broadway magic by bringing the sets to life. 

The performances from Lauren Samuels as Elphaba and Austen Danielle Bohmer as Glinda were phenomenal in recreating this Broadway classic. 

Both Samuel and Bohmer not only showcased their incredible vocal range — Samuel’s powerful rendition of “Defying Gravity” and Bohmer’s impressive high notes in “No One Mourns the Wicked” — but also revealed the emotional depth of their characters.

Their chemistry together illustrated the strong bond between Elphaba and Glinda, as well as Elphaba’s journey of self-acceptance and Glinda’s growth in becoming a selfless leader of Oz. 

The musical’s stop in San Diego as part of its North American tour continues through March 2. Currently the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, this run also marks the sixth time Wicked has come to San Diego, with performances dating back to 2006.

For every performance, Broadway San Diego will be conducting a digital lottery for a limited number of tickets for the discounted rate of $30. 

The lottery, on the official Broadway San Diego app, opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. on the day prior to the performance. By 4 p.m., entrants will be contacted through email, allowing winners one hour to claim their two tickets.