Wicked

About a month ago, I downloaded a bunch of musical soundtracks like Cats, Hair, Sound of Music, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, etc… Including Wicked.

Carolin Cook, an acting coach I once had, quoted this to me: “A song is sung for a reason.” What that means is, in a musical the parts that are sung are there for a reason. That particular section of the story could not be spoken and have the same amount of passion and power and meaning. It was so important that the characters could not just stand there and say it; they had to get up and sing and possibly dance too in order to get their point across.

That being said, what I look for in the music for musicals is that the songs don’t just sing the plot, but help the motion of the play by adding emphasis to that particular scene. The soundtrack to Wicked does just that.

One of my favorite things that I look for in a soundtrack or musical when hearing it for the first time is a connection between the songs. I love when they sample a song in a later number. Wicked definitely did this several times. It’s hard to describe but I’m sure if you listen to it, you could hear what I’m talking about.

I going to talk about the plot but first I want to mention that Wicked was a book before it was a musical. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve read one other book by Gregory Maguire (Mirror, Mirror) and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m planning on reading Wicked really soon.

Now, the plot is ingenious. It’s exactly the type of thing I love: A story everyone knows every well (Wizard of Oz), but told from an entirely different point of view; so different that it’s weird when the part that we know comes up. It is the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz and her relationship with Glinda, the good witch; how they went from friends to enemies to friends, fought over the same guy, and shared the same goals in life. I love the ending, but I don’t want to spoil it… ok, I will anyway.

*SPOILER*
The main character girl, Elphaba, does end up getting the guy even though she has horribly green skin and is hated by everyone for being a wicked witch. I love love love a beauty and the beast type story especially when it has a happy ever after. c:
*END SPOILER*

I have yet to see the musical. I read the synopsis on Wikipedia. I’m trying to go see it but the tour comes closest to me in South Carolina so I would have to plan to take the hour and a half trek over there. Besides the fact that I don’t really have money for it. But I have like a month to plan, so I’m going to try.

Anyways, to sum it up, listen to the soundtrack. Buy me tickets to the show. And have a great week!

Oh, and if there’s any other great musicals I should listen to/see you should let me know!!

Simply Andréa