We Can't All Travel By Bubble

June and I went to Hollywood after work and had some dinner at Dillon's before going to pick up some wine she ordered.  We then walked back to the Pantages Theatre to see "Wicked" on opening night!


I resisted buying a beautiful t-shirt for $48.00, stared and stared at the merchandise (which included a cool pen that lights up like a flashlight with a silhouette of the logo).  Then I finally broke down and bought "The Grimmerie", a book I had been eyeing since my first Wicked show.  Our seats were on the orchestra level, left center, row Z.


June had seen the show previously once, from the balcony.  She didn't really get the play at that time because she couldn't see the facial expressions.  She had recently read "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire, on which this play was based.

• The first piece didn't really impress me that much because the chorus seemed a little bit off in its intonation, and I was worried that this touring company would not make me as happy as the semi-permanent cast that I had seen in this theatre during its long run.
• The feeling of worry went away, though, as soon as I heard Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda) sing.  She sounded just plain beautiful.  
• Then Mamie Parris (Elphaba) opened her mouth to sing "The Wizard and I" and I was blown away. She has an amazingly strong and wonderful voice!  
• Ms. Clarke also impressed me throughout the show with her comedic skills.  She tossed her hair ("toss toss") with her back bent all the way with her body at almost a 90-degree angle, and it made me giggle every time.  It also made me wonder how she could be so limber and not hurt herself.  She must do yoga.
• I also liked Kyle Dean Massey's (Fiyero) performance.  I didn't really like the one that I saw the last time I saw the show, so I was pleased that Mr. Massey did such a fine job.  He actually made me feel sympathy for his character. 
• The Wizard was played by understudy Kevin McMahon.  I never really like the people that play the Wizard, but since I like Mr. McMahon and still don't really like the Wizard, I guess that I just don't like the role.  
• The flying monkeys still creep me out.  I doubt this will change.  EVER.
• The sets were great, and I didn't see any difference in them from the ones they used when this was the house show in the theatre for 2 years.  
• Every time I see this show, I notice something I'd never seen before.  This time, it was in "Dancing Through Life".  Fiyero's dance moves are the same as those of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz!
• June now understands the show more, and has linked stuff from the book into the show, and loves the show now that she's listened to the CD a lot of times and actually understands the show.

On our way back to June's house, we had a bit of trouble getting home, due to very strong winds that hit So Cal.  It then took me 45 minutes to get home from her house; the drive normally takes me 15 minutes.  The freeway was getting too scary with the wind pushing the cars sideways, so I exited the freeway and had more trouble due to fallen trees on every street I encountered.  When I finally got home and closed my gate, the power went out.  My power was out for 24 hours (I was one of the lucky ones).  Cindy came by to loan me her ice chest (what a good friend!), and then concluded that the wind was my fault, because I took home the tornado from the show.  Sorry about that, folks, especially to those that still don't have power, 6 days later.

Anyway, if you like "Wicked", go see this show.  The leads are fantastic!