Wicked - Wicked Good, That Is!

My cousin and I went to see Wicked yesterday at the Oriental Theater in Chicago, and it was amazing! I know it has been on Broadway for five years already, so it isn't exactly news, but the vibe in the theater certainly felt fresh. The excitement was palpable, and almost every seat was taken. Ours were in the balcony so we couldn't see the facial expressions of the actors, but instead we were able to view the entire set; it was phenomenal.

In case you don't know the plot of the musical, About.com has this brief description:

"set in Oz, long before the arrival of Dorothy, two young women meet in the Emerald City. One is intelligent, intense, and, having been born with emerald-green skin, misunderstood. The other is a popular, beautiful blond with ambitions. Wicked tells the story of how these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch of the North".

I have to admit I will never watch The Wizard of Oz again without considering the musical Wicked. I left absolutely loving and admiring both characters. There was so much heart - and goodness - in the story. And music - oh my, the music. Whenever I watch a musical, I yearn to be a stage actor with enough talent to awe an audience and sing at the same time. I become a bit of a blubbery, messy fan-type of person and begin glamorizing what the actors' lives must be like. When in reality, I know it is a struggle to be successful on stage. It isn't like Hollywood, where work on one movie can pay a year's mortgage (well, unless the actor is Julia Roberts or Glenn Close). But I still fantasize what a life like that would be like. This doesn't surprise most of you reading this (if you know me), I'm sure! Always wondering what an alternate reality would look like! LOL!

It was a magical few hours, though. And we were able to see a standby (understudy) actor play Elphaba. Jennifer DiNoia was exceptional. She had a wonderful voice and strong stage presence. At first, I was a bit disappointed we weren't able to see the "star", but the more I thought about it, I became excited we were seeing the standby. I imagined she was as excited to be on stage as we were to be sitting in the seats, and that added some additional pizazz to the experience. Whether her performance actually became stronger and bigger throughout the show or whether it was my imagination, by the time it ended, I couldn't imagine anyone else as Elphaba. She had won my heart. Completely. Then I googled her when I returned home (of course...stalker fan that I am) and discovered she is only 26, and my devotion wobbled a bit with jealousy, but then it straightened out again!

So for you musical lovin' readers, get to the show if Wicked comes to town. Chicago's run is indefinite, and I know New York and Los Angeles have runs, too. Tickets are pricey, but a visit to the Emerald City is worth every penny - even in the balcony seats!