Wicked on Broadway

I think I’ll try defying gravity!

​This is the famous lyric from one of Broadway’s most renowned musicals, Wicked! Yes, I know Wicked has absolutely nothing to do with Disney, but today we’re gonna mix things up.

Since Mickey’s Dream Vacations is an extremely versatile travel agency that is more than willing to book your dream vacation, whether it be on a Disney Cruise or a trip to the Big Apple, writing this blog will help you, our beloved customer, learn more about other destinations.
Today, the main focus will be Wicked and Broadway itself. I just graduated from 8th grade, and for the past 2 years, I have been dying to go to New York and see Wicked, so as my graduation present, my parents took me to NYC! Originally, it was just supposed to be my mom and I going, but then my brother and dad decided to tag along too. My mom and I went to a Tuesday night performance of Wicked, where we were in the 5th row, seats 101 and 102. The Gershwin Theatre is at 222 west 51st street, and in my opinion, it is one of the most modern theatres on Broadway. At our performance, Elphaba was played by Rachel Tucker and G(a)linda was played by Ginna Claire Mason. The show was fantastic. Rachel Tucker had the most unique voice. She riffed a lot, which added more depth to the song, and she was a phenomenal actress. Ginna Claire Mason’s vocal range was unbelieveable, as well as her acting skills. She has great comedic timing! The rest of the cast was also amazing. I think the most memorable numbers for me were Defying Gravity, No Good Deed, and The Wizard and I. Everything about the show was incredible. The makeup, especially the green on Elphaba, all the sets, and the storyline in general were awesome.

If I were to rate Wicked, it would get a 10/10!
Wicked had so much to offer even before the show.There were mini stores stationed throughout the theatre, where you could buy clothes, pens, and other merchandise.
There were concession stands that had unique food and drinks like a Wicked chocolate bar or non-alcoholic daiquiris that are coordinated with the two main characters of the show, I had a Glinda daiquiri. When you purchase a drink, it comes in a reusable Wicked cup.
There is so much to do in the Gershwin Theatre, they have photo ops that you can do to make it seem like you’re right on stage with the cast. Also, the Theatre Hall of Fame is at the Gershwin, so there is so much history.

After the show, we went over to the stage door, where the cast came out as they were leaving and they signed my playbill and took a quick picture. They were all so nice!! If you plan on going to see a Broadway show or a Broadway-like show in a big city, go to the stage door to meet the cast. I just did it in Chicago over the weekend when I went to see the Book of Mormon. After we met the cast, my mom and I walked about 7 blocks to Sardi’s. Sardi’s is a famous theatre restaurant where there are caricatures of all the Broadway stars hanging on the wall. Usually after their performances, many Broadway stars go to Sardi’s to have drinks at the bar. I was hoping to see one of the stars of Hamilton, Lin Manuel-Miranda, but we didn’t see anyone :(. We had an awesome late night dinner at Sardi’s and an overall amazing night experiencing Broadway for the first time! It was absolutely fantastic! 

Tips and Tricks for going to a Broadway show 

1. Pay extra for better seats! It’s totally worth it! Though you may not believe it, but the place you sit does have an effect on your overall experience. 

2. Go to the stage door after the show! It is one of the most unique and memorable experiences that you’ll ever have! Don’t crowd the cast. They just performed for 2 ½ hours and are looking to go home and rest up for the next show. 

3. If you’re going to a matinee, eat after. If you’re going to a night show, eat after. You don’t want to be late and not get the full experience because of your dinner or lunch! 

4. Get to the theatre early. You’ll want to take pictures and buy merchandise and snacks. Plus, it allows you to get better pictures of the stage when the seats aren’t packed 

5. Do not dress casual. Going to see a Broadway show is a classy event, and you don’t want to look like a slob. 

6. Don’t be on your cell phone the whole time because it’s distracting for the people around you. 

7. During intermission, don’t go to the bathroom unless it’s a true emergency. The lines are extremely long and people were missing the first part of the second act because they waited too long for the bathroom. 

Thank you for reading and if you want to book a trip to the Big Apple and experience Broadway firsthand, shoot my mom an email at meg@gomdv.com or visit www.mickeysdreamvacations.com for more options.

​Thank you and have a “Wicked” day!

Written by Mike Kinnerk (son of Meg, owner of MDV)

Cast in order of appearance: Jonah Platt (Fiyero), Peter Scolari (the Wizard), Zach Piser (Boq), Ginna Claire Mason (standby for Glinda), Rachel Tucker (Elphaba), Dawn Cantwell (Nessarose). ​​