“The Cowardly Lion asked for courage, the Scarecrow asked for a brain, the Tin Woodman asked for a heart and Dorothy asked for a way to get back home,” said Paul Kreppel, who potrays the Wizard of Oz in the national tour of the Broadway hit “WICKED”, which will play at the Broward Center for Performing Arts Jan. 30-Feb. 17.
But, what would Kreppel, a veteran of many Broadway stages and television screens, wish for?
“Time,” he said. “I would ask the Wizard for more time to enjoy the show I am in and so many more projects I have yet to do.”
In his long career, Kreppel has worked with Meryl Streep, in the musical “Alice in Concert”; starred in the 1980s sitcom “It’s a Living”; and even won a Tony Award for “Jay Johnson: the Two and Only.” Yet, he called “WICKED” one of his favorite productions, because the cast is phenomenal.
“I’ve actually never worked with a better team, in terms of everyone getting along with the cast and crew,” he said. “The camaraderie does carry on stage and makes the show even better; it creates an amazing synergy. You can see the twinkle in the eyes.”
“WICKED”, which has won the acclaim of critics internationally, is known for bringing a twinkle to the eye.
Kreppel said, “This is a show about friendship. This is a show about bullying and questioning authority. These are major themes, encouraging you to follow your heart, passion, and find what’s magical about yourself. It’s a big show with a huge heart.”
The musical is based on the 1995 dark, philosophical book “Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”, which author Gregory Maquire crafted as a parallel novel to L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
“WICKED” debuted with success in 2003 and eventually went on tour around the world. While many people were skeptic that such a dark story could fit in with the glitz and glamour of Broadway musical theater, visionaries Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman created a magical show for all ages that brought a novel perspective to the famous children’s story. Audiences everywhere identified with it.
Kreppel said, “I always like to tell people that the ‘WICKED’ experience is like looking at the story of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ through the eyes of the witches. You find out who they were, how they became who they were, and that things are not always what they seem. It’s so much more than just a prequel because it incorporates all those emotional connections we have with ‘The Wizard of Oz’ into an incredible theatric event.”
And although the show is meant to intrigue viewers by connecting the dots left disjointed in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, audiences who are unfamiliar with the yellow brick road and emerald city can still enjoy the show.
“I know people who haven’t seen the movie but still loved the show,” Kreppel said. “And they will be having revelations watching the movie after what they discover in the musical.”
Kreppel said that he knows some people who have seen the show 30 times, on national tour and in New York City.
“There are barely any differences between the show on Broadway and the show on tour,” he said. “We still do the theater tricks and flying with the winged monkeys. The caliber of performance is exactly the same. In fact, I don’t think there is anyone on Broadway better than the people doing it here and vice versa.”
Kreppel said he brought his own pizazz to play the misguided and accidental leader of the fictionally fantastic Land of Oz. The Wizard of Oz, arguably one of the most famous characters of the story, is a special role for Kreppel, because he saw his character on television every year growing up as a child.
“I had the same feelings towards the movie that everyone growing up with it has. The audience will get to see the charisma and energy I think the Wizard has,” said Kreppel.
“The Wizard brings a little of everything to the show. So many want to be with him and get his help, his approval. But he does not always live up to all his expectations. Many say he is not a bad man, just not a good wizard.”
Several major themes, such as love, sisterhood, friendship, loyalty and expectation are deeply explored in the show, creating an emotional place that resonates with every member of the audience.
“I don’t care if you are 9 or 109, you going to find something that you are moved and touched by. And that applies especially to college students,” Kreppel said.
He feels that the emotions evoked in the show are reminiscent of the college journey, including friendships made and broken along the way.
Kreppel said, “If you have loved and if you have lost, this show will speak to you. Ultimately, this is a sung story about life. And I’m not just spilling those words.”
The human experience championed in “WICKED” hits home — home sweet home.
For more information on “WICKED”, including tickets to the national tour production, visit browarcenter.org or call the box office at 954-462-0222.
