What is this Feeling?

[d_trektone_w]

Last Thursday I saw Wicked, the musical. Took my sister and she really liked it, too. Oh, yeah, there were a bunch of other people I knew there since debmats and I did the group tix thing.

My thoughts on the pre-Broadway version of Wicked from two years ago.

In that time Wicked has become a successful and popular (hee!) Broadway show. While it received mixed reviews when it opened and lost out to Avenue Q in many of the Tony Award categories, it's still running and there's the touring show as well as a Chicago company.

While I cherish the memories of Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in the main roles, there was much to like about the post-Broadway version. In general it seemed better paced, though "No Good Deed" still seemed long, but less so than the first times (I spoke with herefox, who pointed out there's more physical movement by Elphaba now, but I still think the song was shortened). While I don't think "Dancing Through Life" is a significantly better song than its predecessor, "Which Way is the Party?" (I think that's what it was called), I was pleased with Derrick Williams as Fiyero, yummy vocals and other parts. Wished he did more dancing/movement. Or just standing on stage close to where I was seated in the fifth row.

The dancing was still excellent as were the amazing costumes -- I think there were more scenes with men in dresses this time -- but there were fewer non-dancer body shapes in the ensemble than before, which saddened me. Maybe I was too close to the stage, but I didn't like the choreography of "What is this Feeling?" nearly as much as the first times. It seemed a jumble whereas before the groupings of people seemed to come together in fun combinations more cleanly.

I cried and cried during "Defying Gravity."

This Glinda was a bit more cuddly and less shrill. cadhla (belated Happy Birthday) found her more believable as a girl-becoming-a-woman than what she'd seen of Chenoweth, but I prefer the latter. This Elphaba, while lacking Menzel's fire and power, was good, too, and I believed the on-stage chemistry between her and Fiyero in the main romantic moment more than Menzel with Norbert Leo Butz. Okay, maybe I was projecting myself into the scene as the green girl. Anyway ...

The "big names." Carol Kane as Morrible was decent, and David Garrison as The Wizard was probably better than Robert Morse. Now I really wonder what Joel Grey did with the role.

Glad to have seen the show! Yay for winged monkeys!

Comments

[pezazul.livejournal.com]

Defying Gravity really gets me choked up too, as does For Good (I think that's the title). Was listening to the cast recording on the plane home today and really had to fight back tears on both of those songs.

I really really enjoyed the show. Am looking forward to seeing it again here in a few months.

[trektone.livejournal.com]

I really like them, too, but I find when I focus just on listening and a certain part of my brain is on, a few lyrics in each song bug me because I don't think they could've been written better.

When the songs are performed I'm able to immerse myself in the experience. Yeah, I was crying a bit during "For Good" as well.

I guess when you see it -- same touring company, right? -- Elphaba will be played by the actress who would've been in the SF run had she not hurt herself earlier in the tour. Stephanie Block, I believe.

[pezazul.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's the same touring company. Somehow I didn't realize that the actress playing Elphaba was not the usual one. I thought she was very good.

[trektone.livejournal.com]

I thought the one we saw last week was good, too. But hey, you get to compare Elphabas.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/94031.html


Nice seeing you again, btw, and meeting Christopher.

[chriso.livejournal.com]

JohnO and I loved the show! Thanks so much for arranging for the tickets.
We stayed after at the stage door and got signatures on our program. The woman who played Galinda confirmed what we suspected, that in the scene when she and Elphaba become friends, they try to crack each other up with their antics - especially her (Galinda's) antics. And Derrick Williams was just as yummy close up and not in costume and makeup.

[trektone.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed the show and hope your friends did, too. Were the seats okay? Kind of on the side? Too close?

Thanks for the confirmation re: Mr. Williams. How tall was he? On stage he seemed about 5'10" but I'm guessing he's shorter IRL.