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| My Aunt and I Before the show 3/28/2013 |
So here is another one of my Wicked review blog posts! I haven't done one in a long time and this one will be lengthy! I attended the show on March 28th aka my birthday, March 30th both shows and the final show on March 31st which also marked the final show's for Christine Dwyer, Jeanna deWaal & Billy Tighe. It was an emotional filled weekend, but one filled with memories that will last a lifetime!
March 28th
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| Front Row Center! |
March 30th
I heard at the benefit that Jillian Kates was going on as Nessarose for the matinee and had heard previously Bridie Carroll would be on for Madame Morrible. I was like please let my friend Amy and I have some lottery luck! Well we didn't win lottery, but did get tickets to see the show. We were lucky enough to have tickets sold to us by some fellow Wicked pals for the night now and were already going to that one. Saturday began the Wicked group of fans getting together for the final show for the departing trio. I was blessed with a backstage tour by a cast member for the night show. I wasn't expecting it, nor was it planned in advanced. A moment in my life that I will never forget. I can't tell you how awesome it was to stand onstage and look out into the audience.
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| On the Wicked Stage! |
March 31st
This was the day I was dreading in the world of Wicked knowing how difficult it was going to be at the show. The holiday prevented me from being at the matinee, but I took my niece to try and win her a lotto seat for the final show. And the lucky little booger was the 2nd one drawn! She had a blast at the show. She loved meeting the cast afterwards too. She told me "Popular" was her favorite number. She couldn't have been at a better show for her first trip if you ask me. The entire cast put on a memorable show that night. Saying goodbye was the toughest part at the stage door. I would be lying if I said I didn't burst into tears. I tried to not cry, but failed miserably at it!
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| Jeanna, Billy & Christine as they came out. |
Christine Dwyer (Elphaba)
After this weekend I had seen her a total of 10 times in the role. I first saw her in the show Wicked in 2010 when she was in the ensemble and finally got to see her as Elphaba in 2012. She is amazing in the role. Sunday night she didn't hold anything back and put it all out onstage for her final performance. Throwing out every single riff she could put out there. She is one of the sweetest and most genuine people you can ever meet. Always greeted me with a hug when she saw me and got a Happy Birthday from her too! :) She really didn't hold back in the performances I saw her in. She deserves to be on Broadway with the role of Elphaba one day! Hands down my favorite number is "I'm Not That Girl" but I love her "Defying Gravity" also! I love the growl she throws on "look" during the climax of the song.
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| Christine & I after the benefit on 3/28 |
First this girl is British but does an amazing job with doing an American accent, accept to me she threw in a bit of southern accent being in North Carolina and all! I was amazed at how well she covered her accent for one thing. There isn't one thing to hate about her performances, she is amazing in the role of Glinda. I love her "Popular" and "Thank Goodness" I would say the most. Charlotte marked on the my 3rd-6th time seeing her in the role, but she had changed her portrayal in the month since I had saw her in Orlando. One of the sweetest people you can ever meet. She about knocked me over when she opened my gift backstage on my birthday. ;) I will always remember her comment on the 31st to me when I was crying, "I think we need another picture together." Which made me laugh. My niece captured that moment herself.
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| Jeanna & I after the final show. |
Billy Tighe (Fiyero)
Like Christine, I had seen Billy with the show as an ensemble member back in 2010. I actually saw him in his 2nd show ever in Wicked. I have seen him in the role 12 times now and will say hands down he is my favorite Fiyero, but again that maybe a biased because I have seen him so many times! ;) I have seen him with 3 Elphaba's and sometimes you will get Fiyero's who don't change up how they perform with each one, but he wasn't one of those. (again might be he is one of 3 I have seen with multiple Elphaba's) I just loved his portrayal, espeically enjoyed watching his "Dancing Through Life" I would say the most, but he has amazing chemistry with Christine and make the love story there feel real. I never seemed to catch him after a matinee ever until Charlotte! ;) But was so sweet and fun to chat to. I still laugh thinking about how close some of his family lives to me and he actually knows where Seven Lakes is! ;) I found out to his mom shares a birthday with me. ;)
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| Billy & I on 3/28 |
She was one of two Nessa's I got to see in Charlotte. I knew ahead of time I wouldn't see Zarah Mahler due to an injury, but was excited to see a new person in the role. Lauren made my 8th Nessarose. I really enjoyed her performances that I saw of her. She's not too evil sounding when it comes to the 2nd act, in my opinion, but plays the innocent side well. It looked like on Saturday night to me she tripped when she stood up when the spell was cast on the shoes, that maybe I wasn't paying attention on Thursday night. I actually ran into one of her friends from high school while inline for the bathroom. Always interesting when you meet some one that knows a cast member well. So sweet at the stage door also. She was also amazing at the benefit they put on 3/28. Amazing dancer!
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| Lauren & I on 3/28 |
Jillian informed me herself that she would be on for Nessa on Saturday for the matinee. One of those I gotta get a ticket to see this show situations! I was blessed twice to see her in the role. She's fairly new to the role of Nessa, but like Lauren was amazing in the role. Plays it differently from other's I have seen in the role. I love her little munchkin she made with her hands. Her love for Boq you could feel during "Wicked Witch of the East." I have to say that Jillian is one of the most genuine and sweetest people I have met through this show. She helped us out at lottery on Saturday and Sunday night for one thing, but this is who offered the backstage tour to me and some other people Saturday night. Just can never say thank you enough to her for everything.
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| Jillian & I on 3/30 |
I saw him in his debut show as Boq way back in June of 2012. I had forgotten his portrayal until I saw him in February in Orlando. Amazing what a few dozen more shows can do for a performer. ;) He is so adorable in the role, is how I put it. I loved it when Billy would take the school book and bop him the face with it during Dancing Through Life. Has such a love for Glinda in his portrayal too. Michael was the other half of my backstage tour. He was actually who took us back. He is so sweet and was fun to talk to over the weekend. He was amazing at the benefit too and was picked on by Jay (who plays Dr. Dillamond) during it. It was comical!
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| Jeanna, Michael & I on 3/28 |
I saw Jane as Morrible in Dayton back in June and adored her in the role back then and was excited when I heard she would be on in Charlotte the final weekend! I just love and adore her as Morrible. She is mature sounding for being younger for the role, but really gives me chills with her portrayal. The speech during DG will either make me jump or do nothing and each time I jumped with her speech. Next to the wizard, she looks like a giant. ;) She is one of the sweetest people too and fun to chat with at the stage door. She quickly took a few minutes on my birthday with me, which was great. It was a treat seeing her in the role 3 times in Charlotte.
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| My niece, Bride, Jane & I on 3/31 |
When I heard she was going to be on for one show, my friend Amy & I were like we have to win lotto, we have to see her! We were blessed with tickets through a lottery win and wow is all I can say. She is so young sounding in the role as Morrible. I haven't a clue what I was expecting to hear, honestly. She doesn't sound the way she did in the role than she does off-stage. Bridie is truly one of the nicest people. Back in Dayton, we met her on accident trying to find a cast member before the show and I for one was so excited when I heard she was coming back to the 2nd tour of Wicked. No different in Orlando or Charlotte. Love the hugs she gives you when she sees you. :) So thrilled I got to see her as Madame Morrible in Charlotte.
Walker Jones (Wizard of Oz)
The newest cast member to the 2nd tour, it was hard to hear that Paul Kreppel wouldn't be in Charlotte after just seeing him one final time in Orlando. You get so use to seeing some one in the role and when some one new comes in, it's hard. I enjoyed his performances as the Wizard. He's one of the shortest I have seen, but changed up his performance a bit between Thursday and Saturday. He's one very nice person and fun to chat to at the door. Even caught up with him at the benefit on our way into the theater and also at lottery. :)
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| Gaia & I with Walker on 3/31 |
