Wicked the Musical

from OutClique Magazine March 2023

by OutClique Magazine

Masterworks IV Featuring Cellist Zuill Bailey

Castmember Christian Thompson

March 29 - April 9, 2023

Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts www.Kravis.org

We’re not in Kansas anymore: Actor Christian Thompson reflects on the impact of Wicked as it lands in South Florida

For actor Christian Thompson, a Fort Lauderdale native, there’s really no place like home. And, without so much as the click of a heel, the actor returns to South Florida to take the stage at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts for Wicked’s March 29-April 9, 2023, run.

Thompson, who has a smile that could melt even the wickedest of witches, joins the cast as Fiyero, Elphaba’s love interest. Calling it a dream role, Thompson did not think he’d get the chance to play the character since only a handful of Black actors have been cast in the role.

“My family has always been a really big Wizard of Oz family. We were the family that packed into the family room and tried to match up the Pink Floyd album to the movie, and that was before it was digital and easy to do so,” he said. “And, I just decided at eight or nine years old that I wanted to be an actor and I was very serious about it.”

When his mother heard they were making a musical about her favorite character, the Wicked Witch of the West, she bought two copies of the book it was based on, The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Although his mother only got about halfway through the book, Thompson devoured it.

Wicked, the Tony-award winning show debuted on Broadway in 2003. Towards the end of the show’s first year, Thompson was in NYC with a hip-hop dance company. His mother entered the pair in the lottery for the Saturday matinée performance before their flight home, but they didn’t win.

“We had just enough time to enter for the evening show and my mom was like, ‘I’ll make you a deal, if we win, I’ll push back our flights and, if we don’t win, we’ll run to the airport’,” he said. “We won that evening and we saw a show for the first time in New York.”

Thompson’s mother, who he calls “literally the best mother anyone could ask for,” pushed their flight back until Monday and the pair, who entered the lottery yet again, were able to see Wicked a second time that Sunday.

“I had seen the show before they paid me to see the show, I believe a total of nine times,” he said. “So when I say I’m a fan, I really mean it.”

Growing up, the actor had two posters hanging over his childhood bed - Phantom of the Opera and Wicked

“If that little guy knew what he would be doing right now, I think he’d freak out. He would probably cry. I was an emotional child,” he said. “I also know that because when I got the call, I cried.”

Even after nearly 20 years, Wicked continues to resonate with audiences.

“The more ingratiated I get in this show, the more I realize why it’s lasted this long. It’s the different universal themes of acceptance, of friendship, of love, and of a deep understanding of the gray area between good and evil,” he said.

From a cultural perspective, Thompson also recognizes the importance of that understanding and for people to be able to reflect on that.

“When we look at activism in our country right now, we look at the way some people choose to be activists. And, some people think that’s wicked and some other people don’t know exactly what that all means,” he said. “But, we’ve been really lucky with how the creatives, the people in charge of the show, talk about making sure it’s real. No matter how fantastical this world is, at the end of the day, it’s about real people, even if they’re green.”

It's the realness that matters.

“You can take away all the smoke and mirrors, but it would still be a brilliant show because of the relationships between the characters. It’s a fantastical journey about friendship and love and what it means to be your true authentic self,” he said.

With the original Wizard of Oz released in 1939, some in the audience may never have seen it. It is not lost on Thompson that the older generation’s first exposure to Elphaba is as the Wicked Witch of the West, as the antagonist. But, now this new generation is first seeing her as the protagonist.

“I think there is this beautiful parallel between the older generation’s thinking and the hope I have in the newer generation and the way they see things in a different perspective—the way things don’t have to be so black and white. Even though the Wizard of Oz starts in black and white, we get to color,” he said. “I’m excited that people are going to see a person of color as a prince, as someone that is wanted and adored, that does get to assist in doing the right thing, as someone that is allowed to love and make mistakes and just be a full person.”

The impact of his casting in this role is not lost on Thompson.

“For me, this is just the greatest gift because I didn’t see a lot of that growing up. There weren’t as many examples,” he said.

For kids looking to follow in his footsteps, Thompson reminds them that they are already doing it.

“Just put your heart into it. Don’t think because it’s not on Broadway or just because it’s not a national tour that it’s not as valuable,” he said. “The creation of art is always important. It always has value, and always brings something to a community.” instagram.com/ChristianThompsonActor

Megan Fitzgerald Dunn, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Writing and Communication, at Nova Southeast University. Dr. Fitzgerald serves as the faculty advisor for Lambda Pi Eta. Her research focuses on offensive language and media, journalism education, and media effects.

Dr. Fitzgerald holds a PhD in Mass Communications from Florida State University, an MA in Journalism from Syracuse University, and a BA in Communication from Stonehill College. Email: mf821@nova.edu. Curriculum vitae: works.bepress. com/megan-fitzgerald

Author: Megan Fitzgerald Dunn, Ph.D

Celebrating 67 years as a recording artist in the music industry, Johnny Mathis is still proving that he is the “Voice of Romance.”

A sublime vocalist whose approach to pop music eclipses passing fads and trends, Mathis has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories. Bestknown for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are," "It's Not For Me To Say," and "Misty,” he has recorded close to 80 albums, six Christmas albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide. Three of his songs have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2003, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

On March 23, 2023, the legendary singer will appear at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts to perform some of his greatest hits and personal favorites. Ahead of his upcoming engagement, Mathis took some time to chat with OutClique.

Denny Patterson: We are so excited that you will be coming to South Florida with your “Voice of Romance Tour.” What can we expect?

Johnny Mathis: I sing songs that I think my voice is capable of doing at this time. I’m now a little bit over 80 years old, and I started recording these songs, like “Misty” and “Chances Are,” when I was about 30. I still sing them in my regular performances, and if I think they don’t sound as great anymore, I’ll change songs (laughs).

Denny Patterson: What do you always hope audiences take away from your concerts?

Johnny Mathis: I hope they feel compassion for people who do what I do, because it’s a lifelong process. I’m traveling constantly and doing what I can to maintain a voice. I remember when I was a kid, my dad was my best pal, he sang to me and my siblings all the time. So, I wanted to be like him. He used to take me out to different places in San Francisco, and we were lucky to be raised there because every wonderful figure came through at some point, and I got to meet them all.

Denny Patterson: This year will mark your 67th year as a recording artist. How meaningful is this milestone for you?

Johnny Mathis: Well, the thing about what I do is what most athletes do. The most important thing is to stay healthy and safe, and what God gave you, he doesn’t take it away. As long as you keep what you’ve got, and it’s a process, you have to be very careful, then you can maintain it. My daily routine is learned from when I was very young. It’s like anybody else who does what they do. They learn how to do it, and they treasure it.

Denny Patterson: After all these years, what keeps performing new and exciting for you?

Johnny Mathis: The thing that I enjoy the most is the process of working with musicians. They are the ones who support me, and they are the ones that don’t really receive any recognition. Some of the best musicians in the world have accompanied me, and nobody knows who they are. It’s kind of sad, but I am happy to embrace them and tell them how much I love them and their music. So many of them are only heard, but they never get acknowledged. I understand that and appreciate it to a point where I try to keep a low profile, as far as my personal life. I try to live a normal life and not be so arrogantly proud about it. But working with musicians is what keeps performing exciting and new to me.

Denny Patterson: For those who don’t know, what made you want to pursue entertainment?

Johnny Mathis: My dad is the reason. He and my mom were my best pals, I am one of seven children, and we were all very close. The nine of us lived in four rooms for many years, and when I started to occasionally sing, somebody would give me a little money once in a while. It eventually added up, and I had the chance to move my whole family out of this terrible little dungeon that we lived in to a very nice house out by the ocean in San Francisco. It was the happiest moment of my life.

Denny Patterson: If you didn’t choose singing, what career path do you think you might have chosen?

Johnny Mathis: Probably athletics. I was very good at sports when I was younger, and I’ve had moments with some of the greatest athletes in the world. Also, I think being an athlete also helped me out immensely in saving the qualities of my voice.

Denny Patterson: Your first national TV appearance was on The Ed Sullivan Show on June 16, 1957, singing

"It's Not For Me To Say," and that helped launch you to worldwide stardom. What do you remember the most about that moment?

Johnny Mathis: I remember how little it was. It always looks big on television, but when I went to the place where they filmed the show, it was a small theater. Ed Sullivan was a very nice, older man, but I remember he didn’t speak very well. He was famous and everybody knew who he was, so they didn’t care whether you could speak or not!

Denny Patterson: You have also earned the moniker as the “Voice of Christmas.” Has Christmas always been such a special time for you?

Johnny Mathis: Absolutely, right from the beginning. The reason why I wanted to record was because I wanted to do some Christmas songs for my mom and dad, because they always made Christmas magical. They worked their butts off all the time, and even though we didn’t receive many presents or anything, we always had this wonderful tree, and just the fact that we celebrated together. It was such a wonderful time.

Denny Patterson: What is your absolute favorite, number one Christmas song?

Johnny Mathis: Oh, gosh. “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go!” I think it’s the perfect Christmas song. After I started to travel, I got the chance to meet Bing Crosby and so many of these wonderful people that I listened to on record, and that was one of my favorite songs.

Denny Patterson: I read that a potential new Christmas album may be released this year. Is that true?

Johnny Mathis: You know, because I’ve been with the record company for so many years, they have things that they want me to do, but I never know about it until the last minute (laughs). They say, oh, by the way. We want you to record this and that. That’s sort of how it goes. I sing all the time, but they want me to record music that they think can sell. They’re looking for ways to make money, so oftentimes, they don’t tell me until they come up with something that they think they can make money with.

Denny Patterson: Who are some other artists you are a fan of?

Johnny Mathis: Oh, I listen to everything, and so much of it is awful. Once in a while, you’ll hear something fabulous and it’s worth listening to. But I love Dionne Warwick, Barbra Steisand, Lena Horne - you name them, I’ve probably sung with them. They are like me in so many ways. They’re just happy to be doing something that they love doing.

Denny Patterson: What advice can you offer for anyone trying to break into the music industry?

Johnny Mathis: Oh, dear. I have no advice because I was never concerned about breaking into anything. I just sang. It was fun, and then this wonderful man from Columbia Records heard me sing at a little place in San Francisco. That’s how it all started.

Denny Patterson: What more do you hope to accomplish with your career?

Johnny Mathis: I think people forget that it’s all about health. You have to be healthy. I’ve listened to some of the most famous singers I’ve ever heard of in my life when they weren’t healthy, and they sounded awful. So, I just plan to stay healthy and continue what I love doing.