If Hollywood made a movie about two Broadway stars growing up in the same small town, a "Glee"-style rivalry would certainly ensue.

But the only divas on the "Wicked Divas of Broadway" tour are on stage. So-called "divas" Alli Mauzey and Eden Espinosa grew up in Anaheim, Calif., and have both held starring roles in musicals like "Wicked," "Rent," and "Cry Baby."

"We knew of each other, but didn't actually meet until we were much older," Espinosa recalls.

"Eden sang at Disneyland, and I remember hearing her and thinking, 'Who is that girl? Her voice is amazing,' " says Mauzey, whose sister attended high school with Espinosa.

As children, Mauzey was nudged toward theater to help overcome her shyness, while Espinosa was busy roping her brother into performing shows for their parents.

"We told them when to clap," she laughs. "It wasn't until I was older I realized I wanted to move to New York and make it a career."

Coincidentally, both did. Their similar paths led them to "Wicked." Espinosa played Elphaba. Mauzey was Glinda.

For "Wicked Divas of Broadway," they've taken their roles another step - out of gauzy gowns and witch's hats - and onto the concert stage, where they perform what Espinosa calls "divalicious" selections from "Wicked" and other musicals as well as a few pop songs. The tour stops at Belk Theater on Friday and Saturday.

"All the songs are well-known songs that powerful women have sung in 'diva' roles in musical theater," Espinosa explains. Those include material from "My Fair Lady" (Mauzey's favorite) and "Phantom of the Opera," as well as others made famous by Celine Dion and Liza Minnelli (which Espinosa calls a "fun challenge").

They're enjoying the break from traditional musicals.

"In a musical, you're singing the same style eight times a week. With this, you get to sing all sorts of styles, and it's the best songs from each musical," Mauzey says.

With TV series like "American Idol" and "Glee" introducing show tunes to the uninitiated, it's no longer necessary to perform a song within the context of the musical it's derived from.

"These songs are taken out of context, but you can pay homage to the musical in the sense of the style and what the lyrics mean," Mauzey says.

Adds Espinosa: "I definitely bring the sentiment of the show and character to every piece I'm doing, but because it is a concert version, I like to bring more of myself. I think the audience might get a little confused if you did every song as the character. If they relate to you as a person throughout the entire thing, it might draw them in more."

Musical theater is certainly drawing in fans, in part due to the popularity of TV singing competitions and "Glee."

"Alli and I were in show choir, and it wasn't cool to be in show choir then," Espinosa says. "It does draw good attention just to know it is OK to like these things, to be in choir even if you're a jock or the popular guy. When I was in it, there was no way a jock would be caught dead in show choir, even though we were good."