Celebrating Wicked’s Success at Proctor’s
Gregory Maguire has made a life out of his Wicked series, and mostly ecause the first novel “Wicked” was made into a hit Broadway show that has allowed him to announce special events and performances throughout the globe. Recently Maguire was in Proctors to announce a few hundred guests at the theatre’s opening season gala Saturday for the induction into the Capital Region Entertainment Hall of Fame. Inducted as the second set of honorees to the Hall of Fame at Proctors, along with Maureen O’Sullivan, Bruce Jordan and Marilyn Abrams, as well as producers of the stage comedy “Shear Madness” and brothers Guha and Karthik Bala, who developed the Vicarious Visions in Menands as well as being recognized for the developers of “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.” The group is only the second following last year’s actor Kirk Doulgas, Maureen Stapleton and Monty Woolley, independent filmmaker John Sayles, General Electric Co. engineer Ernst F.W. Alexanderson and Frederick Freeman Proctor, who started the theater. WRGB, the world’s oldest continually running TV station, and New York’s first radio station, WGY, all of whom have lived or were born in the Capitol Region.
Wicked tickets for the show will begin selling at Proctor’s on Friday and show Decemeber 9th through January 3rd.
Be as ‘Popular’ as Wicked
One of the most popular songs in ‘Wicked’s’ repertoire is ironically “Popular,’ sung by Glinda and Elphaba while in their dorm room as Glinda tries to convince Elphaba that just a few additions to her wardrobe will instantly turn her from shab to glam. Take a listen:
GLINDA:
(Spoken)
Elphie, now that we’re friends, I’ve decided to make you my new project!
ELPHABA:
(Spoken)
You really don’t have to do that…
GALINDA:
(Spoken)
I know, that’s what makes me so nice!
(Sung)
Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I,
And let’s face it, who isn’t less fortunate than I?
My tender heart tends to start to bleed.
And when someone needs a makeover,
I simply have to take over!
I know, I know exactly what they need!
And even in your case,
Though it’s the toughest case I’ve yet to face,
Don’t worry, I’m determined to succeed!
Follow my lead,
And yes indeed, you will be…
POPULAR!
You’re gonna be popular!
I’ll teach you the proper poise,
When you talk to boys,
Little ways to flirt and flounce,
ooh!
I’ll show you what shoes to wear!
How to fix your hair!
Everthing that really counts to be…
POPULAR!
I’ll help you be popular!
You’ll hang with the right cohorts,
You’ll be good at sports,
Know the slang you’ve got to know.
So let’s start,
‘Cause you’ve got an awfully long way to go!
Don’t be offended by my frank analysis,
Think of it as personality dialysis,
Now that I’ve chosen to become a
Pal, a sister and advisor,
There’s nobody wiser!
Not when it comes to…
POPULAR!
I know about popular.
and with an assist from me,
to be who you’ll be,
instead of dreary who you were…
Well, are.
There’s nothing that can stop you,
from becoming popu-ler… lar…
la la, la la!
We’re gonna make you pop-u-lar!
When i see depressing creatures,
With unprepossessing features,
I remind them on their own they have
To - think - of
Celebrated heads of state,
Or specially great communicators!
Did they have brains or knowledge?
Don’t make me laugh!
They were POPULAR!
Please!
It’s all about popular.
It’s not about aptitude,
It’s the way you’re viewed,
So it’s very shrewd to be,
Very very popular
like ME!
(Spoken)
Why, Miss Elphaba, look at you. you’re beautiful!
ELPHABA:
(Spoken)
I, I have to go…
GALINDA:
(Spoken)
You’re welcome…
(Sung)
And though you protest,
Your disinterest,
I know clandestinely,
You’re gonna grin and bear it!
Your new found popularity!
Aah!
La la, la la!
You’ll be popular!
Just not quite as popular as ME!
If you want to hear the famous song performed live, with its nearly a dozen traveling shows around the world catching Wicked tickets will be easy to do.
Wicked Running into New York This Christmas
Wicked is coming to a new city, and fans in the area couldn’t be more excited about it. The show is set to hit Schenectady, New York for a month long stint at the Proctors Theatre beginning December 9th. Wicked ticketsfor the run will begin selling September 25th at the Proctors box office at 7am as well as via phone and other places, like StubHub! The first scheduled performance for Proctors is set to begin at 8pm on Wednesday, Decemy 9th until January 3rd at 7:30pm,.
The show is based on the Capitol Region, New York native’s novel of the same name that the New York Times called “one of the most successful shows in Broadway history.” Currently eight productions of Wicked are playing around the world, from the two North American tour to a Broadway production, San Francisco production, London’s production, a Japanese language production, a German language one and an Australian; the newest, a Dutch language production, will open in 2011.
What makes the show even more glamorous is that right during Halloween time the stars of the show make excellent costumes, promoting the show and its historical story even more. As more stories and Hollywood deals come out of this genre, you won’t want to miss a beat!
Wicked Extended in London
There are a few extensions this month on the stage - from Wicked to Jersey Boys, The 39 Steps and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap - all of whom have extended their booking periods. The Wicked company added six more months to the schedule at the Apollo Victoria where it will book through October 30, 2010. The Broadway show imported to London has made more than £80 million at the box office as numbers have gone up a total of 7% this year since last, bucking all recession woes.
The story first opened in 2003 on Broadway and moved to West End in September 2006. During the Whatsonstage.com Awards during the 2006 season the show that tells the story of the Witches of Oz won the top four awards, including Best New Musical. The London company currently performing stars Alexis Khadime as Elphaba, Dianne Pilkington as Glinda, Harriet Thrope as Madame Morrible, Oliver Tompsett as Fiyero and Sam Kelly as the Wizard.
The Apollo Victoria Theatre is on Wilton Road near Victoria station in London. The theatre was designed as a ’super cinema’ by E. Warmsley Lewis in 1930 in art deco and closed in 1975, opening six years later as a theatre with a crowd pleaser of Shirley Bassey at the front. If you want to enjoy this historic theatre and this internationally recognized play, get Wicked tickets today.
Wicked’s Author Takes a ‘Wild’ Trip
Just in time for the premiere of the new Spike Jonze film “Where the Wild Things Are,” based on the book by Maurice Sendak, “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire releases his new William Morrow novel “Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation.” The 200 page piece is more like an adaption of Maurice’s life, now 81 years old, as to why the Max character author has been a hero for many years, with pictures to boot. The illustrations help Maguire show his point that Sendak’s images echo everything in cartoon history since the 1963 children’s story was published - from William Blake to Bug Bunny and event classic movies like Oliver Hardy (via “In the Night Kitchen”). The book is basically a great author praising another, and should clearly only be put into the hands of serious fans (Maguire event devotes fifteen pages to his favorite ten pieces of Sendak illustrations). “Maguire examines Sendak’s aesthetic influences from William Blake to Walt Disney, revealing the “conversations”—often unconscious and unspoken—that artists have with one another. A master of literary invention himself, Maguire explores recurring motifs in Sendak’s life work—from monsters to mayhem—as well as his profound understanding of children, their creativity, and the breadth of emotions with which they encounter the world,” reports Harper Collins. If you want to see more, catch what else Maguire has done with Wicked tickets from StubHub.
Wicked’s Star Studded Premiere in Syndey
The green carpet was filled with stars this Saturday night as the rich and the glamorous came out in droves to celebrate the Syndey premiere of the musical “Wicked” this weekend. Among the list of celebrities including actor Michael Caton, Maria Venuti (in a witch’s hat), “Home and Away” star Ray Meagher, ‘So You Think You Can Dance” judge Matt Lee, Nicole Kidman’s mother Janelle, as well as the cast of Seven Network’s “Packed to the Ffter’s. The show, premiering at Syndey’s Capitol Theater, brought out the best colors in most stars - several donning the color of the evening, green, as they catch the story that has been enthralling audiences for years. “There’s a magic about this theatre, and that’s what this show is all about,” Bert Newton’s wife, Patti, told AAP that evening; Newton’s husband plays the Wizard and was also debuting his tunes for the show as his predessor, Rob Guest passed away in October. The world has enjoyed Wicked for years as it has picked up several Tony Awards and been seen by 20 million people and grossed $1.6 billion. If you want to be part of Broadway history, make sure you get Wicked tickets from StubHub today.
Wicked’s Scene in Melbourne
Even after 13 months on stage in Melbourne, audiences are still wooed by the performances of Wicked that keep fans from all over the world captivated until the very end. The Wicked Witch, or Elphaba, is played by helpmann best supporting actor Amanda Harrison, and opposite her is Lucy Durack as Glinda, the Good Witch. The two play off each other well, as they characterize the two witches most well known in the post-story, The Wizard of Oz. The magical stage is also set well with supporting cast of television veteran Bert Newton as the Wizard and former “Australian Idol” ROb ‘Millsy” mills as Fiyero. The real star of the show remains the costumes, as it does every show. Designed by Tony Award winniner Susan Hilferty that includes 70 wigs each costing $2,500 each, as well as eight costume changes for some characters and several tons of equipement that goes along with every tour - 54 scenes and locations. The show has remained a popular treat as fans around the world can relate to its story line and its summer fling like songs, including “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and more. So if you want to take part in this magical musical that has been appealing to audiences for years and just keeps on going, get some Wicked tickets today.
Wicked’s Beloved Wizard
Bert Newton is a well known veteran actor. At 71, the television and theatre star likes to keep things fresh with a young audience and a young cast - which, he says, is exactly what “Wicked” has been doing to liven his spirits. The veteran actor doesn’t plan on leaving the spotlight any time soon, and enjoying the average age of 20 while on tour with Wicked, which hits Sydney on Saturday after 13 months in Melbourne. “It’s the oungest company that I’ve worked with,” Newton told AAP on Thursday at The Capitol Theatre.”The average age of the ensemble is early or mid 20s. It’s only (co-star) Maggie (Kirkpatrick) and myself that lift up the aggregate slightly. I find that terrific. I find it very invigorating. I love being around young people.”He just signed a three year contract with the Nine Network where he hosts the show “20 to 1.” “Life at the moment, I wouldn’t change anything,” he continues.
Performing the role of the Wizard since November, he took over the spot from fellow actor, friend and recently passed Rob Guest, who died of a stroke in October. “It was a very hard time for them. I don’t know how they pulled themselves together,” he says regarding the acceptance of the cast once he came to stage. The show, as Newton knows, must go on - as Wicked tickets continue to sell well today!
Wicked Extends Productions
Wicked is returning to the Seattle Paramount Theatre this year following its previous two week stint in the rainy city just last year. For those fans of the Broadway show who were either able to catch the spectacle last year (or any other) or not, this adventure is likely to be one of your favorites and worth the effort in putting together Wicked tickets today! This production sees Lenny Wolpe as the Wizard with Richard H. Blake as Fiyero (Warner in “Legally Blonde”), Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda and DOnna Vivino as Elphaba. The show runs through October 4th.
In other Wicked news, the show has already a heavy cult status in the United States but now it is demanding the same kind of respect in other arenas, including London. The show’s West End production recently announced that it is expanding its booking period for another six months. The show has been performing since it opened in London on September 27, 2006 (recently celebrating its 1000th performance), and will now play in the West End through October 30, 2010. The show will be playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre through the fall.
If you want to see either productions, there will be many opportunities to do so - so get your Wicked tickets today.
Wickedly Wonderful in Nashville!
Thanks in part to a strong and successful book by Winnie Holzman and stunningly beautiful music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Wicked is turning out to be simply bewitching. The touring production is making a three-week stop at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, with Marcie Dodd and Elphaba and Helene Yorke as Glinda. The story of Wicked builds on the relationship of these two witches of Oz and how their relationship evolves and dissolves over the years. The story also makes us question our own views on good and evil, making it one of the more popular shows on Broadway as well as around the nation.
For those in the Nashville area, get ready for a simply bewitching time at this production of Wicked. And for all fans, be sure to check out Stubhub to see where the show is going next. Stubhub is the best place to find theater tickets, so what are you waiting for? Reserve your spot today at the performance with your own pair of Wicked tickets!
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