Now here comes Wicked, the smash hit musical and Wizard prequel, which features those dueling Oz witches --Glinda the Good and Elphaba (as she's called here) the Wicked—in a way that shakes up everything you thought you knew.

What was I to make of this? More new characters, no Judy, and—gasp!—Harold Arlen's magnificent songs give way to a score by Stephen (Pippin) Schwartz!

Well, I'll be a winged monkey's uncle. I enjoyed it a lot. There's much to be said about Wicked, and here are the bullet points: 1) It's the rare show that will entertain virtually the whole family—but very young tots (and some antsy grownups) will find it too long. 2) Lavish special effects and opulent designs will dazzle even jaded audiences. 3) Wicked's plot is clever and endearing, though not always easy to follow. 4) The songs? Don't throw away your Harold Arlen records, but Schwartz's music and lyrics are never less than winning. (They're never more than that, either.) 5) I've seen the New York original as well as this tour, and Wicked at the Academy equals—and in some ways betters—what you would see on Broadway.

About that plot—a pastiche so complex it may take a doctoral dissertation to unravel it. Wicked's primary source is Gregory McGuire's imaginative but overwritten novel. The show then brings in additional elements from Baum, plus aspects of the MGM Wizard screenplay (by three credited writers and more than a dozen uncredited tinkerers). It falls to librettist Winnie Holzman to make everything cohere.

So it's not surprising that Wicked-the-musical has so many diversions and subplots that the central issues—prejudice, good versus evil—lose focus. Holzman created TV's My So-Called Life, which may explain why Wicked seems especially geared toward adolescent girls. Themes of female friendship abound, and there's so much agita about dating (Who to pursue: Boq, a dweebish Munchkin, or Fiero, a hot frat boy?) that sometimes we feel like we're watching The O.C.

OK, enough quibbles. The show is great fun—and this cast is terrific. Julia Murney is a fabulous Elphaba. She acts rings around the role's celebrated creatrix, Idina Menzel, and sings every bit as well. In fact, after seeing Murney, I'm inclined to think Menzel is pretty much all wet. Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda) recreates the role made famous by Kristin Chenoweth. She recycles all of Chenowith's shtick, and throws in a barrelful of her own. It's too much for me, but the audience loved her—and Kassebaum sings very well. (Old movie fans will recognize the dimpling, simpering blond archetype as Sonja Henie.) Supporting players are all excellent, and Alma Cuervo is superb as Madame Morrible.

So go see Wicked, and bring the family. Bring plenty of cash, too—there's a veritable department store in the Academy lobby, and kids will want to leave with truckloads of Wicked swag.

WICKED
Through April 9, Cadillac Broadway at the Academy, Academy of Music, Academy of Music, Broad and Locust sts., 215-893-1955