P-C, did you see Wicked? I've been sort of behind so I may have missed your reaction.
I did! I haven't posted about it yet, so you haven't missed anything.
It was very different from the book, which I expected, and I liked how compressing the story really helped focus on the development of Elphaba into the "Wicked Witch" we know she'll become. Her relationship with Glinda was also clearer in the show. I didn't like what they did with Fiyero, though; that was too "typical musical love triangle" for me.
The Act I finale was amazing and unlike anything I've seen on stage before, largely due to all the special effects. It's a very technical production, and the set and lighting were very cool.
The songs were more pop-y than I expected but weren't terribly catchy; I can't remember a single tune today. But the singing was impressive. We got Eden Espinosa and Kendra Kassebaum, who appear to have played their roles longer and more often than anyone else, so they were great.
Act II was inferior to Act I, and I was tired and sleepy by that point anyway. I did think the integration of the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow was clever, though. But I rolled my eyes at the happy ending. Oh, musicals.
My friends who hadn't read the book really liked it and were impressed that it was so complex for a popular musical, and I do like that they kept some of the complexities and darker themes from the book, but it felt like a sunshine-y happy version of the story. Which still worked. It was a fun show, and I enjoyed it. I like that the way it's framed from Glinda's perspective adds another layer of tragedy to the story.