MUSICALS

I wouldn’t particularly consider myself to be a theater geek (as we referred to them in junior high), but I have to say I love going to see plays, and MUSICALS I think are FABULOUS!

This week, My sister Tracee and I went to see the Tony Award winning play, WICKED at the Pantages theatre. If you haven’t seen this play, you have to get out and see it ASAP. It is truly spectacular… the music, the costumes, set design, the story. FABULOUS!

I listened to the book on tape (WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire) on one of my long road trips to Colorado (Peanut and I hit the open road to Aspen a couple times a year to hit the slopes and visit friends). I listened to all 24 hours of the book while winding down the 70 Freeway through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and finally Colorado. Though I enjoyed the story, nothing compares to seeing it recreated on the stage with music and dancing. The super, long book was consolidated (totally re-written) into only the most important and most entertaining parts of the story (which is fantastic, because I thought the book kinda dragged on).

The MUSICAL is a re-imagining of what happened before the classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (before Dorothy’s house landed splat on the Wicked Witch of the East). The story is told from the point of view of the witches of OZ starting from the birth of a green girl (the Wicked Witch of the West, here known as Elphaba Thropp), to the friendship struggles with Galinda Upland (who becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the North) and of course, Elphaba's eventual fall from grace (turning wicked). The story ends upon Dorothy’s arrival in town.

The performers (many from the original production on Broadway) are amazingly talented singers (I wish I could project like that and learn to sing from my diaphragm instead of my throat). My favorite song was “Popular” sang by Glenda. Hysterical! (Seriously, you must go see this play!!)

My favorite MUSICAL of all time is AVENUE Q. AVENUE Q is a Tony award-winning musical puppet show largely inspired by Sesame Street. The puppets however, use profanity and face adult problems instead pre-schooler’s problems. Many of the characters are based on actual Muppet characters: for example, the gay roommates Rod and Nicky are parodies of Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie (So wrong, yet so funny ;).

The puppeteers actually stand right on stage, but the story is so hysterical that you totally forget they are even standing there. The songs are touching and so funny (Some of my favorites: The Internet Is For Porn and Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist) and often focus on the theme of finding one’s purpose in life (a recurring theme in my own life too). Two puppets even have a sex scene where they sing, “You can be as loud as the hell you want when you’re making love!” This puppet show is NOT for kids, but is truly one of the most FABULOUS musicals ever made (bold statement? I think NOT!!)

The first MUSICAL I remember seeing and my second all time favorite is STARLIGHT EXPRESS (A rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber). I saw it at least 4 times (in London and on Broadway). The play starts as a little boy dreams that his toy trains come to life and are preparing for a race with engines from all over the world competing.

The performers represent different trains (Grease ball, an arrogant diesel locomotive, his girlfriend Dinah the dining car, Electra a state-of-the-art electric locomotive and our main characters Rusty, an old fashioned steam engine who dreams of winning the race and his love interest Pearl, the brand new observation car). The story is "a Cinderella story" of sorts in which Rusty is our Cinderella, Grease ball and Electra, the evil stepsisters and Pearl the Prince (Princess) Charming.

The trains (performers) cruise on roller skates around the elaborate stage of ramps that loop over and around the theatre (at the age of twelve after seeing this play for the 3rd time, I took up roller skating in circles around my tennis court at mach speeds). Flying around the stage, the actors sing the greatest and funniest songs. So great! I have many of the songs on my ipod (My favorite is Dinah the dining car's anthem).

Cats is always pretty FABULOUS too. Way more of a serious story, but amazingly, cool costumes and beautiful songs. Love it.

I personally am not a huge fan of the deep and serious MUSICALS such as Les Miserable and Phantom of the Opera, BUT I am always truly impressed by the singing and think it is worth seeing them at least once (if you have the opportunity).

Although I don’t go to the theater often (I wish I could go more)… I think plays are cool and Musicals are FABULOUS!