Front Row "Wicked"

[Act0r721]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 1:40pm

On 9/10, after 5 times of losing, my boyfriend finally won on our 6th time of trying the "Wicked" lottery for the matinee. It was awesome and the weirdest part was that there were not that many people at the lottery, as compared to the normal crowds.
We went over to the theater afterwards and got our tickets, which were Orchestra, Row A, Seat 107 and 108. I sat in 108 and I swear it was dead center. Luckyyyy. It was awesome.





We were so close that we could see every little detail, from the caribiner that holds Glinda to her bubble to the fact that Ana's make up was being sweat off by the end of the show.
The whole show was just amazing and the ensemble was so energetic and into it. It was awesome to see all of their faces and costumes in such detail.
I have seen the touring cast once and this was my second time seeing the sit-down cast. There were no understudies and at first, I was hoping to get Kristy Cates because I have heard good things and I wasn't crazy about Ana the first time I saw her. The performances have improved so much, though. Her "Wizard and I" was tremendous and so many little, funny things have been added. I laughed so much more this performance than I ever have. In "Defying Gravity," the main light ended just a few feet in front of my face and we were in the smoke. It was an amazing angle to see Ana fly at and she really seemed to soar. Her vocals were strong, but I still don't like the way she ends it. To me, that is such a huge part of the show and I still prefer Stephanie J. Block for that ending high note. Other than that, Ana was flawless. I like her so much more now.

After the show, we went to the stagedoor. First, Heidi Kettenring (Nessarose) came out and I got a quick shot with her.



Then, Telly Leung (Boq) came out. When I asked for a picture, he said, "Yeah. You guys were in the front row, right?" I thought that was cool. =)



Next came Adam Fleming (Ensemble). I called his name and I think he was a little surprised. I asked for a picture and told him that I knew "bare" and that I loved it. He asked if I saw it in New York and I said no and told him that I had a bootleg. He smiled and said that he had seen the bootleg and that it wasn't very good and that he wished I could have seen it in New York.



Kristoffer Cusick (Fiyero) came out next. I told him that I had just read his article on chicagopride.com and that I thought it was brave of him. He said, thanks, we took the picture and then he said, "Well, have a good day. Thanks for the thumbs up" and left smiling.



Ana and Kate didn't come out. I met them before at the stagedoor (and ran into them on the street once!), so it was okay, but I still wish they had.

Overall, it was an amazing experience and I am so happy to have finally won the lottery.



Updated On: 9/11/05 at 01:40 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 2:02pm

fun times! congrats

[Act0r721]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 9:34pm

Another thing that I wanted to add as I was listening to the CD in the car today, I have never liked "What Is This Feeling" so much. That number had so much energy and was wonderfully acted by both Kate and Ana. Every little thing they were doing was just hysterical. They definitely made me like that number a lot more than I normally do. The way Ana delivers the blonde line, too was just great.

Other quick things I wanted to add- Ana didn't get entrance applause, which I thought was weird. However, Dr. Dillamound got applause after eating the paper bag. Has anyone else ever heard applause at that point?

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 9:43pm

Glad that you had a good time. That's really cool that you got front row seats from the lottery. I've only seen the touring cast of Wicked and I agree with your comparison of Stephanie and Ana as far as their vocals at the end of Defying Gravity goes. I've heard a few clips of Ana and she has a lovely voice but she wasn't my favorite and she did sound a little weak, but they may have been clips from early on. I'm glad to hear that her voice has gotten stronger though. I don't know much about the Chicago sit down production, but who was playing Glinda and how was she, out of curiosity?

And to answer your question, when I saw the show, when Dillamound eats the paper bag there was general laughter among the audience but no applause other then a few claps from people who tend to clap when they laugh (like me :-P).

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 10:01pm

I love sitting in the front row at a show I've seen before. That way, it makes you appreciate the show even more, knowing how much work and energy gets put into making it look good for the rest of the audience. Plus, I like that you can actually make out the facial expression of the actors, as opposed to the general blur you get from the rear mezz.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 10:08pm

*gasp* im so jealous that you got a picture with adam! :-p And thank God that the lottery has cleared up a little (probably because of school starting). I'm hoping to win next saturday for the matinee (anyone wanna help ?)

[theatrebabe]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 10:16pm

That Telly Leung is cute. Where did he come from?

Glad you had fun.

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 10:17pm

I agree about the front row thing Orangeskittles, that was how it was for me when I saw the tour of Little Shop of Horrors in Costa Mesa a couple weeks ago. I'd seen a full bootleg of the show when it was on Broadway (Kerry and Hunter) and the shot was from a distance so you didn't get facial expressions etc but you got good ideas of the blocking and whatnot. And I ended up getting 2nd row dead center seats for the tour and it was really cool getting to see the actors facial expressions and reactions, as well as seeing all the costumes and sets and props up close. I still maintain that Jonathan Rayson has one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen. He could have never said or sang a word through the whole show and I'd still know exactly what he was feeling during each moment just based off his facial reactions and expressions. But yeah, I'd love to be able to see Wicked from front row, when I saw the tour it was from the 3rd or 4th row in the 1st balcony at the Pantages.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 12:50am

Ohhh the lottery has cleared up!??!?!?!?! you've given me hope :)


and congrats!!! I'm so happy for you!! and you got a pick with Adam!! I've seen him a few times but never had the courage to bother him...I will next time though!!

[MusicalMan2]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 1:23am

I saw Wicked in Chicago too and was on the 10th Row... so pretty good seats. I loved Ana and Kate both. I thought the show was so good. When I saw it Ana did get an Entrace applause and so did Kate when she came out in the bubble. What didn't get an appluse was the flying scene in Defying Grafity. With I saw the Broadway production with Idina Menzel, she got an applause when she went up during Defying Grafity so I started clapping in Chicago during that part and nobody else did. I hope that Ana gets an etrance applause everynight because she deserves it. If anyone sees the show in Chicago please start the entrance applause for Ana and everyone will join in... promise, because I did it and it worked. LOL.

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 1:37am

SO happy for you! I saw the show from row c on the left side of the audience...any further to the left and we'd have missed a lot. Ana got entrance applause when I saw the show, Kate did not. What was great was the applause after "No Good Deed" which I feel Ana knocks out of the ball park more so than anyone else I've heard do it.
At the stage door, Heidi didn't come out and I was kind of sad because I loved her, but Telly and Kristoffer were so sweet.
Side note, the night I went so did Sean Hayes from Will & Grace. They brought him in through a side door right before the show started so he was only about 5 feet away from me. It was the best night ever.:)..and back to you...so glad you had a great time!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:36am

I'm surprised Sean Hayes didn't see it in New York. But he is, after all, from the Chicago suburbs, so it's great that he is supporting Chicago theatre (if in name only, this is still technically a New York production).

[Steve2]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:40am

Thanks for the great review and the nice pictures. I am glad you had a good time and were able to get such fantastic seats!

[AllNite429]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 12:34pm

The only time the flying part of Defying Gravity has gotten an applause is when I saw it twice with Idina. Shoshana, Ana, and Eden didn't get an applause when they went in the air. I saw Wicked in Chicago on 9/3 and maybe Ana was spot on with her vocals that night but her ending to Defying Gravity was absolutely stunning. She really built to it and punched that last note perfectly. I had chills which I haven't gotten since I've seen Idina. I saw Eden in SF on 9/9 and she was amazing also and really got a great applause after DG was over. The only person who hasn't gotten an entrance applause when I have seen Wicked was Shoshana. Idina got a huge roar, Eden received a good one, and Ana got a really loud one too.

[babykitty_00]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 12:43pm

wow good for you! front row is definitely an experience because of all the little details you can actually see. I was lucky enough to win the lottery in NY with Idina and Kristin 6 weeks after it opened. 1st time I had ever sat anywhere even in the orchestra!

glad you enloyed it! great pics too!

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 2:05pm

Great pics! Bare was great. I was lucky enough to see it in May of 2004 in New York!

[Act0r721]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:20pm

Dreamcatcher- Kate Reinders is Glinda and she's a riot. Verrry funny.

StephanietheStar- Best of luck!! =)

[admanrich]

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:48pm

Shoshana still gets flying applause. I guess it must be the Broadway audience.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 12:58am

this thread is so gay...

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 2:51am

Most things Broadway are gay, you should know this by now.

[stage_door76]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 4:18am

to muscle23ftl,

watch your mouth

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 9:12am

I saw the tour and both the understudies for Glinda and Elphaba got entrance applause for at least three of their entrances. No, not applause, SCREAMING. During the show. That's barely acceptable at the curtain call. There might have been a little bit of applause for the sit down cast both times I saw it, if there was they would have deserved it more.