Broadway’s popular Wicked defied gravity at the Fox Theater and left Atlanta’s audiences speechless.

“Wicked was completely amazing. My favorite part of the show was the music. I sang the soundtrack all the way home,” junior Kelly Vislocky said.

Countless people grew up with Dorothy’s adventure in Oz, but L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz only tells one story. As the musical’s tagline states, Wicked tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. Wicked follows Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and as she ventures out into the world for university, facing prejudice and judgement. Because of confusion regarding rooming, Elphaba and Glinda (the Good) cross paths and lives change forever. The musical answers once and for all, “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”

Act one sets up the atmosphere and central problems in Wicked. This act features  songs such as “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “The Wizard and I,” “What Is This Feeling?,” “Dancing Through Life,” “Popular,” “I’m Not That Girl,” and the musical’s showstopping “Defying Gravity.” Through these stunning songs and fast-paced storytelling, the audience meets important secondary characters including Nessarose, Fiyero, Boq, and the Wizard of Oz himself. In this act, the audience discovers how Elphaba earns the title of “The Wicked Witch of the West.”

Act two elaborates the events in The Wizard of Oz and emphasizes Elphaba’s transformation since she flew away. This act features several more songs, including “Thank Goodness,” “As Long As You’re Mine,” “No Good Deed,” and the show’s heartwarming “For Good.” Act two’s most interesting moments reveal the origin stories of Oz’s three most infamous characters: the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion.  Despite all the danger, betrayal, and power-struggles throughout the show, Wicked ends on a tragically beautiful note as Glinda and Elphaba say their last farewell.

I cannot write about Wicked without mentioning Elphaba and Glinda’s absolutely stunning voices. Alyssa Fox defied all my expectations when she played Elphaba. With actresses such as Idina Menzel playing this infamous character before her, Fox had massive shoes to fill. The moment Fox belted out “Defying Gravity,” Elphaba’s notorious solo, I knew she possessed a truly powerful voice. Carrie St. Louis never disappointed as Glinda throughout the entire show, either. St. Louis’s sugar-induced performance of “Popular,” Glinda’s adorable solo, brought smiles to everyone’s faces, and her voice remained clear and true no matter how high she sang.

Wicked’s special effects dazzled audiences just as much as the actor’s powerful voices. Even with today’s technology, creating a live show filled with magic and whimsy cannot be simple. Despite obvious limitations, Oz’s magic translates wonderfully on stage. Whether Glinda travels by bubble or Elphaba conjures a spell, every effect happened flawlessly and looked stunningly realistic.

“The show is really awesome, and the singing and dancing are just amazing. Wicked is an interesting take on a classic story, and it shows a whole new side to the Wizard of Oz,” senior Jessica Sloan said.

Between magically special effects, enchanting songs, and truly brilliant voices, Wicked continues to leave audiences raving after every performance.