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| Summer & Chad outside of the Majestic Theatre |
What shows did you see on Broadway?
I saw two shows on Broadway, Wicked on September 13th at 7pm,
and Phantom of the Opera on the 14th, at 8pm.
What stood out to you most about the theatre
when you got there?
I loved the Gershwin Theater
that Wicked was in! It had an escalator to make it easy for everyone to get to
the second floor and had pictures of stars that had played there along the wall
(that was nice to look at while waiting for the bathroom).
They also had winning
dresses on display from “Project Runway” that Elphie and Galinda wore which I
particularly enjoyed
The theater Phantom
was in, the Majestic, I was less impressed with. It felt kind of old and
outdated, and with only four doors to get in the entrance, it made the wait
outside over 15 minutes long, while we just walked into the theater for Wicked.
Did you enjoy the show? Was there a technical
or a musical/orchestral aspect of the show that stood out?
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| Chad & Summer in the Audience for Wicked 9/13/15 |
I was super impressed with Wicked! First time seeing it and I
thought it lived up to the hype and then some!! The music takes you to another
place, and I thought the ensemble was just as talented as the leads. I was
particularly impressed with the Elphaba and how you could tell she started singing
with some restraint in her first few songs and then built it up and let it all
out in act 2.
Again, Phantom was a
bit of a letdown. I thought while the orchestra was good, the actors were less
than. During the title song, 'Phantom of the Opera,' they use different actors
who look like Christine and the Phantom, but you can see them waiting in the
wings. The illusion is completely lost. On top of that, you can clearly see
they are lip syncing and that takes you out of the fantasy.
They also had
technical problems with their hearing impaired system. There were translating
ear phones available but they worked very poorly, and multiple people had them
on. So almost the entire show you heard muffling which sounded like someone had
left a microphone on back stage.
Were there any stand-out performances from
particular performers? Did you recognize any of the performers from the program
or once you saw them on the stage?
I didn't recognize any performer in either of the two shows,
although Elphie and Fieryo were definite standouts! I thought they had great chemistry and voices were fabulous. Really brought me into their world!
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| Playbill shot - Phantom of the Opera 9/14/15 |
I was very
disappointed in the Phantom of the Opera cast, especially the leads, Christine
and the Phantom. Maybe I’ve seen the show too many times, or had higher
expectations after seeing Wicked, but they just weren't good. Zero chemistry
between the two and it felt very rehearsed. The Phantom while having a great
voice, he portrayed himself almost as if he was making fun of the Phantom and
not embracing his character. Christine was just plain awful. She didn't hit all
her notes and I swear I saw her looking down to see her blocking strips. Later,
I read in the program that she was only Christine on Mondays, and while I was
glad she wasn't the regular, I was disappointed to see someone who couldn't
carry the role. Hard to believe Broadway couldn't find someone stronger to play
the part.
Were you familiar with the show before seeing
it performed? Was there a song, or a ‘moment’ that you were particularly
looking forward to?
I had never seen Wicked,
and really only knew some of the music (because of how insanely popular the
show is), and the basic story of how the good witch became good and the bad
witch became bad. I know I was going to hear "Popular' and 'Defying Gravity'
and they didn't disappoint!
I was looking forward to
“Masquerade” in Phantom, and while it was still my favorite part of the show,
it was lackluster. I hate that they used fake statues to give the illusion of
having more performers on the staircase. A Broadway show should never look low
budget and it was very disappointing (I feel like I’m using that word a lot)
Were there any big surprises in the show for
you?
I was totally shocked when Elphaba wasn't really bad at all, and
loved that she didn't really die at the end and got to have her *spoiler alert*
Scarecrow. The origin of the Scarecrow, the Tin man, and the Cowardly lion was
another great surprise! I often felt swept away during the performance and
forgot where I was a few times! The whole show really just made me feel good!
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| The Audience and Opening backdrop of 'Oz' Wicked 9/13/15 |
How would you describe this show to a friend
of yours who had never heard of it?
I would describe Wicked
as a marvelous feel good prequel to The Wizard of Oz with some wonderful music
and delightful twists
I would describe Phantom
of the Opera as a musical about a phantom who haunts an opera house and has the
hots for his muse. She is in love with a guy she met ten years ago who is now a
count and she loves him after seeing him one time.
Anything else you’d like to mention about the
show, or your experience?
Overall Wicked was
wonderful and Phantom disappointing. Phantom has been a favorite of mine since
I was a little girl, but it did not live up to my standards and I have seen
much better productions of it in Sacramento and San Francisco. Wicked was
beyond amazing! I immediately bought the soundtrack when I got home and can't
stop listening to it in my car. Would see it again in a heartbeat!
I'm glad Summer had such a wonderful trip to NYC. Hopefully more of you will want to share your experiences on the Great White Way!
