Wicked?

[RMC]

So has anyone seen this production? http://www.wickedthemusical.com/

Good, bad, meh?

I want to take my wife to a nice show to get away from the kids for a night.

We have seen, Les Mis(my fave, she liked it), Jesus Christ SuperStars, The Lion King, and tons of less know productions.

Well what does the hive mind say?

[Smoove_B]

Did you read the book? I loved the story, but the Broadway show left me...unimpressed.

I think if I didn't know what the story was, I could have enjoyed it - but they really, really watered it down for the stage and I had a hard time looking past it because I enjoyed the book so much.

I've seen like 3 or 4 other Broadway musicals, and Wicked was definitely my least favorite.

[Skinypupy]

Mrs. Skinypupy really wants to go, but I'm not terribly excited about it. Looks rather 'meh' to me.

[Chesspieceface]

Been playing up the street at the Pantages I think, for quite awhile... My mom saw it when she was in town and loved it. If you are seeing it in Ohio... thats going to be a road production so your mileage may vary."

[MHS]

Kayla has seen it 2 or 3 times and loves it. I enjoyed it when I took her to see it but I like musicals and her enthusiasm was a great big plus for me, so YMMV.

[LawBeefaroni]

I know a few people who have seen it in Chicago. They all liked it.

[morlac]

My wife and friends loved it and the book. She even bought the Soundtrack.

[geezer]

My girlfriend absolutely loves it, and she's pretty big into the whole musical theatre scene. She also highly recommends Avenue Q, though I'm not sure that's a musical...

[Tokek]

I took my GF to see it a few months back and we both loved it. We didn't like the book too much though, but the musical was very good. Musicals depend on the cast though, so YMMV.

My girlfriend absolutely loves it, and she's pretty big into the whole musical theatre scene. She also highly recommends Avenue Q, though I'm not sure that's a musical...

Saw that too, twice, and loved it. Very funny.

[Dramatist]

My wife saw it and loved it. She loves the soundtrack too.

From what I hear it's very technical and showy. More style than substance, although that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[RMC]

Thanks all. I have not read the book, so maybe that will help.

My wife really wants to go, so I think I am getting tickets.

I am going in Cleveland, OH..Can't afford to fly to NY to see it there, at least not with 2 kids.

Thanks again.

I'll give my 2 cents once I have seen it. Of course that will not be until Feb or March.

[coopasonic]

Thanks all. I have not read the book, so maybe that will help.

My wife really wants to go, so I think I am getting tickets.

I am going in Cleveland, OH..Can't afford to fly to NY to see it there, at least not with 2 kids.

Thanks again.

I'll give my 2 cents once I have seen it. Of course that will not be until Feb or March.

Well?

Wife and I saw it in Dallas last night. I really enjoyed it. I have basically no musical theater experience. Hamilton is the only other show I have seen. Based on that experience I created a channel based on Hamilton that really expanded my music experience and exposed me to some of the more popular songs from Wicked (Not that girl, defying gravity, popular) and it was great to see how they all fit into the story.

Did you read the book? I loved the story, but the Broadway show left me...unimpressed.

I think if I didn't know what the story was, I could have enjoyed it - but they really, really watered it down for the stage and I had a hard time looking past it because I enjoyed the book so much.

I've seen like 3 or 4 other Broadway musicals, and Wicked was definitely my least favorite.

...and now I am inspired to read the book, which is exactly what I did after seeing Hamilton.

[Scuzz]

This thread is so freakin old I have never seen it. I have seen Wicked 3 times, once on Broadway, once in San Fransisco and once in Fresno. It is a great musical, for what it is. Probably saw it the first time in 2007 or 2008. It is nothing socially memorable but the music is nice, the production is simple and because we all have a Wizard of Oz thing in our DNA it is relatable.

My daughters have read the book and hated it. They love the musical. the book is apparently a much different animal.

[Baroquen]

I liked the musical (despite not being a huge Schwartz fan) but didn't really enjoy the book (though I was hoping/expecting to like it). I learned the music way before seeing the show, but did eventually watch it when it came through town. My brother (who has the theater degree) insisted on seeing in on Broadway, but I thought the touring staging/sets was fine. Lots of good songs in that show.

[Paingod]

The book is apparently a much different Animal.

FTFY

Yeah. The book is. It's a dark look at the harsh reality under the Yellow Brick Road and the political turmoil around the Emerald City. You come to know the whole painful life of the Witch as it leads up to the Wizard sending Dorothy out to assassinate her.

The play is a glossy romp through the highlights of the book without a lot of the detail. Such is the way with book-to-anything else translation, though.

[Rumpy]

I loved the book and the way Oz was reimagined. At one point, I think a movie was being made based on the play rather than the book, which I feel would rob the story of all its richness. Would much rather see one based on the book.

[coopasonic]

I loved the book and the way Oz was reimagined. At one point, I think a movie was being made based on the play rather than the book, which I feel would rob the story of all its richness. Would much rather see one based on the book.

I saw the movie yesterday. I think it was an excellent adaptation of the show. On the other hand, much like the show it barely resembles the book.

Who would have guessed Ariana Grande is excellent at playing a self-centered, entitled pain in the ass?

[Rumpy]

Heh, see the ironic thing is, I've never seen the stage play, and have no desire to see the movie as a result. I still would like to see a more detailed and realized version of the story that isn't a musical. Maybe as a TV series. I think the popularity of the stage version overtook that of Maguire's book, so we'll likely never see it happen.

[disarm]

Who would have guessed Ariana Grande is excellent at playing a self-centered, entitled pain in the ass?

From anything I've ever seen of Ariana Grande, she actually seems like a pretty nice, surprisingly funny individual who can eat hot wings like a pro. Check out her episode of Hot Ones.

[Daehawk]

She has the cutest little sweet voice and way about her. And she is so skinny. It all adds up to be kinda un nerving. But nice.

[Dramatist]

Saw the movie on Saturday, mainly as a favor to my wife. I thought it was great! I’m not a big musical fan but I do enjoy some of them. This one was quite enjoyable.

The sets were amazing and the costumes were too. I’ve never seen the musical but I’m somewhat familiar with the popular songs from the soundtrack. I don’t usually like longer movies but this one didn’t seem too long.


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[hepcat]

From anything I've ever seen of Ariana Grande, she actually seems like a pretty nice, surprisingly funny individual who can eat hot wings like a pro.

Unless you’re a woman with a man she’s taken a liking to.

[Kraken]

I don’t usually like longer movies but this one didn’t seem too long.

Ha, the main criticism I've read is that this movie runs 15 minutes longer than the entire stage play *including its intermission* and is only Part 1.

FWIW I read the book back when it came out, but don't have any interest in seeing a musical adaptation. Wife would really really like to see it but knows that dragging me to sit through a long musical would not end well.

[Skinypupy]

I was dreading seeing this today when Mrs Skinypupy told me she got tickets. I saw the stage play once and didn’t like it at all, and I’m not crazy about either the general theme or the music. I was fully expecting to catch a couple hour nap in the theater.

To my immense surprise, I ended up really enjoying it. Both leads were fantastic, the visuals and choreography were excellent, and it was simply a very entertaining show. Didn’t feel long to me. Quite the opposite actually, the time really flew by.

Also, I know absolutely nothing about either of the leads. I’d heard Ariana Grande’s name, but that’s it. They were both excellent in their roles.

Two completely unexpected thumbs up from me.

[Victoria Raverna]

I don’t usually like longer movies but this one didn’t seem too long.

Ha, the main criticism I've read is that this movie runs 15 minutes longer than the entire stage play *including its intermission* and is only Part 1.

FWIW I read the book back when it came out, but don't have any interest in seeing a musical adaptation. Wife would really really like to see it but knows that dragging me to sit through a long musical would not end well.

It didn't feel that long when I watched it with my daughter. Now both my daughter and I love musical and she also like to perform on stage singing songs from musical.

I think you should give it a chance and go watch it with your wife.

[disarm]

I've seen the musical twice and really enjoyed the movie. The performances are all great, the visuals are incredible and it's a faithful telling of the stage show. While it may be long, I actually think the pacing is very good. It felt shorter than the actual time to me and never overstayed its welcome.