Wicked: "Eh" or "Ick?"- Page 4

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:39pm

No. What I was saying is that I don't think falling back on the tired old cliche that the show is "bringing new audiences to theater" is anything to take comfort in. If as many young people as NuggetMonkeys were enthusiastic about Caroline, Or Change as they are about Wicked, well, that would be an entirely different story.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:39pm

"I have no doubt that the show I thought was pretty mediocre was the best it will ever be."

Which would normally be the case, but 42nd Street proved that a revival can be better than the original.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:41pm

well, i've never said anything bad about the score/book/etc. i actually love the book to the musical.

they've changed it a bit since you saw it, if you really did see it in october/november. Actually, they've changed a great deal of lines. maybe you haven't seen it the best it's gonna get. Hell, they changed lines...what, 3 weeks ago?

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:41pm

I love Caroline!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:45pm

"If as many young people as NuggetMonkeys were enthusiastic about Caroline, Or Change as they are about Wicked, well, that would be an entirely different story."

I agree wholeheartedly, but given today's society, can you really expect younger audiences to appreciate Caroline, or Change? I don't say it doesn't happen, but first, how do you get them to turn off MTV or their Playstation2 to attend? I know I'm generalizing, but younger audiences are going to naturally be attracted to trendy flashy shows like Wicked rather than poetic, non-melodic, analytical shows like Caroline, or Change. Forget the kids! It's difficult to get the adults interested in Caroline as well. But it's not a new trend in musical theatre. It is the norm.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:47pm

trendy? because 1 out of ever 20 kids in america loves wicked and hasn't been beat up about it.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:51pm

Trendy, because it is the hot new popular musical until next season when it will be replaced on the message boards by the next trendy musical. Trendy musicals are box-office hits regardless their artistic merit. Some can be brilliant, some can be schlock, but it will be the most talked-about musical of the season with the largest hard-core fan base.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:53pm

"because 1 out of ever 20 kids in america loves wicked"

Honey, one out of every 500 kids in America has actually even heard of Wicked, if that many. This just shows you how off your perceptions are.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:53pm

well, considering that I think wicked is a good show, i'd use a word more like "extraordinary" than "trendy". But...whatever.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:55pm

"Honey, one out of every 500 kids in America has actually even heard of Wicked, if that many. This just shows you how off your perceptions are."

Actually I know that a lot of schools have taken classes up to New York and gone to see it. and when i say a lot i mean a lot. That's how most kids that I know who aren't very aware of musical theatre have heard of it.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:56pm

New York is NOT the only state in America. There are 49 others.

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:58pm

It gets a heart-filled "eh".

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:58pm

"New York is NOT the only state in America. There are 49 others.".

ok, and?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 3:59pm

"Actually I know that a lot of schools have taken classes up to New York and gone to see it. and when i say a lot i mean a lot. That's how most kids that I know who aren't very aware of musical theatre have heard of it."

And that's how a show becomes trendy. The kids don't choose the show. They are taken to whatever is the hottest family show on Broadway. They may not have ever seen another show, but they will become obsessive fans and claim it is the BEST EVER because all their friends love it and can reenact scenes and quote lines and lyrics, etc.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:01pm

""New York is NOT the only state in America. There are 49 others.".

ok, and? "

You said that 1 out of every 20 kids in America loves Wicked. And then you said that you know that tons of kids in New York have seen it. You contradict yourself. The first statement is ridiculous if you're basing it on one state.

[Peter]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:02pm

Yea, Wicked was rather "Eh"..but if I had wasted all my time to read all the threads to turn it into an "ICK"..that would have made me a "NiNi"...

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:02pm

my class was taken to 42nd street and not a single kid enjoyed it. my buddy next to me, who is a huge and very knowledgable broadway fan, fell asleep. (he woke up when the mime got shot). That just proves that wicked is more than just a show that people like simply because they're supposed to see it.

So you're saying that people aren't allowed to say that Wicked is the best show ever because they've only seen one? does it bother you personally that they say this because they've only seen one? would you rather people say that _____ is the best show ever, even though they haven't seen it? if you know a show is better, then you know a show is better. You don't have to shoot the person down.

[ProducerJeff]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:03pm

"Honey, one out of every 500 kids in America has actually even heard of Wicked, if that many. This just shows you how off your perceptions are."


I have to disagree with you on this one Namo....here in the middle of America in the schools, I would say 1 in 30 or so had heard of Wicked. Why would I know? Because I have kids in school and I volunteer at the schools and quite frankly I am utterly amazed at the number who do know about the show. On the same token when I tried to drum up support for a local production of 'Fiddler' I was producing I found that most had never even heard of the show. That being said I am certainly not a huge Wicked fan--I like the show, but I like many shows. I just think Wicked has struck some sort of chord with teenagers that other shows aren't.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:06pm

I agree, producerjeff. It struck a chord because, as kristin and idina say all the time, it's about friendship and coping with differences, which is part of growing up in this generation (have you seen that computer commercial with the 2 roommates?). I think teens like it because...well, i just said why, ha.

[fae]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:08pm

well... here's a shout from one of the other "49." the high school that i graduated from fourteen years ago has a "wicked" fan-club. the drama teacher put together a group of kids to fly to ny and see some show this summer. last month twelve kids and some parent chaperones madwe the trip to ny to see "wicked." while they were there they saw "aida", "little shop", "wonderful town", and some of the kids had permission to see "avenue q". those kids are now all fired up about what their school year will be like. they have had script readings and voted on what their shows should be this year. they are EXCITED! this is new for this school....it had completely revived the drama and chorus programs. and i hate to tell you this folks, but "wicked" is what brought that on.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:10pm

"well... here's a shout from one of the other "49." the high school that i graduated from fourteen years ago has a "wicked" fan-club. the drama teacher put together a group of kids to fly to ny and see some show this summer. last month twelve kids and some parent chaperones madwe the trip to ny to see "wicked." while they were there they saw "aida", "little shop", "wonderful town", and some of the kids had permission to see "avenue q". those kids are now all fired up about what their school year will be like. they have had script readings and voted on what their shows should be this year. they are EXCITED! this is new for this school....it had completely revived the drama and chorus programs. and i hate to tell you this folks, but "wicked" is what brought that on.
"

thats what i've been trying to say for over half an hour :)

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:17pm

"That just proves that wicked is more than just a show that people like simply because they're supposed to see it."

No, it proves that its story and style are more accessible to young contemporary audiences, but it doesn't make it a better show. Trendy doesn't mean it is good or bad or anything else other than it being stylish to discuss/obsess. Wicked is a decent show that is also this season's trendy show. Last season it was Hairsray. Before that, it was Millie. Wicked is insanely popular, that cannot be denied. It gets people excited, also undeniable. But that does not mean it is a superior show. It means it is a popular show. And it will be popular for a long time.

[HJAJtheFirst]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:18pm

I didn't find anything appealing about WICKED, nothing at all, I thought it was boring! People are entitled to their opinions but I just don't get the hype? Updated On: 8/24/04 at 04:18 PM

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:21pm

in response to the inquiries about what the next big fanatical show is going to be, i agree with Namo, it will be Brooklyn... Dracula seems to have run it's course, and really quickly, i might add...

and there go all the jewish jokes... Updated On: 8/24/04 at 04:21 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/24/04 at 4:28pm

I just don't know what I would do without MisterMatt's obligatory "but I really can see the other side of the story, Namo" responses to my critical posts.