Wicked!!
So, January 9th I spent half a day in NY to see the Broadway production of Wicked. For those who don't know this show, it's based off a novel by Gregory Maguire. In a nutshell, see the subtitle of the novel: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Kind of says it all, doesn't it?
Shall I start by saying that this was a day trip from MD to NY and back? Or should I begin with familial pressure? Sure why not. Those that know my family shouldn't be too surprised by this.
Ok, first of all, my younger sister has been obsessed with this play for the last year, at least. She's a theater major, so it isn't surprising that she's seen a lot of plays, Broadway or otherwise. And this one has certainly seemed to rate above all others. Both the play itself and the two lead actresses. (I think she's always looking for new role models.) Well, the two original lead actresses, anyway. -- I didn't know this. Performers of broadway plays don't always stay through the shows full existence on Broadway. They move on to other things. Makes sense. Same parts almost every day for months? Yeah, I'd say burn-out too.
Though my sister went to see the show as often as possible, (I think she's currently on viewing #19, this is weekends and days around a crazy retail job.) key points in the production (um, last days of performers, mostly) are top on her list. Well, as I said before, the actors/actresses don't stay forever, and there's usually a big dedication at the end to bid them farewell... not to mention the chance for all sorts of highjinx during the show. I think that must be a tradition.
So, anyway, January 9th was the last day for my sister's favorite actress, so naturally she needed to see the performance. It was going to be tough, but some how, not only did my mother manage to get two tickets (My mother's gone with my sister for several of these shows... but I think she was only at performance #5 at this point.) she actually got 4! tibirius and I were top on the list for those other two tickets, but 1. tibirius had to work that weekend (ugh, retail schedule.), 2. I was on a burnout of my own.
Quick cut, in the lj-cut... I'd wound up driving from MD to either NJ or PA for one reason or another every weekend from Thanksgiving on. I'd already planned two days off work after New Years since my sister and I were going to take a day during the week into NYC with plans to see Wicked. We were going to have a sisterly bonding thing. She wanted me to trade weekends, but I'd already had plans for coming up on the Sunday, so I thought I'd keep with it, see the play then and someone else could have my ticket for the following Sunday. Of course, I apparently had the wrong idea... it was made clear to me on Monday that Tuesday's performance wouldn't be until 7pm... get out of the show around 10, back to my mother's around 11 or so... then try to drive back home to be at work inthe morning. A-ah... not happening. Fell through. Back to plan B.
They wanted me to come that weekend. I wasn't going to drive. I feel like such a yuppie.
... I flew in for the day. (On my mother's tab, but still.) Plane from Dulles airport at 10am, into Newark Airport. Hopped Newark's Air-Train (think the Monorails at Disney only with smaller cars) to the train station. Next train to NYC-Penn Station. Then I get to wait about an hour as my mother, sister and sister's friend and fellow actress (Did I mention who got tibirius's ticket? Wow! Yeah, she's a hot and talented blond with quite a mouth... and I don't mean foul or sexy.) drove in and eventually joined me. It's now nearly 12:30. Showtime is 3pm. We still needed to take the subway, too.
Next step is food. There's a restaurant that's half a block from the Gershwin Theater (our goal): Ellen's Stardust Diner. Singing waiters and waitresses. I told my sister she should audition. -- Well, she does want to live and work in NY. -- The food wasn't bad, though overpriced and we must have gotten there perfectly timed with everyone else. Elbow to elbow at these little cramped tables, sometimes waiting for our waitress while is was her turn to perform. Though we did get the big Wicked fan waitress. She wasn't bad, either! But it took a while! So much for getting there early enough to be casually seated... 2:30 we managed to be paid and out the door, across the street and into the hecticness of Wicked fans milling about. Finally, showtime... (See the other half of this LJ cut... or maybe I should save that half for tomorrow. This is getting long!! ^_^;)
Intermission: Mother and sister off for a bathroom break; they're DARING! I get to listen to the friend talking to a couple in the row behind us about the two lead actresses. (Ok, to give away a little of what's in the review, neither of the leadroles are being filled by the original actresses. Of course the role of Glinda had been changed several months before. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, was played by the understudy/replacement due to an injury from the day before... and before you ask, the "replacement" was planned, not because of the injury.)
So big-mouthed friend-lady is yapping away at how the actresses aren't as good as the originals, particularly how the new Glinda doesn't do things the same way the original Glinda did... my sister joined in on this conversation soon after. It irked me. (This is the rant portion of this post. You have been warned.) The actors/tresses are /supposed/ to make the characters theirs and not play them exactly as others do. It's what makes them actors, rather than copycats, right? *grumble* That thought alone almost ruined the rest of the show for me. I hadn't seen any previous performances. I rather liked what I did see.
Although, to give big-mouthed friend-lady some credit, she didn't spend all of the intermission criticizing. She actually had some fun facts about the new Elphaba. She'd seen the actresses two years ago, in a bit part in a far-from-Broadway play, and apparently she saw the girl's potential. IT's nice to see someone with good talent given a chance to really discover it. :)
Jump to after the play. Due to circumstances explained in my review, we got out about half an hour late. It's now past 6pm, and I need to catch my flight back to MD at 8. Gah!! Ok, stress time. Took the subway back to the train station, got my ticket... had about 40 minutes before the next train to the airport would come. *pulling hair* My sister kept calling me (they were on their way home already) to see how my travel was progressing, wondering if I would make it, and ultimately (she told me later) planning to drive me down herself if I missed the flight and couldn't get another. Train to airport/train station -> Airtrain to checkin (luckily I already had my boarding pass). Security check in. Ugh!! But it was right around the corner and there was almost no one there... but a slow-as-anything security lady talking to the woman before me. :P Ok, drop my stuff, off with the coat and shoes. Everything in the bin. Clear through the metal detector. (I was dressed nicely and, for once, had NO pockets at all. I felt naked.) Grabbed my stuff and ran, still in just my socks, down the hallway to the gate. Made it just as they were calling the front half of the seats to file into the plane. Time is 7:40pm. Phew!!
To end the adventure, the flight arrived early, but wound up sitting past the original arrival time because of another plane still sitting at the gate. My ride was already circling as I wound my way past the not needed baggage claim and outside. Hopped the car and home. *thunk*
Of course, typing all that in too far longer than I'd expected, so I'll have to give the review of the play itself tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Ja ne!
aniMeg
PS. Yes the icon references my sister's "big break". Mwahahahahaha!!!
Shall I start by saying that this was a day trip from MD to NY and back? Or should I begin with familial pressure? Sure why not. Those that know my family shouldn't be too surprised by this.
Ok, first of all, my younger sister has been obsessed with this play for the last year, at least. She's a theater major, so it isn't surprising that she's seen a lot of plays, Broadway or otherwise. And this one has certainly seemed to rate above all others. Both the play itself and the two lead actresses. (I think she's always looking for new role models.) Well, the two original lead actresses, anyway. -- I didn't know this. Performers of broadway plays don't always stay through the shows full existence on Broadway. They move on to other things. Makes sense. Same parts almost every day for months? Yeah, I'd say burn-out too.
Though my sister went to see the show as often as possible, (I think she's currently on viewing #19, this is weekends and days around a crazy retail job.) key points in the production (um, last days of performers, mostly) are top on her list. Well, as I said before, the actors/actresses don't stay forever, and there's usually a big dedication at the end to bid them farewell... not to mention the chance for all sorts of highjinx during the show. I think that must be a tradition.
So, anyway, January 9th was the last day for my sister's favorite actress, so naturally she needed to see the performance. It was going to be tough, but some how, not only did my mother manage to get two tickets (My mother's gone with my sister for several of these shows... but I think she was only at performance #5 at this point.) she actually got 4! tibirius and I were top on the list for those other two tickets, but 1. tibirius had to work that weekend (ugh, retail schedule.), 2. I was on a burnout of my own.
Quick cut, in the lj-cut... I'd wound up driving from MD to either NJ or PA for one reason or another every weekend from Thanksgiving on. I'd already planned two days off work after New Years since my sister and I were going to take a day during the week into NYC with plans to see Wicked. We were going to have a sisterly bonding thing. She wanted me to trade weekends, but I'd already had plans for coming up on the Sunday, so I thought I'd keep with it, see the play then and someone else could have my ticket for the following Sunday. Of course, I apparently had the wrong idea... it was made clear to me on Monday that Tuesday's performance wouldn't be until 7pm... get out of the show around 10, back to my mother's around 11 or so... then try to drive back home to be at work inthe morning. A-ah... not happening. Fell through. Back to plan B.
They wanted me to come that weekend. I wasn't going to drive. I feel like such a yuppie.
... I flew in for the day. (On my mother's tab, but still.) Plane from Dulles airport at 10am, into Newark Airport. Hopped Newark's Air-Train (think the Monorails at Disney only with smaller cars) to the train station. Next train to NYC-Penn Station. Then I get to wait about an hour as my mother, sister and sister's friend and fellow actress (Did I mention who got tibirius's ticket? Wow! Yeah, she's a hot and talented blond with quite a mouth... and I don't mean foul or sexy.) drove in and eventually joined me. It's now nearly 12:30. Showtime is 3pm. We still needed to take the subway, too.
Next step is food. There's a restaurant that's half a block from the Gershwin Theater (our goal): Ellen's Stardust Diner. Singing waiters and waitresses. I told my sister she should audition. -- Well, she does want to live and work in NY. -- The food wasn't bad, though overpriced and we must have gotten there perfectly timed with everyone else. Elbow to elbow at these little cramped tables, sometimes waiting for our waitress while is was her turn to perform. Though we did get the big Wicked fan waitress. She wasn't bad, either! But it took a while! So much for getting there early enough to be casually seated... 2:30 we managed to be paid and out the door, across the street and into the hecticness of Wicked fans milling about. Finally, showtime... (See the other half of this LJ cut... or maybe I should save that half for tomorrow. This is getting long!! ^_^;)
Intermission: Mother and sister off for a bathroom break; they're DARING! I get to listen to the friend talking to a couple in the row behind us about the two lead actresses. (Ok, to give away a little of what's in the review, neither of the leadroles are being filled by the original actresses. Of course the role of Glinda had been changed several months before. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, was played by the understudy/replacement due to an injury from the day before... and before you ask, the "replacement" was planned, not because of the injury.)
So big-mouthed friend-lady is yapping away at how the actresses aren't as good as the originals, particularly how the new Glinda doesn't do things the same way the original Glinda did... my sister joined in on this conversation soon after. It irked me. (This is the rant portion of this post. You have been warned.) The actors/tresses are /supposed/ to make the characters theirs and not play them exactly as others do. It's what makes them actors, rather than copycats, right? *grumble* That thought alone almost ruined the rest of the show for me. I hadn't seen any previous performances. I rather liked what I did see.
Although, to give big-mouthed friend-lady some credit, she didn't spend all of the intermission criticizing. She actually had some fun facts about the new Elphaba. She'd seen the actresses two years ago, in a bit part in a far-from-Broadway play, and apparently she saw the girl's potential. IT's nice to see someone with good talent given a chance to really discover it. :)
Jump to after the play. Due to circumstances explained in my review, we got out about half an hour late. It's now past 6pm, and I need to catch my flight back to MD at 8. Gah!! Ok, stress time. Took the subway back to the train station, got my ticket... had about 40 minutes before the next train to the airport would come. *pulling hair* My sister kept calling me (they were on their way home already) to see how my travel was progressing, wondering if I would make it, and ultimately (she told me later) planning to drive me down herself if I missed the flight and couldn't get another. Train to airport/train station -> Airtrain to checkin (luckily I already had my boarding pass). Security check in. Ugh!! But it was right around the corner and there was almost no one there... but a slow-as-anything security lady talking to the woman before me. :P Ok, drop my stuff, off with the coat and shoes. Everything in the bin. Clear through the metal detector. (I was dressed nicely and, for once, had NO pockets at all. I felt naked.) Grabbed my stuff and ran, still in just my socks, down the hallway to the gate. Made it just as they were calling the front half of the seats to file into the plane. Time is 7:40pm. Phew!!
To end the adventure, the flight arrived early, but wound up sitting past the original arrival time because of another plane still sitting at the gate. My ride was already circling as I wound my way past the not needed baggage claim and outside. Hopped the car and home. *thunk*
Of course, typing all that in too far longer than I'd expected, so I'll have to give the review of the play itself tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Ja ne!
aniMeg
PS. Yes the icon references my sister's "big break". Mwahahahahaha!!!