Popular Broadway pick, “Wicked” runs at The Fabulous Fox Theatre through Sunday, May 7. The production depicts “The Land of Oz” before Dorothy’s introduction from the story’s witches’ perspectives.
It begins with Elphaba, an outcast because of her emerald green skin. She is stubborn, strong-willed, and virtuous, which also sets her apart from the crowd.
She and Glinda have their initial differences but soon become best friends. Glinda is a brilliant outgoing witch who lives by the rules, while Elphaba is a risk tasker.
Fiyero, an attractive prince, is in Oz “for a good time not a long time.”
It’s Glinda who has feelings for him first, but he and Elphaba form a relationship. Few Black men have played the role on Broadway, with the roster including Taye Diggs and Justin Guarini.
Florida-based actor Christian Thompson joins the short list of Black male actors keeping Fiyero’s name alive.
“Both myself and [Lissa deGuzman] who plays Elphaba are both people of color,” Thompson said.
“We get to tell a story that feels like a person of color story and we get to portray a person of color’s love story. I think that’s very special and that means a lot. That’s something I think is important for the audience to know. A lot of people will appreciate it because we don’t see that a lot in the musical theater world unless it’s in shows specifically about race.”
Thompson said it’s been great working with the two leading ladies, Lissa deGuzman who plays his love interest and Jennafer Newberry who plays Glinda.
“They’ve been incredible, some of the most talented women I’ve ever met in my life,” he said. “It’s been a humbling experience working with them and the rest of the cast.”
Thompson faced challenges with the production. His first number in the show, “Dancing Through Life” is quite athletic. He said he’s still “working on building his stamina to do the number justice.”
“I think the show as a whole is a lot more active than people think,” he said. “It’s a very large stage and we’re doing some very incredible things on the stage. That’s been the biggest challenge having the stamina to perform the show at its max potential.”
He added another challenge is committing to the comedy in the show.
“I think it’s always a challenge to truthfully do some of the comedy,” he said. “It’s a very funny show, that comedy has to be exactly right. I think comedy is also something that has been a fun challenge to figure out.”
He’s noticed some major parallels and differences between him and Fiyero. He said a difference is that he thinks his character is cooler than him. Both he and his character sometimes mask how they feel, and he says he has suffered from anxiety and depression.
Why should guests see Wicked? Thompson answered because of the nostalgia people remember from seeing “The Wizard of Oz” and seeing themselves in each of the characters.
“The show and its themes of friendship, battle between good and evil are just so universal,” he said. “You can see yourself in every character, you can see yourself in the themes of the show.”
Tickets for Wicked can be purchased by calling Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or visiting its website www.MetroTix.com.
Visit www.fabulousfox.com for more information.
