Editorial Review:

Album Description:
WICKED, STARRING KRISTIN CHENOWETH, IDINA MENZEL AND JOEL GREY. Decca Broadway proudly presents the original cast recording of WICKED, Broadway's most talked about new musical. The box office is already over $10 Million! With a score by Stephen Schwartz (Broadway's Pippin, Godspell), libretto by Winnie Holzman (TV's My So-Called Life) and based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical is a prequel to the legendary classic, THE WIZARD OF OZ. WICKED explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. One witch, born with emerald green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED stars Tony Award® winner Kristin Chenoweth (You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown) as Glinda, Idina Menzel (Rent) as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Tony® and Oscar® Winner Joel Grey (Cabaret) as The Wizard. The Original Cast Recording -- featuring an essay by Wicked novelist Gregory Maguire, original color photos from the show and a complete libretto.

Amazon.com:
One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Wicked runs into the opposite problem: it has a great plot, but too often the songs just get in the way. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells us what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. And the show is lucky to boast a pair of ace leading women in the main roles. As Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth delivers a sensational star turn, displaying a crystal-pure voice and sharp comic timing; Idina Menzel lends her powerful pipes to the tricky role of Elphaba. Unfortunately, you wish they had better material to work with. Stephen Schwartz's pop score is often dragged down by overly synthetic orchestrations and sentimental lyrics (think Chicken Soup for the Witch). Still, at its best Wicked is a seductive slice of popular entertainment that could well give a younger audience a lasting taste for musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli









Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

---

Related Items:
     see more

Related Items:

• Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Harper Fiction)
• Wicked: The Grimmerie, a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical
• Wicked - Piano/Vocal Arrangement
• Avenue Q (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
• Hairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast)
• see more

---

Disc 1:

1. No One Mourns the Wicked - Cristy Candler
2. Dear Old Shiz
3. The Wizard and I - Idina Menzel
4. What Is This Feeling? - Kristin Chenoweth
5. Something Bad - William Youmans
6. Dancing Through Life - Michelle Federer
7. Popular - Kristin Chenoweth
8. I'm Not That Girl - Idina Menzel
9. One Short Day - Kristin Chenoweth
10. A Sentimental Man - Joel Grey
11. Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel
12. Thank Goodness - Kristin Chenoweth
13. Wonderful - Idina Menzel
14. I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) - Kristin Chenoweth
15. As Long as You're Mine - Norbert Leo Butz
16. No Good Deed - Idina Menzel
17. March of the Witch Hunters
18. For Good - Kristin Chenoweth
19. Finale - Kristin Chenoweth

Rating: - Excellent Recording
This is an excellent recording of the original cast. If you're looking for a good way to experience Wicked (from home), then you won't be disappointed.

---

Rating: - Wonderful show!!
* This is an excellent CD and would be great for the family. Chosen music gives clear picture of the show. ...

---

Rating: - Great music
Item arrived as promised and in excellent condition. For lovers of musicals, it is a great CD that would enhance any collection.

---

Rating: - Wicked
* I loved this CD and not only ordered one for myself, but ordered some for gifts. The music was wonderful and we are all looking forward now to seeing the play. What a great deal I got from Amazon.com. Why would I shop any where else. ...

---

Rating: - Amazing amazing amazing!!!
This has to be the best broadway cast recording i have heard in a long time. Idina and Kristin's voices are amazing. Even though they are totally different they mesh together so well. The orchestration is amazing as well. I love that almost whenever Elphie does a song its percussion and brass driven [almost like a lurking shadow effect] and when Glinda does a song its mostly strings and woodwinds. This CD is just genius. And the show is amazing defintaly go see it!