Today my love of the film has transformed into a passion for the musical theater connection; "Wicked". Now, having made the circuit from Broadway to L.A., Chicago and the touring company, and also running internationally; Wicked has made the rounds and captured the hearts of Wizard of Oz fans around the world. I have circled the US and made it a point to attend the performances every chance I get.
Who could not love the actors and actresses cast in this play. Kristin Chenoweth, Eden Espinoza, and my favorite Fiyero: Kristoffer Cusick are just the tip of the iceberg in phenomenal casting for this amazing show. I can't even begin to mention all of the fabulous actors and actresses bringing joy to the stage across the nation.
(Read below about my Adam Lambert encounter: Fiyero-understudy when Kris was away.)
Theater goers looking to see a sequel to the Wizard of Oz will be surprised to find the pre-quill version instead. Viewing this theatrical version will leave viewers with the thought, "I'll never look at the Wizard of Oz the same. The show begins with the birth of Alphaba (the green wicked witch) and ends conjoined with the plot from the original Wizard of Oz. The play is told through the eyes of the two witches: Glinda and Alphaba. Looking at things in a different way delights the audience with humor, drama, and of course, romance.
This is a one of a kind production that every Wizard of Oz enthusiast must see. My only wish is that this play will some day make it to the big screen where it will live on as its predecessor. If you haven't seen it yet, take the time and catch the show before it leaves the world of stage.
A Brief Encounter With Adam Lambert
Before the instant success of American Idol contestant Adam Lambert, one would find him on the stage of this mega-popular show, Wicked. Adam played the understudy role of Fiyero, and my daughter, Katie and I, happened to see him perform when we traveled to California to see Kris Cusick. Kristoffer had let us know that he would be leaving for a short vacation during the time we were to be in California. We already had tickets to the show on the day he was to leave. With a little planning, we were able to get out to see Kris before he left, and also go see the show with the tickets we had already purchased.
Low and behold, Adam Lambert would be playing the part on the night we went. He also was scheduled to participate in the Universal Studios "Wicked Wednesday" promotion which Katie and her friend went to see. At the time, the girls looked at Adam as a sappy substitute for their real Fiyero, Kristoffer. They did prep the rest of us by saying that Adam had a really good voice. The show started and I anticipated watching it devoid of our Kristoffer. Adam came through with a good performance, but lacked the seasoned experience that we had come to love when Kris performed. As always, we loved to wait at the stage door after a performance and meet as many of the cast members as possible. (This is how we got to know Kristoffer so well.) Adam came out, visited with friends, and made his way through the crowd of well-wishers getting autographs and taking pictures. Even though this was not her beloved Kris, Katie posed for a photo with Adam for her scrapbook collection. Adam was gracious and a natural, talk-to-me kind of guy to all the Wicked fans that evening. I was very happy to have taken the time to say hello and snap a picture or two. The picture here is actually a picture of the picture Katie has in her scrapbook (hence the poor quality) as the original was saved on a computer that recently crashed. I think it very interesting to see Adam with his hair down and looking so different from the way we see him on American Idol. Having seen him perform live on stage, I must say that he has found his niche. The theater gave him great experience for performance and the working of a crowd, but he is so much more "idol" material than musical theater performer. Adam is so talented, and so original. He has found the stage he needs to be on, and I know he will soar in his new-found genre. We wish him well as he takes in all the success of overnight stardom! Check out this picture and video from US Wicked Wednesday: Katie and Adam outside the stage door in L.A.
