Wicked Good

Last night Tina and I ventured to LA to see Wicked at the Pantages Theatre.

Tina heard from a co-worker that you can enter your name into a lottery to receive orchestra tickets for $25 (cash only). The deal is you have to be there two hours before your show to put your name in. Our show was at 8 p.m. and we got there at about 5:55 p.m. but still made it. Unfortunately we didn't get them. So sad. At least we still had tickets, albeit in the nosebleed.

But being there so early gave us time to head to Hollywood and Highland where we discovered a cute little desert store called Beard Papa. Specializing in cream puffs, the Japanese-based chain has some seriously delicious treats. I tried the eclair (cream puff topped in chocolate) and it was so packed-full of yummy custard filling that it was gushing out. I could hardly hold it. It's a great treat. Tina had a boba smoothie and she said it was delicious.

As we drove through various part of LA I was reacquainted with how ridiculous the movie promotions are up there. We actually saw a man dressed like Noah on the street corner with a poster board promoting the release of Evan Almighty. That's right, some poor schlep had to stand in 85 degree weather in full beard and burlap costume with what appears to be a hand-painted sign promoting the movie. I know there are freaks in LA but I'm sure this was some jr. VP's idea as a good way to remind people that the movie is opening. Odd.

But it was time to head back to the Pantages. I saw Wicked for the first time two years ago and must say that I liked it better the second time. Maybe it was because I knew the story and all the music. Or because unlike last time we got to see all of the leads including the amazing Carol Kane. Eden Espinoza (Elpheba) and Megan Hilty (Glinda) were simply fantastic. Their voices absolutely filled the theatre. However, the male leads in this particular production were a little underwhelming. Their voices simply could not match those of Hilty and Espinoza. The women definitely reign supreme in this cast!

It's also interesting to see the modifications they have made to the script and scenery now that it is in a longer run at the Pantages. A co-worker's daughter was in the traveling production and said that they also had to make changes because audiences weren't getting some of the material. I think they toned down some of the corrolations to the movie and had to make certain plot twists more obvious.

Still a great production and a great night.