Broadway gods are on my side…
Wednesday night the national tour of Wicked premiered in Nashville! I got in line with about 90 other folks in Nashville to win lottery tickets — 2 front row tickets at $25 each. I promised my roommate, Ash. B., that if I won one of the nights I would take her for her B-day.
I was there early, Nashville draws the lottery 2 hours before hand, not 2 1/2 like NYC… actually I ran there and arrived in a sweat because I thought I was going to miss it. Regardless, I put my name in the black cauldron and prayed for the best. Ash B. was on her way but couldn’t find parking and just as she arrived, they called out the first name. That name was not mine. Nor was the next, or the next, or the next…
Nancy Hawthorne. WWOOO HOOOO! I screamed! I ran to the front, did a little victory dance and was all smiles as I accepted my little green button and gave them my $50 cash for 2 of the best seats in the house!
The show really IS as wonderful as you think it could be. The talent was AMAZING. Alpheba, Marcie Dodd, was phenomenal. Every note was right on and her acting really captured the whole character. Galinda and Alpheba made a great team. Their duets meshed so well together, you could tell that (even if they have diva personalities) they wanted their combined voices to sound better than the individual. (Galinda and Christine Daaé are my favorite characters on Broadway – in another life I will perform both musicals on Broadway.) Galinda, Heléne Yorke, did a quirky and fun job with the part and she has a dynamic voice. Seeing the show from the front row was an experience that I will never forget. The Broadway theatre has a much more intimate feel (TPAC is gigantic)… but the front row is incredible. Don’t buy $55 cheap seats… that’s not the way to see it… there are so many nuances that are just too good to miss. AND, if you’re going to spend $150… go see it on Broadway, the venue is much better.
The next morning when I got into work, Jerry (my boss) said, “I saw your huge smile on News Channel 5 last night! Congratulations on winning the ticket lottery!”
I’m glad that all of Nashville experienced my victory dance!