Wicked Saved Broadway!!! So did many musicals before Wicked! Cake!

[Jera]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:43pm

Ok, I realize this is a touchy subject, so I decided to have an extremely controversial title. Alot of people on these boards are Wicked Haters. Others are Wicked lovers. Whatever you feel about the show itself, I think that it is undeniable that it has introduced Broadway musicals to thousands of teenagers in America (and Canada, I might add). Yes, I know that these young pre-pubescent Wicked-ites can be a little scary at times, but they are taking an interest in Broadway, which (we can hope) will lead them to other shows. Without wonderful, happy,and catchy shows like Wicked, Broadway may be doomed for failure. So let's embrace the Wicked-ites amoung us, and not scare them away with snobby and downright mean comments!

Who's with me? Who isn't? Who would like to be eating cake? I know I like cake! So, If you like cake, and you like Broadway, JUST SAY NO TO WICKED-ITE DESCRIMINATION!

jera

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 06:43 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:46pm

Really? Do you have exact figures as to how many teenagers were introduced to Broadway by this show? You have no way of proving this. Yes, it generated a large interest...but just as many teenagers became obsessed with Les Miz and Aida and Rent which were all hot tickets in their day. I am truly sorry...but of all shows that saved Broadway..."Wicked" isn't one of them. In time, just as all other hits, "Wicked's" ticket sales will fall and it will close. It definitely doesn't have the substance to become one of Broadway's longest running musicals, that's for sure.

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 06:46 PM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:47pm

I agree that is it PART of a reinvigoration of Broadway musicals, but it's not the only thing that "saved Broadway." Lots of shows have become huge hits in the mid-90's like RENT, Chicago and Cabaret that all helped lead up to the recent bang in new musicals. The Producers and Hairspray also really helped, and last season with both Wicked and Avenue Q being such big hits. It just shows that we'll hopefully be coming into a new golden age of Broadway! I'm such an optimist...

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 06:47 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:49pm

Saved Broadway? The way Rent "saved Broadway" 10 years ago? If these teenagers actually develop an interest in musicals beyond that one show, good for them. But in all too many cases, I don't see that happening. Oh, maybe they'll take a look at Brooklyn because of Espinosa's presence, but beyond that? Forget it. Excuse my skepticism, but I really think the title of this thread is a massive exaggeration.

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:49pm

Depends on how you define "saved..."

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:50pm

Broadway would survive with or without WICKED. Introduce Broadway to tons of young girls? Sure! But what is it worth if the only shows they see are WICKED and BROOKLYN? What about other good shows, such as FIDDLER ON THE ROOF? DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS? LA CAGE AUX FOLLES?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:52pm

*sigh* I'm tired of these threads, but I'll bite.

Wicked is not the thing that saved Broadway. I'd say Disney did more to invited younger patrons to the theatre more than Wicked, and before that there was Rent, and before that there was even Cats. I'm not saying Wicked hasn't help, but it's not THE reason more teenagers are comming to the theatre.

[Jera]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:52pm

My title was too attract attention. I realize that Wicked alone hasn't saved broadway, but it is the popular shows that accually make money that are keeping Broadway alive.

The purpose of this post was twofold
1. To get people to stop being mean to the teenagers who like Wicked, because they will be the next generation of theatre-goers,

and
2. To demonstrate my like of cake in all forms.

Enjoy and discuss,
jera

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:54pm

As a WICKED Head... I feel it brought familes back to the theater but so did Beauty and The Beast but Wicked has the impact that many thought it wouldnt and now that it has all these teenagers like me in love with it... It has power which scares older Broadway patrons who think that people like Sondheim and all were and still are amazing but what have they done recently... Broadway is becoming more commerical and more profitable thanks to stunt casting and more and more companies getting involed... Broadway is changing and WICKED is just a small part but I agree that Wicked somewhat helped Bway out of a slump.

[Jera]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:54pm

Man, I love a good debate.

jera

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:57pm

"It has power which scares older Broadway patrons who think that people like Sondheim and all were and still are amazing but what have they done recently..."

Are you serious? Please NEVER compare the genious of Sondheim to WICKED. Sondheim is a legend.

[Juliet2170]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:57pm

oh jera...cake is the most wonderful thing! i have to head around the corner to Venieros now. i think teenagers go to these big hits for catchy tunes, disney, hot guys, and what they think is "keepin it real" these days. i think maybe the future theatre-goers are composed of mostly people who have more mature taste after they've been there and done that and got enough money to go see the shows.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:58pm

"1. To get people to stop being mean to the teenagers who like Wicked, because they will be the next generation of theatre-goers,"

I have to disagree. People are "being mean" to the people who like Wicked a lot because of the thousands (and I'm not exaggerating)) of posts they produce about the same thing over and over again. The obsessiveness just gets too much. Last summer was when it got really bad that even I started loathing (pun not intended) wicked. Even the word "Wicked" made me want to puke.

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 06:58 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:59pm

Well, Jera, if those were your goals, you failed.

Like I said, it would survive with or without it. Almost ANY show that opens on Broadway 'helps' it. SPAMALOT is sold out through the Summer. This show has certainly helped Broadway 'stay alive.'

WICKED helped because it's a show that opened on Broadway. More popular than others? Sure. But it didn't reinvent theatre - the way SHOW BOAT and OKLAHOMA did. It's just another 'popular' musical. The fad will end when the next spectacle opens...

Posted: 4/11/05 at 6:59pm

Its proven that Bway audiences are usually Women over 40.


I think Fonatic is gonna kill me...

So maybe I should just--- STAY OUT of here!

[stylinbohemian]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:00pm

Wicked has drawn a whole new generation to broadway and on that not i hafta say i think its an ozome musical totally brought me back to musical theater after years of debating wether or not to return to it

[Plum]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:00pm

So this is basically another permutation of the backlash against the backlash? *yawn* That got old months ago, people.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:00pm

Wicked... head? That's a term now?

I think this is ridiculous. Yes, it's a show that probably has introduced many a teenybopper to theatre, but then again, young Wicked fans may just stubbornly and ignorantly sit around and say Wicked is the best thing ever and never see another piece of theatre again in their lives. It's a stupid, precocious assumption to make the way you did without having numbers or something you're not going to get to back it up. You're making far too many blanket statements, and quite frankly, even though the things about money may be very true, it's ridiculous. Wicked alone hasn't saved Broadway, it hasn't saved or revitalized theatre, and given that it's only two years old, probably hasn't had as big an impact as you think or wish it has.

At least with a show like RENT, for which this is also assumed to be true (though it may be slightly more accurate given that RENT has more substance, real-life value) you're dealing with something that has the merit to warrant lasting as long as it has, winning the awards that it did, and that has impacted people and theatre for a reason, not just pretty sets and a green girl.

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 07:00 PM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:01pm

Yes, Broadway would survive, but I think we all need to realize how popular that stupid little show is. It's poorly written and has lots of problems, but it's selling out every single show and is bringing more and more people to Broadway. You have to at least give it some credit.

[justme2]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:01pm

BW...(Before Wicked)

There was Rent
There was Footloose

There is always a show out there to drag in "the teenagers".

Wicked is not as all powerful as you seem to think. There was...gasp!!...life in Times Square before Wicked and will be after Wicked.

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:02pm

Can I just say--- ITS JUST A SHOW! THIS IS JUST ENTERTAINMENT... ITS NOT LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD REVOLES AROUND SUCH THINGS... ONE SHOW IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER... ANOTHER ACTOR/ACTRESS IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER---


HERE'S A LIFE LESSON KIDDIES-

PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THAN YOU AND THINGS WILL BE BETTER THAN OTHER THINGS

[Jera]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:05pm

oooh... such anger and hostility. Even uttering the title gets you guys steamed..... Wicked! Haha.... Wicked!

I'm new to the board, so maybe I too will become sick of the "thousands" of Wicked posts. But to each their own, I guess.

I think everyone should relax, and continue to say your opinions, because I love to hear from everyone. Freedom of speech, baby.

jera

Updated On: 4/11/05 at 07:05 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:05pm

We're not debating if WICKED is a good show or not. We're debating if it "saved" Broadway.

Personally, I enjoy WICKED, but it's not the best piece of theatre I have ever seen. It's better than SOME shows I have seen, but it's also WORSE than some shows I have seen.

I predict it'll start dying off in a few years. When THE LITTLE MERMAID makes it to Broadway.

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:09pm

Also- How many kids do you know who love Bway...


I love WICKED but I love other shows too- RENT is amazing, INTO THE WOODS rocks... DAMN YANKEES is cool... BYE BYE BIRDIE is wonderful...

I like other things besides Wicked.

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/11/05 at 7:12pm

Many people who were introduced to broadway because of Wicked seem to think that Wicked, Chicago, Phantom and Rent are the only shows in existence. They drive me up the wall. I'm the only person I know in 'real life' who has heard of Sondheim, and I'm in drama club.