I don't know about you, but we're in full-on Halloween preparation mode in our house. My daughter usually begins planning her next year's costume on November 1st. So we went shopping this weekend for both my 13-year-old and my 2-year-old, who will be respectively, Marilyn Monroe (circa Seven Year Itch) and a wizard (we went in intending for him to be a cowboy, but he really took to the wizard hat). This weekend also found me in a Barnes & Noble, where you can't miss their huge display homage to Wicked, by Gregory Maguire, which is enjoying its fifth anniversary as a musical on Broadway this Fall. Wicked remains one of the toughest theater tickets to get in town and I can completely see why. The show is so captivating. We have the score playing regularly in our house.
This fall also brings the long-awaited publication of Gregory Maguire's next installment in the Wicked Years series, A Lion Among Men, going on sale on 10/14. For a limited time, as part of the run-up to the release of Lion, you can browse inside the entire book of Wicked online -- if you haven't yet read it, check it out. Not only a great book group pick, it's a great mother/daughter book group selection as well.
And if you're in the NYC area later this fall, you can try to score tickets to Wicked presents "The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken" being held on Monday, October 27th. This is a one-night only, all-star benefit featuring never-before-seen material performed publicly for the first time. In "The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken," composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book writer Winnie Holzman will share some of the scenes and songs from early drafts of the show that were cut during the show's development and pre-Broadway engagement. To purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.com/wicked. Select "New York," go to 10/27 on the calendar and then "Find Tickets.
For more information on all the Wicked Day festivities celebrating ths show's anniversary, go here. And you can visit Gregory Maguire's website here.
I have seen Wicked here in Los Angeles twice and I love it. It's a great show. Love the soundtrack too.
I am also reading the book now but I am finding it a bit hard to get thru.
Posted by: Ti | September 24, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Hmm...I honestly wasn't really the biggest fan of Wicked, but I didn't realize he had turned it into a series!
Posted by: S. Krishna | September 24, 2008 at 04:29 PM
Halloween, I love Halloween...
I remember reading Wicked before it was even really talked about much because I picked up a copy via a yard sale lol. I really liked it and I would love to do a re-read one day! Maybe while they still have it online. Thanks for the info!
Posted by: Ladytink_534 | September 24, 2008 at 05:34 PM
I was lucky enough to see Wicked in NYC in July and it was AWESOME! I have the book, but haven't read it. I wasn't aware that Maguire had a new one coming out soon, so thanks for mentioning it! :)
Posted by: Laura | September 24, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Halloween is big with my boys as well. We actually got their costumes last year, right after Halloween. My nine year old is going as a ninja (complete with fake muscular pectorals!) and my 3 year old is either going as a knight (the costume I picked out!) or a ninja, just like his big brother.
I'm looking forward to reading Maguire's next book. I've read all of them and they're great! I haven't been fortunate enough to see Wicked, though.
Posted by: Jenn | September 25, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Wow..! Interesting post. Thanks for linking.
Posted by: Laci | September 26, 2008 at 05:56 AM