The Exceptional Wicked “Defying Gravity”.
Wicked is a Broadway and West End musical. The story is based on the best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The musical includes songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Galinda, later Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Their friendship has problems because of their opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, their reactions to the Wizard’s tainted government, and, eventually, Elphaba’s public fall from grace.
Wicked the musical premiered at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre in May 2003. In October, 2003, the show transferred to Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre. It was produced by Universal Pictures and directed by Joe Mantello. In the first Wicked cast the original stars were Idina Menzel as Elphaba, Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, and Joel Grey as the Wizard.
Although the production received mixed reviews and was slated by The New York Times, it has proved to be a favorite amongst patrons. The Broadway production’s popularity spawned shows in Chicago, Los Angeles, London’s West End, Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney, Stuttgart, and San Francisco. There were also two North American tours that have visited over 30 cities in Canada and the United States.
Record Breaking Wicked
Wicked has broken box office records around the world, holding weekly-gross-takings records in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, and London, and the record for the largest opening in the West End. Both the West End production and the North American tour have been seen by over two million people.The show was nominated for ten 2004 Tony Awards, winning those for Best Actress (Menzel), Scenic Design and Costume Design.
Defying Gravity
The song most linked with Wicked is the exceptional “Defying Gravity”. In Wicked “Defying Gravity” is the finale song for the show’s first act, when Elphaba finds out that The Wizard of Oz is not the heroic figure she had originally believed him to be. Knowing this, and in spite of Glinda’s attempts to dissuade her, Elphaba decides to do in her power to fight the Wizard and his menacing plans against the Animals of Oz. She sings of how she wants to live without any limits, contrary to the rules that others have set for her. During the song, Elphaba enchants a broomstick to levitate and, pursued by the Wizard’s guards, rises from the stage above the angered citizens of Oz, who try in vain to bring her down.
The staging of the Wicked “Defying Gravity” climax features several special effects. The actress playing Elphaba is lifted up into the air by a hydraulic launch system. The sequence includes lots of moving lights, smoke, and wind effects. You must see Wicked “Defying Gravity” !
If you want more info about Wicked Defying Gravity visit http://wickeddefyinggravity.org This useful site has the lyrics, lots of information on Wicked, Wicked merchandise and you can buy Wicked tickets as well.
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