Last month, a select group of Carlsbad High students, myself included, had the opportunity to travel to New York City to sing with the esteemed composer Eric Whitacre. Not only did choir students perform in Carnegie Hall, but had the opportunity to see two incredible broadway shows. The critically acclaimed musical ‘Wicked’ was a big highlight of the trip.
Not only is Wicked a timeless musical that has been stunning crowds for years, but it is a world outside of our own with performances that brings laughter and tears. A spoof on the Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the untold stories of the witches of Oz.
Wicked follows the story of a girl named Elphaba who was born with green skin and consequently is an outcast to her peers. Her father sends her sister and herself to a wizarding school where she befriends a popular girl named Glinda. The two set off to see the Wizard and soon find he is not all he is built up to be.
After confrontation between Elphaba and the wizard, the wizard tells the people of Oz she is an enemy and she becomes known as the wicked witch of the west. Glinda is then known as the good witch.
Wicked exposes the true meaning of looking beyond someones physical appearance and becomes a story of friendship and heartbreak. With such great acting, Wicked is sure to bring tears to audiences eyes. The vocal performances of all the characters is incredible and the audience is truly immersed in the world of Oz.
The costumes and set design of Wicked take it to another level. Wicked is in no way a small production, the large and hard working cast often perform two shows a day after endless hours of rehearsal. Our group was fortunate enough to meet and learn a full song and dance number from two of the Broadway cast members. The experience was unforgettable and extremely enriching.
With such a well known musical as Wicked, expectations were high, but the musical went beyond anything imaginable. Even with seats in the upper balcony, the show is captivating and entertaining.
To anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a performance,Wicked is definitely the musical to see.
