WICKED!!!!

This past weekend, my friend Amber, my brother and I went to see WICKED at the Pantages theater in Hollywood. So, I thought I would give you a review of the show and tell you about my experience.
First of all, the theater is beautiful, if you like old Hollywood art and history then you have to visit this place. I can only assume that it was renovated prior to this revival of Broadway shows having long engagements in Hollywood theaters. It takes you back to when men wore suits and women knew that dressing up didn't involve jeans and a cute shirt. It was a fabulous place to see a fabulous show.
WICKED is the untold story of the witches from the Wizard of Oz, we see them all Glinda, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wicked Witch of the East and how their lives were all tangled together and ultimately "wrapped up" when Dorothy and Toto came to town. It takes place in Oz, of course, where there are talking animals, a road made out of yellow brick, a university called SHIZ and of course a Wonderful Wizard.
I do have to say that the musical is based on a book written by Gregory Maguire in 1996. I tried very hard to read this book in it's entirety but after three attempts (the last two i didn't even get as far as the first) I gave up. But I didn't have to read the books to understand what was going on in the musical. In fact, from what I read in the books, the show explained it better anyway.
The outlying set was really mechanical, but if you know anything from the book you understand that it is set is the clock of the time dragon (which in the books, tells the truth of all things, but isn't featured in the musical). There are bright shiney lights all around the set, but they aren't always on, though they'll blind you when they do come on. The costumes, are great they're kinda funky, but you have to expect that, you're in OZ, And the animals talk...they are flying monkeys and yes the Wicked Witch of the West is green.
The truth of the story is simply this... "are we born wicked or is wickedness thurst upon us?". We see the Wicked Witch, whose name is Elphaba, and how she grows thru college and how she comes to be what we see in the Classic tale "The Wizard of Oz". But there's always another side to everyside, and ultimately you see that that tale is just a retelling from someone on the outside trying to look in. You'll laugh, smile and if you're anything like me you'll cry a bit. you'll be moved by the friendships. disgusted by the lies and inspired by the music. The singing is fantastic...and I saw the show with Elphaba's standby actress (the lead wasn't in) she rocked the house...then brought it down.
If you've never seen a musical then I suggest that you go see this one, it's 2 hours long, but it doesn't feel that way and the close of the first act will truly take your breathe away. The only thing is that production on this show stops in January, so if you have the time go....

I know I didn't say much, but I don't want to give the story away and I fear that if I get into the story I'll let something slip. Okay, well here's something...it starts in OZ after Dorothy and the Wizard leave and the story is told in flashback.