Since she was a child and first saw Wicked On a New York stage in 2005, Celia Hottenstein always wanted to be Glinda.
“It’s always been a dream role,” she says. “I love comedy. I think her character is so witty and funny and so well written. And the costumes she wears are absolutely amazing. She has this huge bubble dress that she starts the show in. One costume is better than the next . .”
Wicked He was supposed to return to Houston two years ago, in June 2021, but we all know what happened to national tours during that time. She has now returned to Broadway in the Hobby for an impressive number of days, giving Houstonians the chance to see the fan favorite.
The musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwarta is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked West which, of course, is based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as well as the 1939 film. It tells the story of the unlikely friendship between green-skinned Elphaba and the most popular girl on campus, Glinda, who meet at Shiz University. A highlight of the show occurs at the end of the first act when Elphaba takes defiant flight and soars above the stage.
Hottenstein wants people to know that Wicked should not be seen as some kind of prequel to The Wizard of Oz. “It’s just kind of an alternate look.”
On Broadway, Hottenstein was in the Wicked joint and was an understudy for Glinda and Nessarose. He joined the Broadway company of Wicked in July 2029 and was with that company until she went on tour in April 2023. Touring as Glinda allows her to focus on her favorite character.
“Now I can do this every day, which is pretty amazing.
“It’s definitely different. This has allowed me to really find the character and not be so nervous. I think every time I went to New York it was kind of an emergency situation. So I was incredibly nervous and rarely enjoyed my time in the stage. I just wanted to get through the show and not do anything to mess it up. And now I’ve been doing this on tour for two weeks, so I’ve got about 17 shows that I’m at. I’ve done it on tour, so I I’m starting up.”
Not that playing her beloved role full-time hasn’t had its challenges. “I’m still learning to keep up with Glinda. I can’t go out as much. My social life has taken a backseat, at least for now. show. Not necessarily my singing, but how I speak, my dialogue. Because if I get too emotional If I yell or yell too much, that affects my voice.”
“In New York he didn’t sing solo every night, so it’s different.”
Describing her character, Hottenstein says, “She’s a very lucky and privileged young woman who’s already gotten what she wanted in life until we met her. Everything has always gone her way. She’s the most popular girl in school, everyone.” they love her and want to be their friend. Throughout the show, it is seen that she tries to do good and be good and that she has a genuine heart.
“Elphaba is something of an intrusion into his life. It’s the first time she’s realized, ‘Oh, I’m not getting what I wanted because this girl is here. She’s different and she’s not like me.’ But you see throughout the show that they build a really strong bond and friendship.”
Hottenstein grew up in the Scranton-Wilkes-barre area of Pennsylvania and was involved in theater from an early age.
“When I was 7 or 8 years old, I was painfully shy and my mom and dad were trying to find a way to get me out of my shell. There was a friend of mine who was in high school. She was about 10 years older than me. She told my parents, ‘You should take her to the local community theater.'”
She auditioned for him sound of music iin that theater and started doing shows there. It was non-stop from there. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Boston Conservatory and moved to New York City right after graduating. She almost immediately she was chosen for the tour of Phantom of the opera and went on tour four months later.
Hottenstein says that musical theater is particularly effective with a story like Wicked. “It allows the audience to see the story in a way they may not have seen it before. I think music is so powerful. It moves people in a way that a movie or a play can’t or in a different way “.
“Before I watched the show, before I joined the show, I would always start crying during Defying Gravity. And I don’t know why. I think there’s something about the music and her singing and the amazing special effect that just made me cry every time. I think music is very, very powerful.”
People of all ages can come to the show and it has been running for 20 years. I think there are a lot of really universal aspects and themes that still hold true. The message of friendship between the two women. Don’t judge people by first impressions. Examine the difference between good and evil. Question authority and not always take what our leaders tell us at face value and I think all of these things are always applicable.”
Wicked performances are scheduled May 31-July 2 at 7:30 pm Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 8 pm Friday and Saturday, and 2 pm Saturday and Sunday at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For more information, call 800-982-2787 or visit thehobbycenter.org or broadwayatthehobbycenter.co. $54-$349.
