This evening began in March of this year, as I received email notification of the pre-sale for Broadway in Birmingham bringing "Wicked" to town. I think everyone was excited, and with this email coming directly after receipt of my bonus from work, it probably put me in a bad place for purchasing tickets. But I knew how much everyone would love the show, and I was still upset that I could not see the show well last time as I went directly after having my Lasik surgery. The music was amazing, but I could not see very well at all. So with all this floating around in my mind, I picked some tickets in the second Orchestra section that would have been almost as close as I have ever been in the BJCC when Magan and I watched Les Misérables. Magan could not believe I was even looking at those tickets, and gave me the go ahead. But then I looked at the map, and found 5 tickets on the 4th row...Magan did not know about this change, but I quickly added to card and hit confirm before my cheap heart and mind could fully comprehend the price tag. Then Sam gave me notice that him and Noel would want to come also, so I found them tickets on the same 4th row, just on the other side. But I knew I had a huge surprise for the kids, and a big one for Magan as well. And I just wanted to splurge for these girls (boys too, but mainly for the girls).
And finally our night had arrived, and we all gathered around the group text to determine where we should go for our dinner before the show. And while a few options where thrown on the table, my new favorite future daughter in law Noel made my heart happy by selecting Arbys. We were probably a littler overdressed for Arbys, but it was a good meeting place, as Sam, Davis, and Noel had driven over from Tuscaloosa. All the girls had their pretty dresses on, everyone with a mix of pink and green ("Pink goes good with Green"), and Davis actually wearing a polo shirt.
We all rode together, and listened to some of the songs from the show on the way. Then we parked in the garage closest to the concert hall, and made our way over for pictures at the waterfall, and then around the outside areas of the hall. We were on Scott time, so a little early for everything, but I could hardly stand the surprise. I could not wait to show the everyone to our seats. Inside, we took our typical picture with the show poster, then immediately got in line for the merch...where all my girls including my newest Noel got tour shirts, while Magan got the magnet and ornament. The girls next went up the stairs to the bathrooms after the Oz balloon pic, where they waited to enter the concert hall, fully expecting to be in our normal seat on the back row of the balcony.
Then I told them to follow me, as we went down to the first floor and walked out where we have never had seats as a family. Ruby and Belle later said they were confused thinking that I just wanted to get a picture with them up close before we headed back up to our seats in the balcony. I showed them to the Orchestra section, which is really good seats, and where Magan thought we were stopping, then everyone's face was just in a confused shock as I said "But our seats are down there" pointing to the Continental front section. Then walking down to our 4th row seats, row DD...I even surprised myself! Because Rows AA, BB, and CC were removed for the band, and our row DD seats were the very front row of one of the best musicals ever.
I could not stop smiling, and after the kids finally figured out that this was not an elaborate hoax, they also could not stop smiling. I then told Sam and Noel that I could not get them seats with us (Sam told me he thought they would be up in the balcony), but then I pointed to the other side of this same front row for them. I am so happy for both of them, and hope that I can always spoil them with adventures like this, so I was probably grinning from ear to ear giving them both hugs after I shared with them the tickets so they could get over to their seats. From the back row to the front row, I think everyone in that section knew that this crew was not used to being here as we took pictures from every different angle you could, wanting to capture this moment forever. Jon Bon Jovi was playing in my inner monologue "You want to make a memory". And while it was expensive, and probably will not happen a lot like this ever again, it was well worth it for those smiles and eyes wide with disbelief. Like turning the corner onto main street and seeing that castle, there was some magic on this night.
So what was it like on the first row...I could not stop smiling the whole first act. My face was hurting. We actually saw the spittle fly from Galinda and Elphaba while they were singing. Davis and I felt the dry ice vapor blow over us during the opening scene. You could see every facial expression. Belle said we finally could actually see what everyone in this section is laughing about. We got really close to the scary skin monkeys. Ruby said that Fiyero was wearing some really tight pants. We were close enough to get a full butt flash by one of the chorus girls during a dance number. And you could peak over the railing to watch the band play the different songs and watch them transition. And then, we were right there as Elphaba claimed that "Everyone deserves a chance to fly", and when she rose into the air to Defy Gravity, we stared directly up at her...Ruby blinded a little by some of the stage lights...Magan slyly taking prohibited pictures...And when Elphaba hits that note, we were all in chills!
End of Act 1...and Magan immediately sends me to go get her a tshirt too. Act 1 has all the amazing songs, and Act 2 has some great ones, but the story is fun in Act 2 more. But no spoilers, and I even tried to clean up some of Magan's criminal photos of pivotal scenes from Act 2. But it was amazing. We got to watch some of the outfit changes in the wings, and the crew pulling the people off stage. And a finale that may have brought some tears to this softy.
It was non-stop chatter on the way home, and I wish I could have captured it all. One of our favorite lines was Glinda asking Elphaba about her broom "You still carrying that around?", to which she replied "We can't all travel in a bubble". Glinda's hair flips had us all laughing, along with Elphaba's attempted hair flips then scary laughter and the pointed finger at the crowd. I am so excited to hear Jeff Goldblum singing "Wonderful", as our guy was great, but he was not Jeff Goldblum. And then we were at Arby's and hugs all around to end this fun night. I actually forgot that Davis was going back with them, still had him riding home with us. It was an amazing night, I love looking at all these pictures from this night...And I still remember my little Ruby looking at me that night saying "I want to go back again!" Hmmm....maybe...
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