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Just saw Wicked

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:35 pm
by Ritterskoop
Awesome.

I teared up twice at the end, though the first time is so strongly still with me, I can't remember what the second moment was! Since it's me, the first moment has to do with an animal.

Not much to say out in the open, as it's one of those shows that can be easily spoiled.

I am eager to investigate original cast albums, as I've been listening to Chenoweth and Menzel doing "Defying Gravity," and now I'd like to hear them do more. It would also be fun to see/hear Rue McClanahan's turn as Morrible.

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:21 pm
by PlacentiaSoccerMom
Rue McClanahan isn't Morrible on the Cast Album. Madame Morrible is played by an actress named Carole Shelley.

We saw Wicked recently in LA and Morrible was played by Joanne Worley. I think that Shelley did a much better job.

Re: Just saw Wicked

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:26 pm
by gotribego26
Ritterskoop wrote:Awesome.

I teared up twice at the end, though the first time is so strongly still with me, I can't remember what the second moment was! Since it's me, the first moment has to do with an animal.

Not much to say out in the open, as it's one of those shows that can be easily spoiled.

I am eager to investigate original cast albums, as I've been listening to Chenoweth and Menzel doing "Defying Gravity," and now I'd like to hear them do more. It would also be fun to see/hear Rue McClanahan's turn as Morrible.

The tribelets have not forgiven me for failing to get them tickets for this - of course it is all my fault. I suspect it will return to the Queen City again.

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:39 pm
by lilyvonschtupp26
I was fortunate to see Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba. She was incredible and I enjoyed her immensely. Wasn't the staging wonderful?

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:48 pm
by TheCalvinator24
lilyvonschtupp26 wrote:I was fortunate to see Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba. She was incredible and I enjoyed her immensely. Wasn't the staging wonderful?
Ana Gasteyer played Elphaba?

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:01 pm
by Ritterskoop
PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:Rue McClanahan isn't Morrible on the Cast Album. Madame Morrible is played by an actress named Carole Shelley.

We saw Wicked recently in LA and Morrible was played by Joanne Worley. I think that Shelley did a much better job.
My bad - I didn't mean to imply McClanahan is on the cast album, only that she had done a stint. She mentioned it last year at her book-signing, that she enjoyed it. I don't know if she was any good at it!

Re: Just saw Wicked

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:19 pm
by Appa23
Ritterskoop wrote:Awesome.

I teared up twice at the end, though the first time is so strongly still with me, I can't remember what the second moment was! Since it's me, the first moment has to do with an animal.

Not much to say out in the open, as it's one of those shows that can be easily spoiled.

I am eager to investigate original cast albums, as I've been listening to Chenoweth and Menzel doing "Defying Gravity," and now I'd like to hear them do more. It would also be fun to see/hear Rue McClanahan's turn as Morrible.
My wife and I will be seeing Wicked next year, when it comes to Omaha for a month. (We are not-so-sure about Avenue Q.)

We thought about seeing Rent when it comes for a limited engagement in a few weeks, but the timing does not work with other previous commitments.

Re: Just saw Wicked

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:22 pm
by Bob Juch
Appa23 wrote:
Ritterskoop wrote:Awesome.

I teared up twice at the end, though the first time is so strongly still with me, I can't remember what the second moment was! Since it's me, the first moment has to do with an animal.

Not much to say out in the open, as it's one of those shows that can be easily spoiled.

I am eager to investigate original cast albums, as I've been listening to Chenoweth and Menzel doing "Defying Gravity," and now I'd like to hear them do more. It would also be fun to see/hear Rue McClanahan's turn as Morrible.
My wife and I will be seeing Wicked next year, when it comes to Omaha for a month. (We are not-so-sure about Avenue Q.)

We thought about seeing Rent when it comes for a limited engagement in a few weeks, but the timing does not work with other previous commitments.
I very much doubt you'd like Avenue Q.

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:17 am
by tanstaafl2
I saw Wicked last year as part of a season ticket package (In the spring of the 2006-2007 season) for touring Broadway shows I have. It was very entertaining although I don't recall any names "of note" in the company.

Surprisingly to me it is coming back this fall as part of the season package again for 2008-2009). Seems a little soon to have it back as part of the season package to me. I recognize it is a show with a big name that will likely sell well but usually when a show returns so soon after having been a part of the package it is offered as an additional "optional" show. I know these shows are expensive so perhaps they wanted to assure they have a good turnout by forcing season ticket holders to buy it again but it was a little disappointing.

Are there not enough decent touring shows that they couldn't avoid a repeat so soon?

Indeed this season seems a bit weak overall considering that Wicked is the big draw and it is a repeat. Shows this season in addition to Wicked are Ain't Misbehavin (with Ruben Studdard, says alot about his career after Idol...), A Chorus Line (an oldy but a "goody" that I don't mind so much seeing again), Happy Days, the Musical (yes, that Happy Days. But not well received on the Great White Way apparently), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (from the childrens story by Ian Fleming of all people and which opened on Broadway to at best mixed reviews), and finally Jersey Boys (The Four Seasons story that has received much better reviews).

At best kind of a mixed season to me. This season did wrap up with a good run of shows to include The Drowsy Chaperone, the very entertaining Avenue Q, a decent production of The Lion King and next month closes with the a production of Sweeney Todd.

Maybe next season will be better than it appears at first glance.

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:41 am
by Appa23
We had planned on getting season tickets for the "Broadway Across America" series in Omaha, just to make sure that we would have tickets for "Wicked".

However, we now are not sure that it is a good idea.

"The Rat Pack"

"Grease"

"Avenue Q"

"Wicked".

This seems like the worst series of shows over the past several years. This year was when we should have gotten season tickets. :oops:

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:46 pm
by moonie
I was fortunate to see this on Broadway last summer. What a great show! I did read the book prior to seeing it, and Im glad they made it more 'family-friendly'.

(The book had graphic sexual references and such... I was going to let my 12 yr old daughter read it, thank goodness I started it first. The first 3 pages told me enough was enough!)

wicked - for Cal

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:11 pm
by lilyvonschtupp26
Yeah, Ana Gasteyer! She has incredible pipes. She just blew us away. Plus she was great opposite Carol Kane as Madame Morrible.

I'm taking my daughter for the backstage tour for her b'day. Since she's into costuming, it'll be a treat.

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:25 pm
by gsabc
moonie wrote:I was fortunate to see this on Broadway last summer. What a great show! I did read the book prior to seeing it, and Im glad they made it more 'family-friendly'.

(The book had graphic sexual references and such... I was going to let my 12 yr old daughter read it, thank goodness I started it first. The first 3 pages told me enough was enough!)
The book is very different, and would have been difficult to translate directly into a play or musical. BD likes both versions. The author's children are alumni of the school where she works. Some of the other teachers know him, and said they could get her copy of Wicked autographed. Have to check to see if that's happened yet.

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:30 pm
by tanstaafl2
gsabc wrote:
moonie wrote:I was fortunate to see this on Broadway last summer. What a great show! I did read the book prior to seeing it, and Im glad they made it more 'family-friendly'.

(The book had graphic sexual references and such... I was going to let my 12 yr old daughter read it, thank goodness I started it first. The first 3 pages told me enough was enough!)
The book is very different, and would have been difficult to translate directly into a play or musical. BD likes both versions. The author's children are alumni of the school where she works. Some of the other teachers know him, and said they could get her copy of Wicked autographed. Have to check to see if that's happened yet.
I agree. To me the musical was as much closer to a rethinking of the movie using the same approach as the book, looking at their lives before those events in the movie took place. But it was really not very close in spirit to the book, which was considerably darker in nature, as best I can remember.

Probably made it more successful as a Broadway musical to go that route but mostly just borrowed the name and the concept from the book. Since it looks like I will be seeing it again soon anyway I will see if I am "disremembering"...

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:11 pm
by Jeemie
Am I the only one who disliked Wicked intensely?

I mean, the performances were good, and the jokes were funny, but I'm sorry, the plot was quite lame.

IMNSHO

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:15 pm
by silvercamaro
Jeemie wrote:Am I the only one who disliked Wicked intensely?

I mean, the performances were good, and the jokes were funny, but I'm sorry, the plot was quite lame.

IMNSHO
I didn't realize anybody went to a musical primarily for the plot.

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:06 pm
by Jeemie
silvercamaro wrote:
Jeemie wrote:Am I the only one who disliked Wicked intensely?

I mean, the performances were good, and the jokes were funny, but I'm sorry, the plot was quite lame.

IMNSHO
I didn't realize anybody went to a musical primarily for the plot.
I usually don't.

But the utter lameness of the plot spoiled the rest of it for me.

it was that lame...again, IMNSHO.