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Green girl meets mean girl in the latest iteration of “Wicked,” now playing at the Nederlander Theatre. This “flip the script” reimagining of the witches of Oz arrives just in time for spooky season. First staged in 2003 and based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical, written by Winnie Holzman, is a mixed bag: In some ways it feels quite timely; in other areas it feels dated. Lissa deGuzman plays the nerdy and outspoken Elphaba, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West in all her green glory. In a complete tour de force, deGuzman’s powerful voice and commanding stage presence make her an absolute joy to watch. We meet Elphaba as a young woman struggling to navigate a world where she’s been cruelly ostracized for the color of her skin. In a classic “odd couple” scenario, she’s matched as a roommate with Galinda (the Regina George of Oz), who eventually becomes Glinda the Good Witch. Jennafer Newberry is a delightful Galinda, and her impeccable soprano voice is a sumptuous treat for vocal connoisseurs. The camaraderie between deGuzman and Newberry is palpable, and they’re a fun pair to watch, sparring and sniping across the stage as Elphaba is brutally bullied by, well, everyone. Eventually Galinda’s minuscule conscience catches up with her, and she befriends Elphaba, going against her superficial instincts. Although there were several children in attendance in the audience, I caution parents that this play is not a morality tale for kids, as the duo’s friendship is ultimately more “frenemy” than friend. The engine of the story is a promising, aggressively political (and somewhat problematic) metaphor about talking animals being forced out of human society and losing their ability to speak. The threat of fascism sweeping Oz spurs Elphaba to action, and she begins to earn her “wicked” moniker, not through evil deeds, but through activism. A short scene with a puppet in a cage strikes more fear in the soul than one would expect.