WICKED!

I've sang the songs, I've read the books (all three) and now I've seen the musical.  Yes get ready for me to TOTALLY nerd out, Musical Theatre Style (I think that makes it worse!) 

Me at the Theatre!

Last week I finally got to see the musical adaptation of WICKED-The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz.  If you've been living under a rock for the last 10 years, it's the story of the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) ,Wicked Witch of the East (Nessarose) and Glinda the Good Witch (Formerly Galinda, "with a Gaaaaa"-yeah that's only funny if you've seen the show.)




Everyone loves the books and everyone loves the musical, so I wanted to love it all too. I got the first two books "Wicked" and "Son of A Witch" for Christmas 2 years ago and dug in.  Problem was I wasn't hooked.  I've considered it for some time and I am going to give the books another chance and re-read them in the future, but I am just not convinced of the story.  I bought the third instalment "A Lion Among Men" in hopes of finally discovering the missing piece of the puzzle.....no luck.  Nothing in the writing pulls me in, makes me sympathize with Elphaba, makes me sympathize with anyone for that matter.  Sometimes it feels that Gregory McGuire (author) tries so hard to put everything in, that he misses out on telling us the readers the very important details that he has crammed up there in his noggin but forgot to tell us.

Anywho, the musical is very good.  It's great because it stands alone.  You really don't have to have read the books to see the musical-which is exactly what Ty did.  I did think the musical did a wonderful job in *SPOILER ALERT* showing us how the Wizard and Madame Morrible, with help from Glinda, were really the bad guys, the pupetteers as it were.  The dancing was lovely, and not really glitzy-I liked that!  And the sets were FABULOUS!  I only saw a touring company so I'm sure the permanent sets are to die for.  Yes,  the sets were my favourite thing of the night. 

The singing was also good.  At first I felt that both Glinda and Elphaba didn't have the power that they needed for their roles (Glinda was quite nasally)-it's hard to live up to characters created by 2 of contemporary Broadways finest singers Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel-but I was pleasently surprised with Elphaba who did a very good job in Defying Gravity.

To top it off I did cry during the show, which usually means it was good and that it got to me.  And it was good, and I really did enjoy it.  I also bought a commemorative program, which I always do when I go to a big show, and a t-shirt (pictured on right) which set me back $50 .  I wore my new tee to my year end show and all my students loved it.  That in itself made it SO worth it.  I just checked out the Wicked online store and they have umbrellas for $20....I might have to buy that!