little. yellow. different. A weblog by Ernie Hsiung

ernie finally writes a post about musicals

This weekend, I went to see Wicked, a musical about the Wizard of Oz. I went with my boyfriend and some friends of college, the day before the Gay Pride parade in San Francisco.

Jesus Christ, I just read that last paragraph out loud to myself. It’s like a day at the Gay Scouts, and I’m trying to earn six different badges at once.

Wicked tells the story behind the Wicked Witch of the West and her relation to Glenda, the good witch — why is she green? Why is she so evil? What’s up with those winged monkeys? For the geeks that still don’t get it, it’s like how the Enter: The Matrix video game related to The Matrix: Reloaded — it covers additional background story that might help truly enjoying the original material.

Except instead of the trademarked “bullet time” and Carrie Ann Moss in S&M gear, you have, uhm, a singing and dancing evil witch and flying monkeys that burst into song. Which isn’t that different, if you think about it.

The musical was good, and they made Glenda the Good Witch to be like Reese Witherspoon in every movie she’s ever been in. That was good too. They slapped on a happy ending at the end, which was kinda tacky since I expect everyone in a musical to die a horrible death like they do in Les Miserables. But hey, it’s the Wizard of Oz. Uhm… yeah.

(WHAT? I suck at reviewing musicals. Someone could burst into song and dance about pancakes, and if the lighting was all dramatic and shit, I would have thought it would be good. These guys write better reviews. I just try to earn badges.)

uh…sounds okay to me…

Jesus Christ, I just read that last paragraph out loud to myself. It’s like a day at the Gay Scouts, and I’m trying to earn six different badges at once.

You know, Ernie, you’re gonna get me in trouble at work writing stuff that nearly makes me bust out laughing like that.

Wicked is a great book–good writing, very witty. I highly recommend it. Maguire’s other one about Cinderella is good, too.

Post about your trip to Orlando and Gaydays.

Just how many badges DID you earn?!

I loved the “Wicked” book and can’t wait for the play to open on Broadway in October. I agree with GG that the Cinderella book by the same author is just as good (it’s called “Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister”).

that’s something that greggie and i missed out on. if we get out there with jobs someday… look out, we’ll go for TEN gay badges!

omg its a musical!! I LOVE Wicked and Confessions (i have yet to read Lost).. I MUST go to this!!

Being very tired and thick-brained right now, all I will say is: 1) The Matrix Reloaded would make a good musical, and 2) your life would make a good musical — kind of like Jesus Christ, Superstar, but gayer. And Asian. And there would have to be a whole song about the infamous milk incident. (”Drink the milk, tra-la-la… don’t drink the miiilk, la-dee-da…”)

Ernie’s big gay day out.

Thank you for always making me laugh Ernie, I have to go to the doctor about my back pain today and I’m worried about it. Your entry took my mind off it.

Oh, crap. How could this happen? The definitive musical interpretation of Wicked is a song cycle on The Thing That Feels by girl-with-piano goth goddess Hannah Fury. I’m so depressed to learn about this musical. <sigh>

So the bad with is named. “The Wicked Witch of the West” and the good witch is named…drumroll… Glenda?!I suppose the Great and Mighty Oz is really just named Phil?

I like Romy’s idea. Ernest, this is what you should do in your spare time now that you are unemployed: Write a musical about your life. I must ponder this further and give you a few potential story lines.

Repeat after me: “Badges! We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”

Ernie you make me laugh so hard. Its always fun to trip through your corner of cyberspace.

I saw it too, and liked it, but I’ve got to say the music is the weakest part. The performers are great, the set design and costumes are to die for, the dialogue and story line are inspired and some of the songs are really good. But. The music overall needs work. Which they have time to do before it opens on Broadway.

Still worth seeing, absolutely.

By the way, the “wicked witch” is named Elphaba. Or “Elfie” as the relentlessly perky Glinda would have it.

very interesting, thanks