Broadway Shows: Wicked

The cymbals crash, the lights flash, the dragon above the stage flares its nostrils and monkeys fly out over the audience as you sit in awe of the extravagance of the Broadway experience. Nothing compares to the show I am about to describe to you. From the music to the acting, and from the lighting to the set design, you will be absolutely impressed from start to finish with one of the most famous and well-liked Broadway musicals of all time, Wicked.

The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz

Going into college back in September of 2009, I had never seen a single Broadway musical in New York City. My best friend convinced me to buy a ticket with her to go see "Wicked" - without even knowing what it was about or what the music was like. Since I didn't know what to expect, I was in the best frame of mind to see Wicked as my first musical. From the moment the first note was played, my eyes widened, and sat for the entire show with a grin on my face. I had never seen anything like it and I will attempt to describe to you just how spectacular this show is. Since seeing it for the first time, I have seen it three more times - if that doesn't tell you how great the show is, then I don't know what will!

As pictured above, me and my friends, Carlee and Nick, went to see Wicked (my second time seeing the world-renowned Broadway show! )

The Story

For those of you who have never seen "The Wizard of Oz", this may be slightly confusing for you. I would most definitely recommend that movie as well, considering its popularity and the mere fact is a timeless classic! To briefly summarize "The Wizard of Oz", it is about a girl named Dorothy who gets caught in a tornado and ends up in the land of Oz. She meets some friends along the way to the Emerald City - namely the scarecrow, tin man, and the cowardly lion. In a quest to get home, Dorothy must acquire the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West and bring it back to the wizard. I will stop my summary there, so that I don't spoil it for those who haven't seen it!

As for the plot of Wicked, I will explain in general terms what it is about so that again, I don't spoil it for those who haven't seen it. (Don't worry, Wicked will be on Broadway for many years to come, so you will have plenty of time to get to NYC and see it! )

The story of Wicked is a masterfully written prequel and sequel to "The Wizard of Oz. " Things that are left unexplained in "The Wizard of Oz" are craftfully pieced together in Wicked through the telling of how the witches (Elphaba and Glinda) grew up together, went to school together, lived together, and were actually friends. They are depicted as enemies in "The Wizard of Oz" when in Wicked's reality, they almost always cared for one another. We learn of how the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion come to exist in the land of Oz, why Elphaba (or the Wicked Witch of the West) is green, etc. There are many shocks and surprises and moments of epiphany throughout the musical, Wicked. However, you MUST see "The Wizard of Oz" before seeing Wicked to truly understand all the humor, tricks, and explanations.

OVERALL SCORE: 10 / 10

The Music

With a full pit orchestra located under the stage and a fabulously written set of musical numbers, you're guaranteed to enjoy the music of Wicked. There are flutes, trumpets, pianos, you name it! I heard only a few of the more famous songs before seeing the show for the first time, so I was unaware of the excellence of the score. Some of the best numbers include "Defying Gravity", "For Good", "One Short Day", and "The Wizard and I. " I recommend looking all of those up on YouTube for a great listen! Some of the numbers will leave you laughing... such as "Popular" sung by Kristin Chenowith originally and some will leave you crying, such as "For Good" - a duet sung by Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel.

Every year at my high school's graduation ceremony, the choir (which I was a member of) sings a song to "send off" the senior class as they head to college. For my senior year, we sang a 4-part harmony of "For Good. " At the time, I had no idea what the song was or where it was from. When I look back and reminisce on my graduation ceremony, there is much more meaning to it now that I know the song so well from seeing Wicked. One of the most notable quotes from "For Good" is written below:

"Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you, I have been changed for good. "

OVERALL SCORE: 9 / 10

The Acting

Overall, I was very impressed with the high quality of acting in the show, Wicked. While you would never expect the acting to be less than desired since it is a Broadway production, you may not always appreciate the humor of the actors, the way they talk, or the things they say. For example, I watched the musical "Memphis" on Netflix and Chad Kimball originally played the role of Huey Calhoun. I could not stand how he spoke even though he was a very talented singer, actor, and dancer. However, that was never the case for Wicked. The actresses playing Elphaba and Glinda (the two lead female roles) did a fantastic job. They were exceedingly talented and never over-played the role or over-stepped their boundaries. There has never been a time when I laughed so hard in a theater before and then ten minutes later was crying over one of the scenes. It was a truly spectacular demonstration of theater and acting at its finest.

OVERALL SCORE: 9 / 10

The Set

Often times, people expect the set design of a Broadway show to be this extravagant layout of tall ladders, moving platforms, flying actors, opening doors, and layer upon layer of backdrops. However, that isn't always necessary. For Wicked, it happens to be an extravagant set design, but it doesn't take away from the talent of the actors and actresses, as some might think it would. There are flashing lights, a moving dragon above the stage, many layers of moving sets. It is truly a sight to see and is extremely impressive. You will sit in the audience in awe of all the moving parts that actors integrate themselves into throughout the show.

OVERALL SCORE: 5 / 5

The Crowd

Sometimes when you attend a theatrical performance, there may be rowdy children or snoring adults or others who insist on leaving their phone on ring. The way the crowd acts around you can adversely affect your experience in the theater and with the musical itself. In the case of Wicked, most audience members are so enthralled with the musical, that it doesn't occur to them to talk to their neighbor or answer a buzzing phone call. Generally speaking (since there are always exceptions), you won't have to worry about negative crowd effects on your Wicked experience.

OVERALL SCORE: 5 / 5

The Price

Of course, since this is a Broadway musical HIT, expect to be paying a hefty price to enter the theater. If you buy the tickets in advance, you can usually get a fairly "cheap" price such as $60 for the rear mezzanine. If you want to sit in the front and center of the mezzanine, expect to pay around $150 a ticket. Center orchestra you say? $200 minimum. You do NOT... I repeat, you DO NOT need to sit in the center orchestra to fully enjoy the performance. Sure, you won't be able to see the precise facial expressions of the actors and actresses from the rear mezzanine, but it's about the full picture. You can see the dancing, you can appreciate the humor and script, you can hear the music well, and you're saving a ton of money! Don't think that in order to enjoy yourself you have to have the best seat in the house.

However, there is even a cheaper option if you have the time (and luck! ). Wicked does a lottery for tickets for every performance. The first two rows of the orchestra (about 26 seats) are reserved for this lottery. Here's how you do it: Go to the box office 2 five hours before show time and enter your name and the number of tickets you would like to win (sorry large groups, but you can only request 1 or 2 tickets). When it is 2 hours before the performance or a half hour later, the lottery will close and the lucky winners will be called! Make sure you are there to retrieve your tickets should you win - they won't hold your place! Typically, there are around 100 people who put their name into the lottery, so you have a 25% chance of winning! If the day is a sunny Saturday afternoon however, expect to see 150-200 people waiting to be the next lucky winner to see Wicked.

Once you win the tickets, you must pay in cash immediately in order to receive the tickets. How much do they cost you might be wondering? $30 for some premium first and second row seats. While it's not always the best idea to sit that close for a show since you can't really grasp the full experience, you can't beat the price and you still get to hear the great music and see the intensity of the actors and actresses up close.

OVERALL SCORE: 3 / 5

The Verdict

I think it's quite clear that I would recommend the show, Wicked. With great music, acting, set design, a respectful crowd, and several options for cheaper prices, Wicked is a complete Broadway package that shouldn't be missed. With a rating from me of 41 / 45 or 91. 100, Wicked is clearly one of the best shows on Broadway right now. Pick up your tickets today, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

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