Wicked in Charlotte!

< stage view in Charlotte. :) Just about the same as Durham, except on the other side and up a level. ;)

Well another 2 hour drive to see Wicked and was it worth it? Hmmm Duh! YES IT WAS! :o) Nice part has been spending time with my grandparents and aunt and uncle that live over here. After all the crap going on with my grandpa, its nice to see and hear that he's been having good days since I've been here. :o)

So going back to Thursday, we went to the matinee, which meant having to leave here before noon. We ate at Olive Garden, I had just some pasta with butter. I was hungry, but not for Olive Garden really, but that was the closest thing to the theater. ;) More funny, I saw a family there that were sitting behind us at the show. ;) hahaha

So arriving at the theater, its nothing like DPAC. There is no parking deck, the parking lot actually is located where the cast comes out after the show. Which made finding the stage door really easy! ;) Minus the person I asked tried to tell me there were 2 locations they could come out, never did find that other door. ;)

Again it was Vicki Noon and Natalie Daradich for the leads. :) Full cast as its called. ;) The whole cast over-all was better than when they were in Durham. Whatever plagued Vicki in Durham, seemed to be gone! She was just awesome! There is no other word to describe her Elphaba on Thursday. Natalie was equally strong and adorable in her role as Glinda. I absolutely love her Popular. =D Again the entire cast was amazing. :) I can't say it enough.

The stage door was once again a very fun experience. I swear I was the only one out there that knew who any of them were! LOL The family that sat behind us, the little girl is a huge fan of Glinda and I told her before the show that I knew a way that she could meet Glinda after the show, and it was cute she wasn't sure Natalie was Glinda cause she's brunette under the wig. ;) Gotta love kids reactions when they see the cast out of costume. ;) Vicki came out with her hair still pinned and with the wig cap on, which I had never seen before. Of course all the shows I had been to were night shows and not a matinee until this one. ;) Met the same 3 from Durham (Vicki Natalie and Erin) and then 3 new ones. :) (Michelle London, Jenn Furman & Chris Peluso) I should say I saw most of the cast come out. ;) I saw Marilyn Caskey who plays Madame Morrible and Christine Dwyer who's the Elphaba u/s, plus many others. :)

Well that's it! It all came to an end so soon, but looking forward to seeing the 1st tour this summer! :)

Wicked In Pictures

Wicked was totally Awesome!

< The stage from my seat. :)

Here's my review of the show! :) I had an awesome time at the show. Vicki and Natalie and the rest of the 2nd tour cast were just amazing! Get out and see them if they come to a city near you. =D

Lottery

Everyone should experience the lottery for the Broadway shows! I went to help a friend get a ticket to the show and while I didn’t win, it was an experience!

If you are in Durham, go eat at the Mellow Mushroom! That place is awesome! Great pizza, they have every pizza topping known to man. My friend's mom got the cesaer salad pizza!

No One Morns The Wicked
I watched the dragon this time and missed the monkey’s coming in! The next thing I heard was my friend goes, look at the monkey’s! The bubble was working! Its had issues since getting here to Durham! The first sign it was coming out, was like 3 huge bubbles followed by the little ones. Natalie did great with this song. I heard some one around me go, “Oh my gosh that baby is actually green!”

Dear Old Shiz/Going into Wizard and I
Vicki got a great round of applause running out. I love watching this scene. Each Elphie does it differently, which makes it great cause you never see it the same twice. Natalie messed up her name, of all things! She said Glinda instead of Galina Upland.

Wizard and I
This song is not one of my favorites, but Vicki was awesome during this number and it really gets the ball rolling. She gave me goose bumps all over from the start. She did take the octave down at the end. That was the only thing I could see that was different. She was sick all last week, so it was understandable.

What is this Feeling? (Loathing)
I knew this song was coming next and I was laughing before it started! Vicki and Natalie have a great presence together onstage. You can see their friendship shine through onstage and during this song. I loved Vicki’s little dance.

Dancing Through Life
I always have liked this part of the show. Just love how Fiyerio rides on in and brings a party of his own. (if that makes sense) I paid more attention to the dancing this time and the choreography is just amazing. The Elphie dance via Vicki was comical to watch too!

Sharing Secrets/Popular
This part got many laughs. Natalie, I don’t know the word to describe her during the number! She is so much like you would think Glinda would be. I love the Wilma Flintstone laugh she does during her toss toss. She does the toss toss and then does the laugh and then does some weird body movement. It was comical to watch Vicki do the second toss toss! Oh in the classroom scene after, Vicki’s 2nd toss toss was more comical than during the number!

I’m Not That Girl
One thing I guess I didn’t pay much attention to was the effects they do during this number. I was fascinated by the rain of all things! Vicki did great with this song, she hit the low notes with no problems.

One Short Day
I went with 2 people that have never seen the show, my friend was like oh wow that’s cool when the ozian came out doing the gymnastics. This is one of my favorite numbers; Vicki and Natalie did great with the song and the ensemble was great too.

Meeting the Wizard/Sentimental Man
Either it was me or it was DPAC or the night, but they really had the mics turned up! When the Wizard started talking I actually jumped in my seat! I love this scene leading up to the Act 1 finale! My friend commented about how it was cool to see the monkey’s transform.

Defying Gravity
Vicki literally blew the roof off the house! She was just awesome during this number! She really gets into the part during this song and when she stood up after Natalie put the cloak around her and she stood up, that part always gives me the chills. Her climax of the song was just amazing! She literally had me and my friend and her mom speechless and my friend was trying to figure out how she flew!

Thank Goodness
My friend and her mom compared Natalie to Evita during this song. Natalie was great during this number, again. I love this number for numerous reasons, love how Glinda tricks Fiyerio in a sense.

The Wicked Witch of the East
This was my first time seeing Michelle, I missed Kristine’s return by a week. They are both listed in the playbill. Michelle was great as Nessa. She does this role really well and really showed her love for Boq last night. I loved at the end, how my friend realized Boq was the tinman! Hah!

Wonderful
Returning to set the monkey’s free. Don does a great job with this number and I love his little dance he does across the stage.

I’m Not That Girl Reprise
Natalie hit the low note! I was really shocked at how her and Vicki both were able to hit the note and it sound good.

As Long As Your Mine
I had the best view of this song! Literally right in front of me. I wanted to catch what everyone was talking about with this song. I realized its Chris that changed up the part of Fiyerio. Seriously, you had to use the jaws of life to pry them apart! Vicki and Chris were great onstage during this number.

Catfight
This is my favorite part of the show! I love how before this, they put in the effect of the cyclone. And one thing I didn’t see before, was you do see the house flying through the air on the screen. “Well we can’t all come and go by bubble!” I watched Natalie and the look on her face when Vicki said that was priceless and the audience agreed with Elphie on that. Natalie stood there with her one hand on her hip like hah whatever! Another quick note on my friend that was with me; she figured out who Fiyerio at the end.

No Good Deed
Vicki was just amazing during this number. She belted it out! Again I had a great view of this number, I was on the edge of my seat watching this one too. She just showed so much emotion! She got a huge round of applause at the end.

March of the Witch Hunters
I always hate when the show gets to this point, because it means its almost over! The ensemble with the 2nd tour just amazes me. This touring group is just amazing! I love Marilyn Caskey as Morrible and love her in this number.

For Good
Vicki didn’t slam the trap door like Marcie did when I saw it in Greenville, or maybe it was because I was sitting on the same side of it. I love the dodo quote and the shoes! The moment before the music started for For Good I was in tears and even said to my friend I hate this song! LOL I hate it for the fact that I cry every time I see it onstage! Vicki and Natalie are just awesome during this number. So much emotion, even though I was sitting there wiping my eyes the entire time.

Melting Scene
Another observation made was that the sound that comes on that breaks Elphie and Glinda apart from the hug, I thought came from the right hand side and it came from the left hand side. Vicki’s scream was different, only word to describe it. But a good different.

Finale
The show literally flew by! It was hard to believe you were at the Wizard and Morrible scene at the end! Vicki did the “trap door” part really well. From my angle you couldn’t tell she didn’t come up from under the stage. Great Finale all-around. Cheering for everyone during the curtain call too.

Stage Door

I found a side door to out of and found the door within seconds of getting out the door. I actually about walked into the actual backstage stage door, I got lost! LOL Ok to be honest after everything I heard about Durham and the two door situation, I was worried. But the crew members came out and popped their head back in and said something to some one. Then another lady came out and was looking for friends of some one with the show and said they were on their way out. As to who, didn’t know at that point! Some one was coming out. The Boq understudy, I am not sure of the name came out first. His family or friends or whoever was there standing actually next to me at the door. I think 2 of them took part in the lottery! I dunno what was wrong with me last night, but I was more fascinated with the stupid street behind us!

Natalie and Vicki were both out within 15 minutes of the show ending. I didn’t stick around to see if anyone else would come out after they did, I was done with the 3 I got. J Vicki had a tint of green still on her, but was quick coming out!

Natalie Daradich
My fellow Wicked fan and friend goes there’s Natalie. I was like what? Where? I was turned away from the door! Turned around and found Natalie standing right in front of me! I had so much crap in my hands, including her letter from her to have it signed plus 3 playbills! (plus other stuff in my hands, which wound up on the ground each time) She was super nice! I mean she talked to me a good while, there were other people at the door, but I felt like I was alone with her! She signed everything, including the letter. I even jokingly said, does this look familiar? She seemed to know me from our correspondence online. She knew I was coming again in Charlotte, I had the long drive home. J She was just super sweet! No other word to describe her!

Erin Wilson
Incase you don’t know, Erin is in the ensemble and plays Shen-Shen. I had told Erin in advance I would be at the door and please come out! (this was last weekend, when none were coming out) I didn’t think she would be performing last night cause she hurt her ankle on Sunday, but so relieved when I saw her onstage. I asked Natalie to make sure, cause knowing my luck I got it wrong. Natalie even pointed her out to me. J Erin is one of the sweetest people! I have corresponded with her since January and she sent me a signed playbill after I sent her a package. J I got a huge hug from her too. It was great to meet her in person. Of course she knew me, I said I would see her in Charlotte. Hah! J

Vicki Noon
Again my Wicked friend pointed out Vicki was out and its like how did we miss her coming out? She just appeared out of nowhere all the sudden. Very nice, she was just amazing! She took time with everyone, there were a lot of people there! (surprisingly) I even said to her I was the one that asked, on her fan page, about the in the playbill about her little thing that was directed toward Natalie Daradich. (incase you are wondering; she said “Lets do this Nat” and these two are best friends off stage) Just to get a topic started. She signed Natalie’s letter for me too. I got two pictures with her; one with her and then one with her and Natalie. I wanted a sandwitch picture with them and so glad I got it. My friend came over and goes I want to meet Elphaba right to Vicki! Its like well, there ya go you found her!

Yes I copied and pasted this from somewhere else because I couldn't re-write this out! It was a night I will never ever forget! I had a the time of my life and thank you again to the 2nd tour company for a memorable night! See you all in Charlotte! :) :D

Tomorrow is less than a day away!

< Planted these during the week. They aren't suppose to come back, but have in the front yard and one set came back from last year. :)

Ok this weekend was so slow for me! Saturday I woke up at 7:30 and I swear the next time I saw a clock I thought it would be 5:00 and it was 2:00! Oy! Just a slow day and it was like gawd is this a sign of what the next days were going to be like?

My dad's golfing buddy and his wife came in to spend the night Saturday before going to Myrtle Beach. :D (wish I was going there) So Sunday we got up and went to Waffle House for breakfast and I have to say I love that we have one of those nearby! :) Basically spend Sunday's eating breakfast there now a days! :)

Picked up so seeds to plant in the backyard too. None of the seeds we planted last year have really come up, so we are taking 50 on this one! The plants we buy to put in the ground are just as bad! Hahaha I do not have a green thumb, that I can say! The only ones that are coming up it seems like are the Columbine's I planted last year on 4/20, which was the 10th anniversary of the Columbine HS massacre. Planted more of those yesterday to see if they would come up in a different spot. ;)

Friday I started to do my Wii Active again and I swear the lower part of my body is still sore! Ugh! I need to get back into the habit of doing it again, cause its too hot to walk now. =/ No excuse, but still.

TOMORROW IS WICKED!!!!!! Can you tell how excited I am?! ;) I am so excited to see this touring company again. They are an amazingly group of talented people! So many new faces to see, too. While I will NOT be disappointed to see Anne Brummel as Elphaba or Christine Dwyer at that, I am really hoping to catch Vicki Noon and Natalie Daradich together. :D I have heard nothing but wonderful things about them and want to experience it all. ;)

So tomorrow too I am hoping to meet up with Lindsey. Hoping to get to DPAC in time to help her with the lottery before the show. :) It all depends if we get there before 5:00! ;) Eatting dinner at the Mellow Mushroom and then heading back to see the show! :)

Anyone know a good way to get DUST off of black pants?! UGH! I thought washing them would do the trick, but apparently not! Why me?!

Next blog will be all about Wicked!!!! :)