The secret world of ‘Wicked: The Musical’

MANILA, Philippines - Wickedness is no easy feat.

At least, that’s the message that come through from Cameron Flint, technical director of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, who has brought Wicked: The Musical to the Philippines.

With only 16 out of 23 shipping containers unpacked and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater still littered with cranes and ropes, the Wicked crew still has a long way to go. “Packing up the show only takes three days, but setting it up takes about 15 days,” says Flint.

With an elaborate stage, a magical dragon and even flying monkeys, it should come as no surprise that the show is more than a mere musical, it’s a visual spectacle. Wicked, after all, is based on L. Frank Baum’s well-loved children’s tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Based on the book of the same title by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is set many years before Dorothy is marooned in the fantastical land of Oz. It tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda, two friends who become bitter rivals and powerful witches.

Thanks to Lunchbox Theatrical, Filipino audiences are assured that this production will be at par (and perhaps surpass) any Wicked production in the world. “The only places where you will see the same production specifications are on Broadway and London’s West End,” says company manager Bec Windsor.

Despite being such a vast, out-of-this-world undertaking, the Wicked production remains in touch with the realities of its new, temporary home. They will also be having a special benefit show on Jan. 31 to raise funds for super typhoon Yolanda relief efforts. They will also be holding an auction after curtain call, which will include a prop used by Suzie Mathers, who plays Glinda the Good Witch.

So for all the trouble it takes to put together the show, is Wicked really worth watching? Flint, who has seen it thousands of times, puts it simply: “It’s the best show I’ve ever worked on in my 20 years of working in this industry.”

Wicked: The Musical opens Jan. 22, 2014 at the CCP Main Theater. Ticket prices range from P1,750 to P7,000 and are available through all Ticketworld outlets. — Margarita Buenaventura