No One Mourns the Wicked

Sandy, Danny, The Pink Ladies, The T-birds, the cast, the choreography, the music--I adored it all...and I was only nine. Mom and Dad sequestered everyone away from the basement, and why? Because they wanted to watch this mysterious program coming on TV called "Grease." And because it was forbidden, I wanted in on it! I couldn't quite figure out if it had to do with cooking bacon or tuning up a car...but I could hear music and singing and I HAD to know what it was all about. Luckily, I convinced Mom to cave and let me sneak in for my first viewing of the legendary musical--and I was in love! Eleven years later, after spending my adolescent life trying to determine whether I'd rather be Marie Osmond or Olivia Newton-John, I was cast in a community theater production of Grease playing Sandy (opposite of a new boy in my high school playing Danny--and he was cute!) It was a thrill for me to be a part of the only musical/movie that (to this day) I know every line. Grease was the catalyst to my adoration of Broadway productions and musical theater, a love I hope to pursue myself again someday. For there's nothing like the rush of being on a stage, singing your guts out and bringing yourself to tears at the sheer joy and emotion of the moment. I've been a part of, and witnessed, many wonderful shows over the years. I can't even list "my favorite" because there are so many: Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Ragtime, Jekyll and Hyde, Annie Get Your Gun, Les Miserables, Chorus Line, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys and one of my newest favorites, Wicked. In the fall of 2005, on my visit to NYC, Johnny won the Wicked lottery for $25 tickets on the front row! From that vantage point (my once and only that close to the stage), I was enthralled with the beading on the whimsical costumes and fascinated by the lack of green make-up melt during an incredibly rich and emotional performance by Elphaba, the leading witch. I ate up the performance and declared it was a feast for the musical theater nut's senses. Four years later, April 11, I was able to take Shayne and Natasha to experience this fantastic show at Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City for the touring company's production of Wicked. And they didn't disappoint! Natasha was on the edge of her seat the entire performance. And I fell in love with the story and sounds all over again. Now, if I could just get cast in such a show, wouldn't that be an amazing blog post!!