WICKED Buffalo Opening Night Review

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 8:41am

So WICKED opened in Buffalo last night and I got great seats for the show. We even went to the lottery before the show and there were not many people there at all, me and my dad both got our names called. But, the seats are way off to the side in the orchestra. So they're pretty much partial view seats depending where your sitting. You want your name to get called last because the later you get called the farther you get pushed back to see more of the stage.
Alma Cuervo IS still in the show and there were no understudies performing last night.
NOMTW-Katie Rose Clarke really did impress me, I've seen 7 different Glindas and she was awkwardly one of my favorites.She did a great job along with the ensemble, the set fit perfectly into the theatre and it all looked great!Katie seemed to have some trouble with her costume. First she kept on like hitting her head and fixing her crown because it looked like she was trying to fix her wig. Her dress got caught in the bubble and it took her a while to get out of it. The snap on her dress to keep her from falling out of the bubble was being weird.
TWAI-Carmen seemed to be pushing very hard and seemed very breathy for this number as well as the rest of the first act. Her acting was great but her vocals seemed to be out, I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't do the performances over the weekend, she probably just did the show for the critics who come to the first 2 previews.
WITF-Everyone loved that number and there was a lot of energy
DTL-Clifton was awesome as Fiyero, he too seemed to be a little off but he still did a great job. Deedee as Nessarose was fantastic, she really stood out and she made everyone really feel for her.
Popular- Katie was brilliant, the song literally stopped twice for applause, by the end of the number she was out of breath and she just made the audience laugh the entire time.
INTG- Carmen seemed a little more together and she sounded pretty well.
OSD-A lot of energy in this number. Although, when they go see Wizomania, the curtain wouldn't open for the audience, you could see the guard on the side trying to pull the rope but it was jammed.SO the curtain just flew out entirely.
DG-Sad to say, but just alright, she went incredibly flat at some points and it was just being pushed way to hard.
TG-Katie got so into the role which I really respected and I actually thought she might cry. One member of the male ensemble started skipping around in the back and it took so focus but was really funny
WWOTE-Deedee was fantastic once again and put tons of emotion into it and I liked her more than Michelle(the original)
Wonderful-Lee did a great job in the number but I still miss the dance break in there.
ALAYM-Beautiful, Carmen sounded much better and Clifton was great!
Cornfeild Scene- Hilarious stopped several times as well for applause, But when Glinda started twirling the wand it got caught on her dress and she had to start again,no biggie.
NGD-Carmen really came through for this number, really flat on some parts but the end was so incredible.
FG-You really saw the change in both witches and it sounded and looked beautiful, a lot of tears around me. I don't think she actually melted, she ducked down just a little and then it went to blackout.
Finale-More tears and Carmen got a huge applause and cheers when she came out of the trapped door to find Fiyero.Katie sounded great and the entire crowd was giving the show a standing ovation before the curtain even went up for bows. Everyone seemed to love it. 3 people came out of the stage door, only 5 people including myself went to get autographs and it was really disappointing that no one came out. Its a good thing I have tickets to see it 3 more times. I highly recommend this production even though our leading lady isn't all there vocally. WICKED runs at Shea's Performing Arts Center through July 13

[NDR]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 9:31am

Love DeeDee as well. Beside being an amazing performer, she is the sweetest person. Cliffton is also a really sweet guy. What a couple!

I am little worried about Carmen. She was out for a large majority of the performances in Rochester. She did take a week vacation, but even when she was back, Donna was still on for her (Donna is fabulous!).
I hope she isn't hurting her voice.

The show is a lot of fun - missing it already here in Rochester.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 10:29am

I enjoyed the tour when I saw it too. Glad you had fun!

[zamedy]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 10:39am

I have tickets to see it on its last weekend in town (July 12th). Because of my schedule, I can really only go to shows on weekends. I prefer going on Saturday nights and the July 12th 8pm show was the only one not completely sold out... which is great for Shea's! I guess they've already sold some 80,000 tickets. I've never seen WICKED before and only know a few of the songs, so I'm really looking forward to finally seeing what all the 'buzz' is about. In fact knowing me, I'll probably try for the lottery a few times so I don't have to wait so long to see it.

NDR- Did this production just come from Rochester? How long was its run there? It's great for the theatre district in Buffalo to have a show in town for a month-long run that lasts into July!

[NDR]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:36am

zamedy - the tour was just in Rochester for three weeks (went to Buffalo directly after Rochester). It was a great success here in Rochester with all performances completely sold out - even the lotto.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:59am

"Wonderful-Lee did a great job in the number but I still miss the dance break in there."

Yeah, I miss the dance break as well. Why did they eliminate it? Now I remember the song kind of just awkwardly ending.

I also liked DeeDee's Nessa!

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 4:00pm

Thanks for the review. Who played Madame Morrible?

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 5:37pm

I am also going to the one of the last shows, the 12th but to the 2:00 instead. I'll review it when I go to let you all know how the show holds up.

Can't wait to see this is Shea's. This show is exactly what the theatre needs.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 6:00pm

WOW...you must have been sitting by a broken speaker or something, because front and center, this show was pitch perfect!

Katie and Carmen were AWESOME, as were Morrible, Boq, Nessa, and the Wizard!

(Morrible is Alma Cuervo and she was a riot! Watch her facial expressions throughout!)

In fact, the general consensus in our group was that the weakest link in the whole show was Fiyero. Very weak voice and looked like He was sleepwalking through it.

Otherwise, an A+ show and A+ performances by Katie and Carmen.

I'll go so afar as to say they are the best of the 3 sets of leads I have seen in this show - (NYC, CHICAGO, and TORONTO) -EVER!

Looking forward to a sell-out run in Buffalo, as well!

Sorry to tag on to your review, but I got called back to NYC this morning and did not have time to write up a formal review.
Just wanted to point out some differences of opinion we had.

AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME!

Really.

:)

[zepka102]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 7:04pm

Can't wait to go home and see this on the 9th... I love Shea's so much !

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 9:48pm

Alma Cuervo is till Madame Morrible.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 10:07pm

I'm going on the 22nd, can't wait!

What is the deadline for lotto?

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:59pm

The lotto is before every show. 2 and a half hours before they take names and 2 hours before they draw names. And i definitely wasnt sitting near a broken speaker, i was front row balcony and i recorded all of elphabas songs and listening back to them she sounds unbelevably flat and off. i actually heard a lot of people say they thought Elphaba was off last night.I actually think her understudy was in tonite.

[puppetman2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:11am

You admit to illegally recording her songs? You should just have said you thought she was flat.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 7:37am

I hate to say this, but your behavior in the theater proves that YOU are the one who is "unbelevably (SIC) flat and off"!

"i actually heard a lot of people say they thought Elphaba was off last night"

No You didn't. That's not how a Buffalo audience critiques a show. Now stop comparing your illegal recordings to your bootlegged OBC recording!

SHAME ON YOU!

The opening night crowd was certainly not saying anything bad about Katie or Carmen. They loved them both!

I'm not a Wicked "fan girl", but I know a good performance when I see one.

It's a shame this thread seems to be going down the wrong road...

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 8:57am

Thank you for the review

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 9:17am

Yea!anytime! But yea I didn't mean to "bash" Carmen. Like you said your group wasn't favorable towards Clifton and my group wasn't favorable for Carmen. And as early in the message board someone did mention that Carmen was out for most of the Rochester run because she was sick.So don't try and make it seem like I'm the only one who thought she was off.She is great and I hope she gets some rest so she can have a long healthy run here in Buffalo.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:13am

TRUTH CHECK:

Carmen was NOT out last night...and the audience loved Her again!

Check out the review in today's Buffalo News.

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:17am

Carmen has played every performance in Buffalo and has been sounding FANTASTIC. At times she is VERY similar to Stephanie Block. Katie Clarke was out on vocal rest for two weeks in Rochester and you would never be able to tell by her performance in Buffalo. Katie Clarke had an understudy on during Thursdays Matinee.

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:29am

Great!I know someone was in last night because the show was on the news and the understudy board had someones name on it but I couldn't read what part and who it was, And Dancin Thru Life, seriously get over yourself! i apologized no need to keep being a wacko! I said I love her so calm down!

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:03am

That segment on the news was taped during the matinee.....

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:08am

ohh.okay.thanks!

[wicked4l]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:56am

oh!and post new reviews of the show here during the Buffalo run!

[Shaking Steven]

Posted: 6/21/08 at 12:46pm

You seem a bit too comfortable parading your opinions as fact. Even when faced with equally valid and contradictory reports from posters in the same audience. Regardless, Carmen was not "out" in Rochester. Carmen was taking her ONE week of holiday that she earns every 6 months. This after racking up the best attendance of any touring Elphaba, ever. Hopefully you have better seats for the other 3 (!) shows. I look forward to a follow up post based on those performances.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/21/08 at 12:58pm

"... its a spa party! I LOVE spa parties!" - Denise Richards