Today I headed down to LA to see the matinee performance of the megahit musical Wicked, the prequel to the Wizard of Oz. Wicked was INCREDIBLE!!! The singing... costumes... and set designs were gorgeous and tastefully elaborate. The chemistry and talent between the actresses/singers that played the 2 lead characters, Elphaba (wicked witch of the West) and Galinda (good witch of the North), were remarkable. Surprisingly, Wicked followed the book, but I was thankful to see that some of its darker elements were left out. Another delightful surprise was discovering Carol Kane, veteran film actress and Broadway star, playing the role of corrupted head school mistress, Madame Morrible. Afterwards, a friend and I had dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel, located diagonally across Graumann's Chinese Theatre. In its heyday, this hotel was the romping ground for movie stars like Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard. Today, it remains a 5-star hotel dripping in affluence and elegance. Although our meal was overpriced, we found it to be a perfect ending to an otherwise perfect afternoon. Wicked was so wicked!
