Something wicked this way comes

The witch from The Wizard of Oz flew into town this week for a three-week visit. Which witch, you ask? Why, both of them: The good one and the wicked one, though after seeing the musical extravaganza that is Wicked, you may question which witch is which.

This spectacular spectacle has all the elements of a memorable musical: great storyline taken from a best-selling book, an emotional connection with one of the best-loved movies of all time (The Wizard of Oz), a talented cast, a soaring score (though without particularly memorable songs), colorful costumes and an amazing set with major movable parts.

This is a Broadway road show that doesn't look like a road show, which explains why it takes 14 trucks to haul sets and costumes, and four days for set up. It's massive and complicated and looks as impressive as a New York City theater production.

The story is simple yet complex. It's the backstory of the Wicked Witch, the green menace that warned Dorothy—along with her mangy mutt Toto and the crew of a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man—to surrender. In the Stephen Schwartz-Winnie Holzman award-winning musical, all these characters take a backseat to the story of two schoolmates who eventually become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. You'll never view The Wizard of Oz the same after witnessing the heart, brain and courage of Elphaba, who grows up to be known as the Wicked Witch.

The two leads—Emma Hunton as Elphaba and Gina Beck as Glinda—are a mischievously funny and eventually heartbreaking pair who play off each other like a classic theater duo. Both have showstopping voices and perfect timing. Hunton adds the soul to Elphaba, while Beck brings on a wicked sense of humor to the picture-perfect Glinda. The supporting cast is equally talented in song, dance and story development.

The colorful and clever sets and costumes have a steampunk Hunger Games-esque appearance, which adds to the overall dramatic flair. Wicked is a game changer for Wizard of Oz fans: Once you go down this yellow-brick road, you won't be able to return to Oz unaffected again.