Opinions on Wicked...

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:46pm

Do you think that Wicked is turning into a "cult" broadway show? I mean I saw it last week, and when Eden did her defying gravity thing, everyone went WILD. I think that people are becoming too obsessed over wicked, and not enjoying everything else Broadway has to offer. I love Wicked, and it's a great show, but does anyone else think that Wicked has become a bit overrated?

[Shoshana's Future Ex]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:47pm

I luv wicked.I think people pay attention to every aspect the show has to offer!Including the actors and actresses!
Updated On: 3/19/06 at 02:47 PM

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:50pm

"Turning into"? "Becoming"?

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:51pm

well I'm terribly sorry about my poor choice of words

[WiiCKED x3]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:52pm

i know that thats true about me. ive been over the top obsessed with wicked but i just went to see drs and i found out what ive been missing out on. now i just love all of the broadway shows

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:53pm

You're a little late on your observations, buddy.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 2:54pm

Well, I was trying not to offend any children who might be reading, so I approached the topic as gently as I could.
Updated On: 3/19/06 at 02:54 PM

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:02pm

Sorry this is off topic:

Shoshana use the space bar after every sentence!

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:04pm

I agree. I read his fake press release.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:09pm

My opinion (correct me if I am wrong, I know you will) --- Wicked is NOT a 'cult' hit. It is a blockbuster.

"Cult" shows are generally un-successful and short lived.

Carrie, Side Show, Dance of the Vampires, Brooklyn, and the like are cult shows.

Updated On: 3/19/06 at 03:09 PM

[children&art]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:11pm

no, it's not becoming a "cult" musical. in my mind a cult musical is one that in it's original form wasnt too popular, but had a loyal, small fanbase that kept the idea of it alive long after it closed.

examples:
rocky horror
side show
redhead (my "cult" musical)


here's a definition from burstingwithsong.com, a broadway glossary:
Cult Musical: Ethan Mordden, in Open a New Window, defines a cult musical as a flop musical, the recording of which "a small number of hardcore aficionados continue to play."

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:13pm

I luv wicked.I think people pay attention to every aspect the show has to offer!Including the actors and actresses!

Are you around 12? I'm just curious.

Wicked is my favorite show but at no time did I think or say that it is the best thing on Broadway. Wicked was what go me into Broadway but now looking back after seeing forty other shows, Wicked's score is mediocre, the book poor, and the acting passable. Your enlightenment will come eventually. Mine came after a year and a half!

[mad4music]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:14pm

Quite aware at the flaming arrows that will inevitably be thrown at me after this comment...

I think Wicked deserves every bit of attention it gets. If wasn't so amazing it wouldn't be doing so well. If another show can reach that kind of success then so be it. Why should we shun the outrageous success of such an awesome production??? WICKED has brought more people into the world of Broadway than I have ever seen another show even compare with. It gets amazing attention becuase it is an amazing show!!! What is it hurting anyone if fans are obsessing and fleeing to enjoy such a fine piece of theatre? Granted, there are a great number of shows out there that deserve attention too, but who are we to be offended by the success of one particular production? Honestly, "What a shame to have people getting interested in Broadway! What a shame to have people fleeing to NYC to invest in the theatre! How dare we allow such a thing to occur!" Call me crazy, but sounds a bit pathetic to me!

In other words... enjoy what YOU want... and let others enjoy what THEY want.. and as for all this anger and freaking out about Wicked fans... JUST LET IT GO!!! and GET OVER IT!!!

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:26pm

My opinion is that when I first got the Cast recording for Wicked, I thouht that it was one of the greatest things to come since Phantom, the show that got me into Broadway. Then I finally saw the show, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't one of my favorites. You see, before I invested myself into Wicked, I was already into Sondheim, Webber, etc. and after I saw Wicked, my love for the show increased, as well as my love for other composers. You see, the fans that are teenagers are just getting into theatre, an activity that isn't usually very high-profile amongst teenagers. However, they see this show and are like, "Woah, that was the best thing in a while!" and encourage all of their friends to see it, and once their friensds see it, they agree that it's the best show, and by help of the actors into, whom they are becoming fans of, will hopefully expose them to new shows. (Idina in RENT and SWIWS, Norbert in DRS and L5Y, etc.) Therefore, they will start to become more exposed to a dying artform that is being revived by this show, and a new generation that is into it.

So while not everybody will like Wicked, others will, and will hopefully revive a dying and spectacular artform.

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:36pm

personally, i feel like if Wicked is drawing the younger audiences to experience a broadway show then thats a good thing. the music is quite exciting and SOME of the writing is fun..do i think its the most brilliant show to ever hit the stage? absolutely not. i think it has been beneficial in exposing the younger people to theater and hopefully when Wicked is done and it will be some time...these kids who fell in love with theater because of Wicked..will be curious about what else is out there and be interested in the new (and old) stuff too.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:40pm

"If it wasn't so amazing it wouldn't be doing so well."

Yes, because how well a show is selling is SUCH a good indicator of how good the material is - we all know how tourists really like to research their shows before coming to New York to see the best one possible - that's why BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and MAMMA MIA are still running, right? Right.

[greeneyed_one]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:42pm

I think Wicked's music is too good for the show. I listened to the OBCR for about a year before I finally saw the touring company. Obviously the show has it's silly numbers (Popular, Dancing Through Life, etc) but as I listened I would always picture a slightly more serious undertone, especially in the second act. It seemed to me like the show tried to be funny up until, pretty much, "For Good" when we were expected to be in a very serious place. This might have just been te interpretation of the touring cast but I was somewhat disappointed with the show. In short, I love the recording and thought the show was very cute and funny but was disappointed that it wasn't what I expected it to be.

[EDIT] I'm also curious why shows like Hairspray don't get as much backlash as Wicked. Obviously Wicked is an extremely popular- touristy show but there are plenty of other shows that have as little substance as Wicked. It makes me angry that theater-fans act as if Wicked is the worst thing to walk the earth simply because it is popular or silly while they love things like Hairspray, Spelling Bee, etc. Obviously some people may simply not like Wicked's score or lyrics or something but it seems to have become a general scape-goat while other equally standard shows are ignored. (By the way I am a fan of both Hairspray and Spelling Bee and I think they are both good, fun shows with a good message and great music- I was just trying to use them as examples) Updated On: 3/19/06 at 03:42 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 3:57pm

As a young person, I have talked to people that said Wicked was their first BWAY show and they can't wait to see another.

That really makes me feel good.

[Shoshana's Future Ex]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 4:04pm

cool

Posted: 3/19/06 at 4:11pm

wickedgeek..just my point!
=)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 4:13pm

I remember when Les Mis was the cherry popper.

Then it was Rent.

Now it's Wicked.

As long as people see other shows, I'm fine with the Wicked obsession.

[Musical_nerd]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 4:19pm

So, since this topic has been beaten to death with several pointy and heavy objects, lets discuss it more.

I wouldn't be posting this today if I had not been a fangirl of Wicked. I'm not going to say that I dislike it now or anything like that either just to be accepted by the cool theater kids. I still love it very dearly.

The show has very little to do with what people hate most of the time. It has to do with the teeny bopper girls who can be disrespectful or obsessive. Wicked is not the first to reveal this broadway crowd (see BSO's post).

It's not going away. So get over it.

[Horton]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 4:38pm

I really didnt love wicked, I saw it and it was eeh

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 6:29pm

Lets just not worry about it anymore. Everyone has their opinions. I didn't mean to start as much "drama" when I started this. If you don't agree, than say it in a nice way. I think everyone needs to be respectful of one another. And I apologize for being rude to Shoshana's Ex or whatever.

[leap_of_moo]

Posted: 3/19/06 at 7:03pm

I think it's a little overrated, but it's not a cult musical. It's a good show and I like it, but although the music is wonderful I think the book is weak and it's not the best one on Broadway. There is so much more for people to see. But if it can introduce people to the world of theatre, then that's great.