Theater+Experience+of+Wicked

My sophomore year of high school, I went to New York City for spring break and got the chance to see Wicked on Broadway. It was an experience I will never forget! The show was in the Gershwin Theater in New York and started around 8 o’clock in the evening. My friends and I dressed fairly nicely in skirts and dresses, which I was glad we wore because most of the other theater-goers were well-dressed. We went in and pretty much went straight to our seats, only hesitating slightly to look at all the Wicked merchandise around the theater lobby. Since I went with my friends, I didn’t really interact with many other people unfortunately. I now wish that I had spent more time talking with the other people in the theater. There was a tangible feeling of excitement around the room when the lights dimmed for the show to start. I don’t know about everyone else, but I had heard extraordinary things about the show and was thrilled that I got the chance to see it. The opening scene was beautiful, with a detailed backdrop and absolutely stunning costumes. That was one of the details that I remember most: the exquisite costumes. They were so different from any other costumes that I had seen before, probably because the play is set in Oz, a magical, nonexistent land. The play had me captured from the moment it started to the moment it ended. I was oblivious to anything else in the theater because the music, dialogue, and acting were so enthralling. Probably the biggest reason I enjoyed the musical so much is because I grew up watching “The Wizard of Oz” at least once a month. My family is filled with lovers of Oz, and we were constantly watching and quoting the movie. The chance to see a remix of the classical story was such a thrill. The music of the show that night was by far my favorite part of that theater experience. I even went out and bought the Wicked soundtrack when I got home from New York because the songs were so good. I now have every single one of them memorized and love to sing along in my car when I am sure no one can hear my awful singing voice. My experience with seeing Wicked definitely prompted my interest in musicals and seeing plays live rather than limiting myself to movies. I would love to go back to New York someday to see another play on Broadway, and I definitely hope to see a show at the Fox Theater in Atlanta sometime soon. I have a list of shows I want to see, including “Jersey Boys,” “Hairspray,” “Phantom of the Opera,” and “Lion King.” I have heard great things about all these shows and hope to expand my theatrical view in the future.