Why is Wicked that popular?

To my eyes and ears, Wicked is a nice family entertainment show and I can see why it is a success with teenagers and families with children. However, overall I find it an "ok show" but was actually quite disappointed and even bored when I saw it many years ago (maybe disappointed b/c it was so hyped). The score is enjoyable and it has a number of outstanding songs, with Defying Gravity surely being a decade-defining Broadway song (even though I never understood why in the stage version the song is cut to pieces instead of keeping it a pure power solo). The rest: story, set, dancing, costumes, etc. seemed almost generic to me. I also don't understand why apart from the indisputable vocal challenge, the role of Elphaba is considered by some as such a difficult one.

I don't mean to bash. But does anyone think alike?

Updated On: 4/30/14 at 01:46 PM

Coffee pickles way outsell the dill.

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I too saw it much after it was already a megahit and came out thinking thoughts similiar to yours. I guess its fanbase "teenage girls and famillies with children" was enough to make it a success and the ball keeps rolling. I must say the show certainly continues to please its fans.

I saw it early in previews and thought it was "ok". There was a respectable audience but it was in no way sold out. I only remember it that well because of how it just took off like a rocket once 10 year old girls with no friends discovered it.

Updated On: 4/30/14 at 02:01 PM

Great marketing, the reputation of the original cast, catchy songs, and a story so sanitized from the novel that a 5 year old can walk out happy, demanding t-shirts and assorted merchandise on the way out the door.

I don't begrudge its success. I prefer other shows and the original novel.

As Joan Rivers often says when she does workout shows at the Beechman, "For the out-of-towners, I hope you enjoy Wicked, because you're the only ones that do. What a piece of ****!"

I fully agree. I've never understood the hype. It's good but nothing that spectacular to be crazy over. In my opinion, there are many shows on Broadway that are much better than Wicked. One of my pet peeves is when tourists will only go with Wicked/Book of Mormon/Lion King without any willingness to broaden their horizon.

Since there's an endless supply of teenage girls, I suppose this will run forever.

Why won't Joan Rivers's plastic surgeon do the world a favor and sew her mouth shut? She'd do fine on IV nutrition.

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I'd hate to see you be sad.

But I hate Joan more.

And I'm all about love.

Say. Whatever happened to Lisa Lumpagnelli's BIG BROADWAY SHOW that was going to get her a Tony this season?

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Wicked may be like cotton candy (or funnel cake) but every time you go to the fair, you can't help but want some.

Mmmm… funnel cake

Great marketing, the reputation of the original cast, catchy songs, and a story so sanitized from the novel that a 5 year old can walk out happy, demanding t-shirts and assorted merchandise on the way out the door.

This. It's not without some merit, but it's incredibly safe and really has no objectionable material in it. The whole family can go and walk out completely satisfied, if not challenged in any way.

I always suspected you were Gerard Alessandrini.

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