Wicked--the musical - Page 4

AXOeva · #1 01-26-2006, 11:13 AM

Even my sister who hates musical theater loves Wicked. I think that it resonates with women because we have all felt like Elphaba or Glinda at some point in our lives. The songs really hit home on the feelings women have. The desire to acheive validation in The Wizard and I, the feeling like you are not good enough to be loved in I'm not that Girl, the desire to get to the really good part of your life in One Short Day, the unrelenting push to be yourself in the face of everything in Defying Gravity. I could go on all day.

DeltAlum · #2 01-26-2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Into the words
that trip your lip,
and fry your brain,
and sprain your tounge.

Into the words,
a cave so dark,
you better bring a torch in.

Into the words,
the what,
the why,
the where,
the how,
the plot began.

Into the words,
more letters then they sell on "Wheel Of Fortune".

That's funny. How anyone can sing Sondheim is totally beyond me.

As an aside, Daughter number one is Lily in The Secret Garden here in the Denver area at the moment and her husband is directing. Unbelievably great reviews. The really are doing an outstanding job.

She has played Martha three times going back to high school, and we never realized how much her (matured) voice sounds like Lily on the cast CD.

moe.ron · #3 01-31-2006, 07:54 AM

Got to love Forbidden Broadway.

As for Wicked's lyric:

Nessa, Nessa
I have something to conffess-a

Seriously, that is pathetic.

The melodies, on the other hand, will stick in your head for hours. I can't get POPULAR out of my head.

AlphaFrog · #4 01-31-2006, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by moe.ron
Got to love Forbidden Broadway.

As for Wicked's lyric:

Nessa, Nessa
I have something to conffess-a

Seriously, that is pathetic.

The melodies, on the other hand, will stick in your head for hours. I can't get POPULAR out of my head.

I admit that particular line (and there are others too) is pathetic. But you have to admit that "Popular" is a very clever song.

MysticCat · #5 01-31-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXOeva
I love Into the Woods!

One of my all-time favorites. (Love Forbidden Broadway, too.)

Quote:

Originally posted by moe.ron
As for Wicked's lyric:

Nessa, Nessa
I have something to conffess-a

Seriously, that is pathetic.

Technically, though, that's not the lyric:

Uh -- Nessa
I've got something to confess, a
reason why, well --
I asked you here tonight.

Sure, it can sound a little hokey if the singer's not careful, but breaking the lines that way is a time honored method -- from Cole Porter to Sondheim (and Dr. Suess) -- of keeping the rhyme scheme interesting and moving.

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
How anyone can sing Sondheim is totally beyond me.

That's one reason I love him. His music is challenging to be sure, but also rewarding, both to sing and to listen to.

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
As an aside, Daughter number one is Lily in The Secret Garden here in the Denver area at the moment and her husband is directing. Unbelievably great reviews. They really are doing an outstanding job.

Very, very cool. Wish I lived closer to Denver.

AlphaFrog · #6 02-06-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXOeva
You get a better experience from the book if you read it before you see the musical. I think that you need to consider the book and the musical two different versions of the same story. Just like the book was a different version of the Wizard of Oz, which was a different version of the original L. Frank Baum books.

I happen to looooove both the book and the musical. I read the book in 2003 and then found the soundtrack to the muscial in 2004. I finally saw the musical in NY in the summer of 2005 and practically cried throughout the entire thing, I was so exc ited to see it. I just find the musical very powerful.

I am in the middle of Son of a Witch and can't wait to finish it.

Ok, I've made it about halfway in the book (Glinda, Elphaba, and Nessa have just been "propositioned" by Morrible)...please tell me it gets better....so far it's not what I expected at all. I thought it would be sort of like Harry Potter - meant for teenish age, but older people enjoy it too... I was shocked when I started reading...definately NOT for kids!

DeltAlum · #7 02-06-2006, 05:31 PM

Aw, forget the book and enjoy the music. Who cares about storylines anyway.

This is Entertainment, not Literature.

(Waiting for the flames...)

Sister Havana · #8 02-07-2006, 12:37 PM

I am going to see it in Chicago in July!

GangsterOfLove · #9 02-07-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by carnation
Has anybody seen this musical? I've heard some people praise it and we're considering taking some of the kids but I just found out that the tickets are WAY high. Is it worth it?

The tickets are more than worth it. The show is absolutely amazing.

You might be able to find a discount on theatermania.com or broadwayoffers.com (you'll have to register). I'm in NYC and I got orchestra seats for $55 each the first time I saw it, which is pretty cheap.

AlphaFrog · #10 02-22-2006, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Aw, forget the book and enjoy the music. Who cares about storylines anyway.

This is Entertainment, not Literature.

(Waiting for the flames...)

Ok, so I finished the book last weekend.

NOT IMPRESSED. You were right DA. Skip the book. (No gloating though

, not that you'd ever do that

)

MysticCat · #11 02-22-2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Ok, so I finished the book last weekend.

NOT IMPRESSED. You were right DA. Skip the book. (No gloating though , not that you'd ever do that )

I really liked the book -- very thought provoking and well-done in my opinion. It's a "book club book" -- after you're done with it, you need some people to discuss it with.

The book and the musical are two different things, not unlike the original book and the Judy Garland movie, which as good as the latter is, took some almost unforgivable liberties with the book, I think.

I think it was Joel Gray in Playbill who said Wicked the book is more Don Giovanni while the musical is more The Magic Flute. Both great operas, but one is lighter than the other.

AlphaFrog · #12 02-22-2006, 11:30 AM

I noticed that there were "group questions" in the back.

I think my problem with the book was

(Spoiler, so don't scroll if you don't want to know)

I don't like how they left it with Fiyero at the end of one chapter, then Ephie in the nunnery, and then 3 chapters later you found out Fiyero was dead and maybe Liir was his/her son, maybe not, but probably...I guess basically I went into the book thinking it was going to be a liesurely read, instead of a brain teaser. I think had I known it was more of a thinking book then a pleasure book going into it, I might have enjoyed it more. Oh - and as for Frex thinking of Nessa as his and TurtleHeart's child...that's just creepy.

Marie · #13 02-22-2006, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sister Havana
I am going to see it in Chicago in July!

I just saw it here last night, and the cast was fabulous. You will love it!!!

As for the book v. the musical; they really are two different things. I loved them both, but if you're reading the book after you've seen the musical, then you really do have to realize that they are only loosely related. The book is much much darker and far more thought provoking. While the musical is kid-friendly, the book is definitely not, and you've got to know that going in. Otherwise you're going to be disappointed.

DeltAlum · #14 02-22-2006, 01:17 PM

I just saw on the Wicked webpage that Eden Espinosa is playing Elphiba in NY now.

She is amazing!

She was Idina's understudy for a while and then left the show to do the lead in Brooklyn, The Musical which she had helped create here in Denver before it went to Broadway.

I saw it both places and really wish it had done better simply because of great voices in the cast.

If anything, I think she has a better voice than Idina.

(And, yes, I did see Idina in the NYC production -- as well as in RENT in NY. I think she's great, too)

AlphaFrog · #15 05-05-2006, 02:06 PM

Ok, I have just lost my mind. I just bid on a pair of tickets for Atlanta from a seller who has NO Feedback, NO Previous sales, and only registered 3 days ago. I only bid $25, but still! I'm going Memorial Day weekend with my mom, but I'd really like for my husband to get to see it too.