Crews load-in the land of Oz as “Wicked” returns to the Koger Center

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Everyone’s favorite characters from Oz are set to return to the Koger Center stage on Wednesday night as “Wicked” lands in downtown Columbia!

ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams was given a sneak peek backstage for load-in day, as crews prepare for opening night.

Company Manager Steve Quinn says 11 trucks full of props and equipment– each 52 feet long — are unloaded over the course of two and a half days.

“So we travel with 65 people. We add about 80 locals when we’re loading the show in,” he says, adding, “So it’s an army that kind of moves the show from city to city and operates us.”

For comparison, Koger Center Director Nate Terracio says preparing the set for their most recent musical, “Chicago,” only took about seven hours.

“It’s just wonderful to be a part of that magic of Broadway and see all of the different things that Broadway has to offer all in one location — here in Columbia,” says Terracio.

Elphaba’s story as the Wicked Witch of the West, particularly her song “I’m Not That Girl,” continues to resonate with audience members of all ages, says Quinn.

“You know, you may not be pretty enough or tall enough or the right color or the right height or the right age, or whatever. We’ve all kind of been in those shoes, so I think it’s a very relatable song, and she’s a very relatable character, so I think I kind of take that away from the show every night,” says Quinn.

When it comes to making Elphaba fly at the end of Act I, Terracio says even he’s not entirely sure how the crew does it.

“There are some things they don’t share with us,” he says laughing, adding, “so there’s a lot of special effects on a show like this, that they want the magic of the moment to stay the magic of the moment.”

He did, however, offer up the following fun fact, saying, “Elphaba actually sort of flies higher here in Columbia than she does in New York City, because they’ve improved mechanisms and techniques.”

And as of Tuesday evening, there are still tickets available for all performances.

“It’s nice, it’s a nice break from daily life, you know, come into Oz. And see a very interesting story. Great music. We have a terrific cast. That is just ready to perform, and we just hope to see everyone there!” says Quinn.

“Wicked” runs from March 25th through April 5th at the Koger Center. To grab tickets, click here.