“She’s crispy. She’s like bacon.” – Annika Bjornson, 8 January 2019

On the evening of January 8, 2019, we attended Wicked at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. The goal of our trip is to decide how to classify art and discover who gets to decide what art is. Our entire experience of Wicked, from the theater to the set design, writing, singing, and acting, culminate in an experience that is a work of art.

The Pantages Theater is not simply a place where art happens, but a work of art itself. Built in the late 1920’s, the theater feels like a step back into the Art Deco era of Hollywood. The carpet is a deep red, which compliments the golden walls and ceilings. Flourishes of gold pop out from the ceiling, guiding the eye to the central light fixture, a brilliant blue. The theater feels luxurious and seems to prepare the audience’s expectations for the coming performance.

Set design is an important element in every musical because it must be functional, beautiful, and be an effective storytelling device. Each set in Wicked portrays the physical location of the characters as well as their emotional states. The initial set of the university that all the main characters attend is filled with brown gears and a large, looming clock in the background; the coloring mirrors Elphaba’s mood in a place where she is an outcast because of her green skin. Meanwhile, Emerald City is bright and green, with lighting worked into the set that shines towards the audience. Visiting Emerald City is a high point for Elphaba in the story because she feels accepted in a place where she is not the only green thing in sight.

Effective storytelling through song is the key characteristic that differentiates plays from musicals, and the songs in Wicked give the audience a view into the thoughts and emotions of the characters. “What Is This Feeling?” uses an upbeat melody to let the audience know that the two main characters, Elphaba and Glenda, loathe one another. Elphaba has several solo songs where she is pouring her heart out to the audience, whether it is in a moment of anguish of a moment of triumph. Whether the song is a toe-tapping dance tune or a or a soulful and romantic ballad, Wicked’s use of music in storytelling is an art.

One thing that the students on the trip agreed was the best work of art was the experience of the show. The story of Wicked consists of a young woman who does not fit in with her peers and her empowering story of self-acceptance. The music added to the power of the story, and this could be most clearly seen after the song “Defying Gravity.” The lights came up for intermission immediately after the song finished, and the three other girls I was sitting next to were as equally speechless and out of breath as I was. After taking a minute to process the energy “Defying Gravity” had given us, we attempted to discuss how the song made us feel. During the song everybody had experienced electric chills running through their bodies, but other than that it was difficult to articulate our emotions. Annika Bjornson, one of my roommates and good friends on the trip, described the singer this way: “she’s crispy. She’s like bacon.” Although this may not have been the most apt description, I couldn’t form my thoughts into anything more accurate.

Experiencing Wicked was an amazing work of art, and the beautiful storytelling, theater, and set design helped to create the experience. Witnessing musicals live has always been an amazing experience for me and for the other students on our trip. Although we couldn’t quite describe our thoughts and feelings after the powerful story and music of Wicked, everyone agreed that it was a wicked experience.