Fantabulicious!

So, my first time seeing Wicked was two years ago. I flew home to Portland to see it. My parents traded in their two great season tickets and got three actually pretty good seats together so I could sit with them. Shoshana Bean and Megan Hilty played Elphaba and Glinda (that's who's in the video). Two Northwest natives, it was only appropriate they introduce the show to the Portland audience (Shoshana's actually a Portland native). It was awesome!

Wednesday night was our season ticket night for Broadway in Utah (I have season tickets with a group of girlfriends.) I was a little discouraged when the little white paper fell out of my program. You know the one. The one that says "tonight the role of... will be played by..." The role was Elphaba - you know, the LEAD. I was a little sad. I search the program for the bio of the understudy.

I should probably explain for those who don't know me very well, I grew up in the theater as they say. I come from theater stock. My mother was a professional modern dancer and danced with a company until I was almost 2 I think. She was choreographing Damn Yankees, dancing around with her dancers, nine months pregnant with me - no wonder I was a month late. I was having too much fun in the womb. My dad, though a bit of a jock, is incredibly musically talented as well. Plays a couple instruments. Awesome singing voice. Though his best performance had to be dancing as Andy to my Raggedy Ann. I started my professional career at 12 or 13? Had a dance scholarship. Performing in Oregon and then California. So, when it comes to theater, I'm kind of picky. For example, as Mrs Daybreak refers to it - "the musical for the masses" - Les Miserables - not my favorite. Actually, it's down pretty, pretty low on my list. Why? you ask as you try to pick yourself up off the ground. NO DANCING!!! Well, I have other reasons too, but I'll just state that one.

I remember a friend from college, a Vocal Point alum (uh-hu, you BYU alums all know you caught at least one of their shows while living in happy valley). After we graduated, we both moved to SLC and Greg continued to perform. I always worried when meeting up with him after his shows, because he would turn to me first to get my opinion. Mine was the opinion he said knew he could trust because I had experience and I would be honest. And that's what I do, I give my honest OPINION. I always point out the good. I really do, but I notice what could use improvement. Maybe it's due to my dabbling in choreography. Maybe it's because I was always ?looking to make my own performances better? Who knows?

My friends today are the same. The player laughs as she says she always interested in what my opinion will be. That makes me nervous. The pressure is on.

So what did I think of SLC's Wicked? Here's my review.

Back to Elphaba, played by Merideth Kaye Clark. The program's bio listed her schooling - undergrad in Neuroscience from Emory, MFA from SDSU. I have a childhood friend who also completed her MFA there - great program. Neuroscience? Interesting. It listed all the theater companies she'd done work with. There were some impressive companies. It didn't list one single show she'd done. And it did not say she'd ever performed on Broadway. Hmmm.... I actually get a little ill when I read some people's bios that go on and on and on about ALL the shows they've done and ALL the roles they've played. Seriously folks - start a blog... hehe.

As she started to sing The Wizard and I, her first song of the show, my heart sunk a little. Not too impressive. But as the number progressed and as her voice went up the register and she started to really belt it out - the hairs stood up on my arms and the back of my neck. You know what that means don't you? SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!! Yup, that girl could belt, at least once when she got above probably a high A. And Defying Gravity, yes sirree - tears in the eyes. She was that good. I wish she'd had a stronger voice down low, but you can't beat the power in her voice as she hovers above the stage.

There's no video, but at least you can hear...

Glinda - great. Katie Rose Clarke didn't try to impersonate the Kristin Chenoweth Glinda. And that is something I always look for when I see a show. I want an actor who will make a role his own. Katie was her own. Hilarious.

I was really impressed by Madame Morrible's voice as well. Beautiful. And though I really don't care for the part of the Wizard nor his musical numbers, the actor did really well.

A great cast, a great show folks.

Sorry to all who didn't get tickets for the SLC showings. Next season we have The Lion King, The Wedding Singer, Legally Blond and Avenue Q. Remember I can buy tickets ahead of the general public as a season ticket holder. If you want tickets, let me know and I'll add you to my list of potential buyers.