We got tickets for the traveling Broadway show Wicked that had a 2019 performance in Arizona at the ASU gammage center. This is an amazing building that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright the legendary architect. He designed the building for perfect acoustics. I can attest to the sound quality of the location after attending the play. I will add that the aspect I liked least was the music. I thought the musicians and the singing was great. My objection is to the song writing. The music didn’t move me. Of course this was the first time I had heard any of the songs. When I visited with my sister this past fathers day and told her I had seen the play she started singing the songs at the top of her lungs. She loves the music in Wicked so maybe it’s not that bad. Some disagree with my assessment.
The first thing that struck me was the set design. They went with a steam punk style and that alone made the ticket price worth the money. I admit that I have always tended to think steam punk looked cool. I have no idea what it actually is or if I have ever seen or read a steam punk story. All I know is I think the style is cool. Whoever did the art design was damn talented.
Let me jump into what I liked the most. I thought the story was brilliant. I have always liked the movie Wizard of Oz. My younger sister made the family watch it many times. I watched it a few times over the last decade. It’s such a rich script that I find things I missed during every viewing. And I think it’s safe to say that many film experts would call the film a classic. This movie came out during the golden period of Hollywood. And if you needed to be convinced that same year 1939 was right before America got involved in the World War but it was the same year that Casablanca was released. Then there was Gone With The Wind a movie that took place during the civil war. It’s funny how low budget it looks today but still it’s a great movie. A very long film but worth the time investment just the same. A lesser film the Hunchback Of Notre Dame also came out this year. I bring this film up because it is one of the plays that ranks on my list with Wicked.
Even as popular as the Oz stories have been for almost a century there was never another great production of OZ. They did spin offs. Prequels and sequels. There is a lot of source material but none of it worked. Then in 1995 they wrote a book. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. It’s amazing how well this book was adapted into a great script. Every moment they do what great stories do. The enlighten and entertain the audience. It’s a fabulous script and the production is incredible. Great acting and theater.
Sorry Stephen Schwartz no offense I’m not a fan of your lyrics. It’s just my opinion.
Here is a picture of the curtain before they started the show. Pretty cool right?