Happy 9th Birthday, WICKED!!!

[Quiche2]

Today marks the 9th anniversary of the opening of one of my top 5 favorite musicals of all time. And to think 9 years ago critics didn't like it very much, and they didn't think it would do well, but almost a decade later it is in the top 3 grossing every week. So sad they can't perform today,they probably would've had a speech at the end of the show. They'll probably do one tomorrow though. If anyone goes let me know!

[anmiller07]

Do shows normally make a speech for random anniversaries? I am sure they are planning something spectacular for next year...

[lupone76]

Quiche, what are the other 4 shows included in your top 5? I'm curious to know. While, I see Wicked as a serviceable, commmercial sized hit. I would personally keep it far from my top 5 category. Theatergoing is quite objective though. As,an aside I do like the show and just saw it for the 4th time this past Saturday. Well, because my friend's 13 yo daughter wanted to see it for her birthday. Also, yes I'm sure Wicked will have quite the celebration next year for it's milestone 10th anniversary.

[broadwayjules]

Dear God, it's only been 9 years?! =/

[wicked4l]

I was at the 8th anniversary performance last year, Stephen Schwartz led a new choral arrangement of "Defying Gravity" with past and current cast members. It was wonderful to be there. Wicked was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, and is surely in my top 5 favorites. Here's to another 9 years!

[fingerlakessinger]

Does it matter what his other top five shows are? I find WICKED to be one of the best shows in history, cuz to me, it has a great score and a great book. I also think "Company" "Into the Woods" "Show Boat" "Passion" "Sweeney Todd" are some of the best. People can have different tastes you know that right?

[anmiller07]

Dear God, it's only been 9 years?! =/

I feel like the past 9 years has flown by!!

[SNAFU]

I think it is wonderful that WICKED has lasted this long and is still going strong. WICKED is responsible for getting many young people into musical theatre and that, wether you like or hate the show is a good thing!

[Justin D]

I can't believe it's been 9 years either. Seems like just the other day it opened (to me anyways)

[Quiche2]

Quiche, what are the other 4 shows included in your top 5? I'm curious to know.


I don't really have a list of favorites, but I know it's up there. Some of my other favorites are INTO THE WOODS, BOOK OF MORMON, and 9 TO 5, just to name a few.

[beautywickedlover]

Happy 9th birthday to a long-running and well-written show. :)

[EricMontreal22]

I like it well enough, so congrats. Yes, the cirtics were overall lukewarm to it, but was it really not expected to do well? I always got the impression once previews started on Broadway, people thought it would be a hit, regardless of critics. Maybe not this big of one, but...

[Jay Lerner-Z]

My first ever Broadway show, back in early 2004. Kristin was out, but I still loved it. I really couldn't give a crap about its anniversary though, as I doubt the OP does either.

[fingerlakessinger]

^I believe in one of the documentaries there was a round table discussion with some of NY's Theater critics and one of them said "Mark my words, Wicked will be gone by Christmas" or something along those lines. I don't recall which documentary or critic but it was said. So some critics didn't think it would last. The general thoughts from the theatrical community though I think was it was going to be a massive hit. The out of town try outs, while still sloppy in some areas, showed that there was something special about it.

[Quiche2]

Eric, if I remember correctly, the public response was overwhelming, but critics didn't think more than a 1.5 - 2 year run at most.

[wickedfan]

Saw the original cast about a week before it opened on Broadway. Everything about that night was wonderful and the audience was so enraptured and responded so enthusiastically that it was clear that this was a show that was going to be around for a while. The reviews didn't faze me. It was clear that Wicked was going to be a big fat hit.

Wicked was never a fantastic show in either its material or design, but for some reason, with that cast, everything gelled exceptionally well. I wish I could say that what made that original company so special has been kept intact. As it stands, it's merely a faded copy of what once was. Occasionally there's a bit of exciting casting (more often with Elphaba's or Boq's than anyone else), but as it stands, it's now just a popular title with whatever flavors of the month are playing the leads.

Still, Happy 9 years.

[fingerlakessinger]

^ I do agree with you on that one. Recently it seems like the leading girls are going for the comedy and laughs in the book and the fancy riffs in the score and not digging deep enough into the material. I think the material is pretty damn strong, and a lot of Elphaba's have been able to make her a dark, tortured soul (I still think "No Good Deed" is an incredible song that portrays one's decent into a mental breakdown) but with the more recent casts, that whole side of the story is gone. I still love the show and see it whenever I can, but I wish the producers would reign in on some of the casts and make it the show it once was.

[bwayphreak234]

I find Wicked to be a pretty entertaining show. I have seen it on numerous occasions (the tour played the theatre I work at for an entire month!). It never has been, and never will be, my favorite show. I think it is ridiculously overhyped. The book and score are passable, but I feel a much stronger show could have been conceived if the creative team stayed more true to the original Maguire novel (which I find to be brilliant).
When the cast is strong, and the chemistry is there, the show really can take flight. Mamie Parris worked wonders with Elphaba's character, and her performance is one I will never forget. She truly became the Wicked Witch of the West over the course of the show in a way I have seen no other actress do. As of late though, it seems like the show is being performed a teenage romantic dramedy which makes the show almost nauseating to watch. Popular has become a nasally bubble gum sugar crazed mess. I have NEVER liked that song to begin with and I don't know how it was not cut in San Francisco before coming to Broadway, but the song has gotten even harder to watch as the show has aged.
Okay, I digress. But anyways, good for Wicked for a great 9 years and entertaining a lot of people!

[perfectlymarvelous]

fingerlakessinger, I haven't seen anywhere even close to every Elphaba there's been, but I thought Mandy Gonzalez did a magnificent job of finding the darkness in the material (of which I think there is some, but compared to the book it's like a Disney film).

[fingerlakessinger]

Oh don't get me wrong. I fully agree there have been Elphaba's in recent times that have been superb in bringing the darkness to the role. As phreak said, Mamie Parris, Mandy, and Nicole are some of my favorites. I'm not saying the other girls are "bad" just not what I would want in Elphaba.