Festivate & Rejoicify

A client/girlfriend took me to see Wicked last night. Given that I usually loathe musicals, I had zero desire to go but we ended up having such a great time!

Not only does it make the back story to the Wizard of Oz somehow interesting and compelling (how the witches became friends in school, how the Wicked Witch of the West became "bad," etc.) it's done in an eccentric and, at times, fairly hilarious fashion. Glinda, the good witch, really embodies the vacuous, over-the-top blond popular girl (a la Alicia Silverstone in Clueless) trying to make over her green friend who is, in actuality, very sweet.

The most amazing part for me, however, was the crowd's reaction. I felt like I was at a Beatles concert. I have never heard so many people go wild -- especially during a musical. What the . . . ?

The only things that would get me to go absolutely bananas like that might be winning the lottery or perhaps running into Wham! after a long day of drinking margaritas with my girlfriends.

Mr. Mistoffe-Lays

A coworker of mine was bemoaning the fact that his beautiful and talented girlfriend is appearing in a musical right now. He feels that, akin to drinking and driving, regardless of how gifted she is in both areas, one should never mix acting and singing. This combination creates, in his opinion, the “lowest form of art” which is “lower than pantomime.”

Years ago, my much beloved uncle Ed came in to NYC from CA and treated my cousin, my hubby and me to a world-class meal at the Four Seasons followed by an evening at the now-defunct Broadway musical Cats.

Say what you want about musicals in general, or even Cats in particular, we had a really unusual night. Why? Because the heavyset, middle-aged man seated directly behind me, who was flanked by two adoring women, sang along to every song. Yes, aloud. And his date(s) didn’t even seem to mind! One actually complimented him during intermission; she was amazed that he knew all of the lyrics. He shared with her (and me because I was eavesdropping) how a) he had seen the musical a million times and b) what made it so easy was that the lyrics were about cats. And who doesn’t love singing about cats?

Not to be outdone, during the climax of the big hit “Memory” at the close of the show, the man across the aisle from us opened a big bag of potato chips and began chomping away.

Apparently he shared Nathan’s views on this mode of artistic expression.

When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin . . .