The next Broadway show on the agenda was Stephen Schwartz's Wicked; the prequel to L. Frank Baum's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". The show opened in 2003 with Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth as Elphaba and Glinda respectably, and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards. I saw the national tour two years ago in Birmingham from balcony row xxx, so center stage orchestra level seats were a whole different ballgame.

From the moment the orchestra began the overture a chill ran through me, I could really feel the power this show has. Soon Katie Rose Clark made her first appearance as Glinda, descending from the sky in a mechanical bubble, and hitting some of the highest notes outside of Phantom of the Opera.
As the show continued you could feel the crowd's delight and excitement, I wasn't even in the show and I felt a pride for the cast. Once Elphaba (Mandy Gonzales) made her first appearance, the show really started rolling,

At this point the show is flying by and I'm just trying to soak it all in, you could feel the tension building as Ephaba and Glinda debate their fates in "Defying Gravity"; and when Elphaba took flight the audience's cheers rattled the building. The show was incredibly incredible, and it was only intermission!

The second act was even more moving than the first, and my only complaint was that it ended, I could have lived in that world for a few more hours at least.

The cast knew exactly what to do, and every little thing they did impacted the story in the best way. The costumes, props and special effects are arguably the greatest in Broadway's history, everything added an extra few layers to this occasionally dark, insanely clever show.

I cannot recommend this show enough, you will be moved, and incredibly impressed with this (for lack of a better word) wickedly awesome production!!!!

Lions, Times Square, and Broadway, oh my!

NYC. what can I say about NYC? Not enough. My trip to NYC was the most exciting experience of my life! Broadway! Times Square! FAO Schwarz! Central Park! Oh, I could go on all day. But as I promised, I will share my comments about the Broadway shows I saw, starting with Disney's The Lion King:

The Lion King film was released in 1994, and the unique Broadway production opened three years later. A combination of masks, puppetry, interpretive dance, and live actors the show has been a hit with critics and audiences alike, and still remains one of Broadway's top shows. Since Lion King was a last minute addition to my NY plans, I didn't have time to research as I had for the other shows, so I wasn't as prepared as I should have been for what I was about to see. But when the first notes of Circle of Life came crying through the theatre I got a little misty...yes, I admit it, I cried at my first Broadway show. Deal with it.

And it just got better, full-sized elephants and rhinos came down the isle of the theatre joining the rest of the jungle of creatures onstage to witness Young Simba's presentation. The puppets were beautifully built and operated, making me wonder to myself "...could I build that?" But I didn't let that distract me, I still got caught up in the story, even with the occasional glimpse of the stage hand off stage left. The cast had some very impressive vocals, with Tshidi Manye as Rafiki as a personal favorite.

Even with all the specifics required for that show, whether stilt walking to become a giraffe, very precise dance steps and lyrics, or walking with a giant Warthog strapped to their bodies, the cast made it look effortless. I applaud you all again.
It was a great first show, and I highly recommend it. Stay tuned for the continuation of my NY journey.