The 'Wicked' Phenomenon From a Child's Perspective

I have to admit it was such a pleasure to see so many young people in the audience during last Thursday night's performance of "Wicked" at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre. For without YOUNG people, the future of theater will certainly be in serious trouble.

As I reported in my Feb 21^st column, the number of theatergoers under 18 has risen. Is there any doubt this is in large part to the amazing success of "Wicked"?

I was privileged to interview a few of these young theatergoers to get their reactions and the reasons why they LOVE this show.

All but one of those I interviewed had seen "Wicked" previously. So it was refreshing to find at least ONE youngster seeing his very first Broadway show.  Joshua Schwartz is a 10 year old from Reisterstown, MD and attends 5^th grade at the Krieger-Schechter School. He stated he was very familiar with the music thanks to his sister Thalia who has the CD. They would often listen to it in the car so when he arrived at the Hippodrome he was very familiar, at least, with the music.

He readily admitted since he was close to the stage, he was a little scared at the beginning of the show when the menacing-looking monkeys first appeared, but he emphasized he got used to them. He was quite surprised and impressed how Glinda (Christina DeCicco)  made her initial appearance flying in from her bubble-like vehicle high above the stage.  He was thrilled during "Defying Gravity" when Elphaba (Victoria Matlock) defied gravity. "I didn't expect that", he commented.

He enjoyed seeing the rear of the "Oz" machine to see how it worked. The flying monkeys were certainly a big hit as well. He was very emphatic to state that he enjoyed the actual story. "Now it all fits together, how the tin man, cowardly lion, and the scarecrow came about. Everything now makes sense."

He was shocked at the end and pleased that Elphaba and Fiyero returned at the end.

Josh praised the voices of all the actors. "I was really surprised how they all had great voices". He praised the costumes and even noticed the follow-spot operators high on the sides of the stage. (I'm sure there many ADULT patrons who didn't notice them.) Finally, he said, "I'm enjoying the CD so much more now that I've seen it. It's in my CD right now. I listen to it when I do my homework." I'm sure Josh would love to see it again.

Eleven year old Julie Pettis hails from Silver Spring, MD and attends the Grace Episcopal School in Kensington. She first saw "Wicked" at the Kennedy Center a year ago and really liked it the first time.  Seeing it for the second time made a big difference to her. She stated, "It helps if you know the story and the songs beforehand."  Her favorite song is "Defying Gravity" but she also has the following songs on her IPOD: "The Wizard and I", What is this Feeling", "Dancing Through Life", "Popular", "One Short Day", and "For Good". When I asked her if she would recommend it, she was emphatic about stating, "It has such a good story…you get a whole different view of the Wizard of Oz from the film version where Elphaba is bad…But from "Wicked", you get a chance to see the love between Glinda and Elphaba, why the lion is cowardly, how the scarecrow and the tin man came about."

Julie loves the surprise ending. "You don't expect it". And YES…she wants to see it again!

12 year-old Francesca Fabiani is from Pikesville. She's a 6^th grader at the Bryn Mawr School. Francesca saw "Wicked" for the first time on Broadway yet wanted to see it again. "You notice things the second time around you didn't notice the first time. For example, I don't remember seeing how Fiyero and Elphaba come up from a trap door at the end. I could also see the actors either looking directly at the conductor or looking at the TV sets on the balcony which showed the conductor. I didn't notice that the first time."

She found Glinda in this production more enthusiastic and peppy than the one on Broadway. "I was very happy I could see it a second time. I listen to it a lot, almost every day. I know all the words by heart."

She commented she loved being in the front row. "There's so much going on. I could really see the actor's expressions on their faces. I also loved watching the conductor (Bryan Perri). Fiyero was a lot better. I liked the way he and Elphaba worked together. I liked their chemistry." Francesca's favorite song is "Popular". 

The oldest of the youngsters I interviewed was Michelle Gilbert, 15, from Silver Spring. She's a 10^th grader at the Barrie School. She was quick to point out she was lucky to see the original Broadway cast but added, "This was better than Broadway. I enjoyed it more, I understood it more. The cast was amazing, good singers and actors. The lighting was amazing. I'll definitely get the CD…yes I want to see it for the third time."

Well, there you have it. The future theatergoers of tomorrow and their thoughts about "Wicked". Thanks to the parents of Josh, Julie, Francesca, and Michelle for allowing me to interview their wonderful children. They are all terrific. And, especially kudos to the parents of these theater fans and all parents who instill the love and excitement of live theater in young people.

And for those real die-hard fans, you can take the "Behind the Emerald Curtain" tour, an exclusive behind-the scenes look at "Wicked" run by members of the Broadway cast at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 W. 51st. Street. The Saturday ONLY tour starts at 10 a.m. and lasts 90 minutes and includes a 20-minute film containing special footage from the Broadway and National tours, featuring interviews with the cast and creative team of  "Wicked". Participants visit the an elaborate set model by Eugene Lee and an up-close look at the costumes, as well as some of the actual props and wigs from the show. The tour also includes a question-and-answer portion with current cast members. Tickets are $25 and are available at the merchandise booth at the Gershwin Theatre lobby during regular box office hours. For groups, you may call 212-581-5352.

For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

First photo - Christina DeCicco; Second photo - Victoria Matlock; both by Joan Marcus

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