Compare and Contrast
Last night, I did something I’ve never done before: Stood outside the stage door to have the actors sign my playbill!
Last night, as a 30th birthday gift, my wonderful husband took me to see Wicked.
I’ve seen plenty of Broadway and West End theatre, but no show ever came as close to being perfect as Wicked.
We had the privilege of seeing the standby for Elphaba, Lisa Brescia, along with the rest of the stellar cast.
I found myself crying throughout, especially during a sequence without words. Elphaba, the outcast, showed up to the dance in town and began dancing without music, much to the chagrin of the rest of the Shiz student body.
In a moment, Elphaba’s pain registered on her nemesis Glinda’s face, and her entire demeanor changed. Glinda then joined Elphaba, mirroring her movements, and soon, the entire dance hall was echoing their movements.
It was a pivotal point in the show, for it was from this point onward that the girls become friends.
This same phenomenon, the dancing wordless moment that becomes the turning point to propel the action of the story, happens in the Little Mermaid, when Eric shows Ariel how to dance. In that moment, though he doesn’t realize it, he falls in love with her.
I have a similar moment in my musical Another Place In Time, when Joshua and Maria share a dance. That moment opens the door for them to explore the chemistry they feel, despite their differences and the conflict of interest.
Another amazing moment in last night’s show was the closing number of Act I, “Defying Gravity.” After having her hopes and fantasies dashed by her realization of reality, Elphaba defies — and literally turns her back on, authority and realizes that she must strike out on her own in order to reach her potential and become self-actualized.
Again, I saw an echo of this in my own work. At the end of Act I of Another Place In Time, in “Think It Over” Maria and Elitzia strike out on their own. And though it is a more intimate number, a mother and daughter going into the great unknown, it is a huge moment in Maria’s personal development and quest for independence.
And again, this also parallels Mermaid’s final song in Act I, “Poor Unfortunate Souls” where Ursula casts her spell and Ariel is thrust to the surface to find her way and stand on her own two feet.
I make these comparisons to cement what I already know, a strong story is the essence of a good musical. The music naturally springs from the action to keep the momentum of the story going.
Last night I got a wonderful gift, knowing I’m on the right track…
–Sue
Add comment January 31st, 2008
