It's been like... more than ten years since I watched the theater. I missed it a lot. I try my best to stay in touch in the world of arts. Even if it's the opposite of what I truly do. The arts are so inspirational in all forms. The theater is undoubtedly one of the best.
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| Wicked and upcoming theater shows in Manila |
So when I heard that Wicked the musical is going to be shown here in Manila, I got excited. It's definitely my kind of genre, fantasy. I booked a ticket with excitement. It's been a long time, I said.
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| My golden ticket for Wicked |
The Theater at Solaire became all green in theme of Wicked.
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| I already felt the vibe at the entrance to the Theater |
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| Green lights illuminated the lounge |
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| Oh! A map of Emerald City where you can pose for a photo! |
Souvenir booths and a shop were all selling Wicked themed t-shirts, keychain, pens, and… food! :)
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| The souvenir shop :) |
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| Yummy! Wicked sweet treats! |
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| This is genius! A jeep... |
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| ....that sells Wicked drinks and sweets. |
The theater started on time. The sudden rising sound of the orchestra playing definitely got my attention. And as the stage curtains slowly go up, I held my breath as my journey to Oz began...
Sorry I don't have photos of the show. Like movies, it is not allowed to film any of the scenes. So, I took snapshots of the souvenir programme instead. The photos are stunning there...
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| This is my favorite photo in the souvenir programme. |
The theater also has special effects. Rain, weather, sunlight… all amazing! They all transition smoothly before your very eyes. The animatronics they used in the set were excellent. My favorite was the Wizard of Oz, I felt fear in my heart when it spoke with glowing eyes.
The sound effects were all from a live orchestra. I think this was a first for me… to go to a theater with an orchestra, with a maestro to boot. All those talents playing music… superb!
I won't spoil it for you guys. So I'll just share with you the best parts that made an impact on me...
Defying Gravity by Jacqueline Hughes gave me the chills. Wow… the rising platform made an effect as if she's really flying. The lighting were all perfectly positioned to focus on her. The lights made a prism emanating from her body, clearly visible in the balcony. And of course, her voice defied gravity and it made the audience scream and applaud. What a performance!
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| Yep... close to what I saw for real... |
The role of Glinda played by Carly Anderson was an entertaining one. She's just the funniest and the classiest... like a princess and Legally Blonde combined. My favorite was the Popular part, where she was all pink and singing very well, “Popular, you're gonna be popular…”
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| Glinda in pink! |
Bradley Jaden as Fiyero was outstanding. The role fits him. His flawless voice was so dreamy on stage, especially during the “As Long as You're Mine" part. He reminded me of Romeo… :)
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| My crush Bradley Jaden as Fiyero :) |
The cast did a great job in bringing the story on stage. Everyone was perfect. I didn't notice any mistakes at all. Oh, bring me to Emerald City! :)
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| Emerald City! |
You know, I've been to movies a lot. I've watched in 3D, 4D, and in IMAX. But it was the theater that gave me the most unforgettable experience. It engaged my senses entirely. Being there… the lighting, live orchestra, the overall atmosphere… it gives a wow factor, overall.
No movie made me hungover for days. But the theater and Wicked… unforgettable! I'm unable to move on… I'm still streaming the songs on Spotify, with Defying Gravity stuck in my mind for days.
“Tell them how high I'm defying gravity. I'm flying high defying gravity”
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