Stage Talk with Rick Koster
Where every show has something to say.
With the Merry Old Land of Oz closed for the season — reportedly massive construction work on the Yellow Brick Road and issues with the Flying Monkeys Union — what’s a Bad Witch to do? Or, for that matter, a Good Witch?
Hit the road!
Indeed, from the Broadway company of Wicked!, Alli Mauzey (Glinda) and Alyssa Fox (Elphaba) land their broomsticks in the Garde on Sunday, Nov. 16 for a matinee production called Good Witch/Bad Witch — the Broadway Witches. Expect favorite solo and duet songs from Wicked! as well as selections and favorites from each vocalist’s career, all empathetically supported by select members of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra. There’s also plenty of dialogue, humorous interplay, and anecdotes galore.
Good Witch/Bad Witch is a perfect afternoon of family-friendly, post-Halloween entertainment from the Great White Way.
In anticipation of the event, we reached out to Alli Mauzey with a few questions. (Alyssa was unable to participate; something about a sorcery trial taking place up in Salem, Mass.)
Garde: One of the fun aspects of Good Witch/Bad Witch is that it’s not strictly a recreation of Wicked! Talk a bit about the scope of the show and a few moments you particularly enjoy.
Alli: Alyssa and I love singing the iconic songs from Wicked! and sharing our personal stories from our time playing Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway. Fun fact… we both have the honor of being Broadway anniversary witches!
But having performed in many Broadway shows and all over the world, I get to bring all of my performing experiences to Good Witch/Bad Witch. It’s a show where we celebrate all the divas that mean so much to us! From pop divas to Disney divas. From Barbra Streisand to Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera. Good Witch/Bad Witch is full of diva showstoppers that we love to sing and are fun for our audiences.
Garde: Talk about the dynamics and context of getting to do this show with Alyssa.
Alli: Alyssa and I both have a long history with Wicked! We met doing Wicked! when we were practically babies! We are bonded for life both professionally and in friendship. Also, Alyssa is technically a princess!!! She was in the original cast of Frozen on Broadway! The fact that I’m singing opposite Elsa from Frozen is this Disney fan’s dream come true!
Garde: You’ve performed on Broadway and in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Lincoln Center, the Pasadena Playhouse, the Muny and many more world class venues. Which one had the best backstage catering?
Alli: The best backstage catering might have to be from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. It’s a world class venue that really pampers their artists.
Garde: Finally, and most importantly, what’s cooler, Glinda’s magic wand or Elphaba’s conical hat?
Alli: In my humble opinion, Glinda’s wand is totally cooler than Elphaba’s hat because it’s so sparkly!