Tell Them How I am Defying Gravity

I saw Wicked on Broadway this past March with my bestie! Previously, I saw Wicked in London while studying abroad in college in 2009. I had forgotten most of the story since it’s been 15 years. I've considered seeing Wicked on Broadway because part one of the film adaptation is coming out later this year. Having the privilege of living in New York, Broadway is not a journey for me, yet I never take advantage of it. I thought it would be a good refresher, and would finally allow me to see it on Broadway. However, I knew Danny wouldn't be a fan. I'm already dragging him to the movie theaters come November, and Broadway tickets can be expensive. It worked out perfectly that Chinh wanted to go as well.

Wicked is the tale of the two witches of the Land of Oz, Elphaba (later known as the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (later known as Glinda the Good), who become best friends at college despite their vast differences. The story begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas. The Wizard of Oz is one of the most cherished movies of my childhood. I watched this film all the time growing up. Naturally, Wicked has always sparked my interest.

I love this musical! The cast was phenomenal, especially Mary Kate Morrissey and Alexandra Socha, who play Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling and world-building, which gave us a new perspective on Elphaba’s character that we hadn’t seen in the original story of The Wizard of Oz. The story conveys how love and friendship can persevere through challenging times. Also, the determination to stand up for what is right in the face of authority, even when you are cast as ‘evil’ through opposition and propaganda, was a powerful message. The musical is also quite comical. I laughed so many times. My favorite song was definitely “Defying Gravity.” Morrissey’s performance was stunning! I feel emotional just listening to the original cast sing this song on Apple Music; imagine it live.

The set design and costumes were stunning, and the Gershwin Theatre is also beautiful. It felt really special to experience this musical’s 20th anniversary. It is the fourth longest-running musical on Broadway, only being surpassed by The Lion King, Chicago, and The Phantom of the Opera—another fun fact: In 2016, Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, proving its popularity. I’m so excited to see the movie later this year. I hope it is just as magical as the show. Sometimes, you watch something like this year’s Mean Girls and wonder if you like musicals, but then you see a seasoned veteran like Wicked and are reminded that you do, in fact, like musicals. I think this has revived my interest in stage performances. Maybe one of these days, I’ll watch Chicago again!

Overall, it was a great day with someone I love so much. Sometimes, the beginning of the year can be rocky for me, so it’s nice to see friends and catch up on life. We also looked really cute. I wore my new rainbow gingham dress for a “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” theme, and Chinh wore an adorable blue gingham outfit for a Dorothy bound. One of these days, I’ll finally do a Dorothy cosplay (with my future Corgi as Toto… I’m manifesting 😆) now that I’m back to brunette. Off to follow the yellow brick road!