Something Wicked this Way Comes

Isn't it funny how you sometimes put things together after the fact?  Earlier this year I found out that Wicked was going to be back in town late summer/early fall.  I thought since my oldest daughter is going into HS, but not really going into HS (JHS here is 8-9 grade) that I would see about arranging something fun to commemorate the year.  Originally, I had planned to make it a surprise...for ALL the girls, but, ahem...trying to surprise 10 14 year old girls with the same surprise at the same time is next to impossible.  So I told her my plan and enlisted her help.  All things considering, it was MUCH easier that way.  It took some doing but I ended up with 12 girls and 8 moms including myself.  Now, we just needed a date.  Since school activities seem to kick in pretty early, we figured the earlier the better, and for all concerned, Aug 13 seemed to work for everyone.  Yes, that would be Friday the 13th.

I arranged for dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery (for 15 of us) as it was 1. close to the Orpheum and 2. had enough variety at a reasonable price to befit the tastes of 9 14 year olds.  Who knew my 14 year old would decide that THIS night she would have a craving for steak and fries...and eat the entire thing???  So, those of us who could met there and had a lovely dinner...moms at one end of the table, cute 14 year olds at the other.  Can you tell which is which?

Not keeping close check on the time, we grabbed the bill and paid to realize we had about 5 minutes til curtain so we hustled it over to the Orpheum and headed to our seats with about 1 minute before the curtain went up.  WHEW!

This was my third time seeing Wicked.  The first time, I had read about 3/4 of the book and was trying to figure out how on earth they could make a political book into a musical comedy.  They did.  The second time I took my husband.  BIG MISTAKE.  For those of you who DESPERATELY yearn to introduce your spouse to culture...take my advice.  DON'T.  They don't want culture.  Really.  They want beer and farting and stupid comedies.  I give him credit for making it through the first act.  Barely.  He ruined the second act completely by fidgeting and sighing heavily and making it known to me, through his body language, that he had had enough.  Regardless of whether the play was over.  I could stick a fork in him cause he was DONE.  But this time...this was THE BEST!  My daughter LOVED it.  And I got a chance to sit and not worry about anyone else but immerse myself in the lyrics:

Woes are fleeting
Blows are glancing
When you're dancing
Through life

Gotta love Dancing Through Life.  But I think For Good is what really touched my soul:

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you  

So...play ended.  Girls LOVED it.  We got this parting shot:

  
No, our little adventure did not end there.  We bid adieu to most of our friends.  I drove my SIL and niece to their car.  Then the four of us that remained headed up to fun filled weekend of frivolity.  Don't believe me?  Here is what greeted us as we arrived:

I think this was my last time seeing Wicked.  I really want to end our "relationship" on a high note.  Not sure if it could get any higher.