Arachnophonia: Wicked

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Isaac (class of 2025) and features the piano/vocal selections score for the 2003 musical Wicked. Thanks, Isaac!

Wicked

Wicked

I remember my mom waking me up to go watch my first musical in the downtown of my city, much to my chagrin. I never showed an interest in musicals––really, ever––so spending the first few hours of my weekend attending a show about a movie I’d seen a billion times was never on the top of my bucket list.

Finding our seats in the dark and cramped theater after buying $8 bottles of water just added to my annoyance, especially after finding out that ushers would be watching vigilantly for phone users, so I couldn’t even resort to that. And then the show started. Immediately, I knew this was definitely NOT The Wizard of Oz I’d grown up watching. The dynamic expressions, the mercurial lighting, and the most handsome of musical notes filled every corner of my surroundings: I smiled, I relented.

The cast of Wicked, from the verdant “villain” of the story to the anthropomorphic bat-monkey-things that legitimately frightened me, were equal in energy to the score that is still stuck in my head. “Are musicals my new thing?” I thought to myself. Maybe not fully. Was I puerile to dismiss them in their entirety? Definitely.

So if you haven’t, I would highly recommend watching Wicked, it remains one of my favorite Saturday 12:10 pm’s ever; if you can’t attend a full show (they can be pretty popular), check out the score and imagine yourself on the indelible yellow brick road.

Parsons Playlists: Broadway’s Finest

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist features a selection of Broadway tunes curated by Music Library student manager Danny (class of 2023).

Broadway’s Finest

On Broadway

“Santa Fe” from Newsies

“Defying Gravity” from Wicked

“I’m Not A Loser” from Spongebob Squarepants: The Musical

“I’d Rather Be Me” from Mean Girls

“Freeze Your Brain” from Heathers

“Tonight At Eight” from She Loves Me (2016)

“I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables

“The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera

“More Than Survive” from Be More Chill

“Prologue/The Day I Got Expelled” from The Lightning Thief

Cast album covers

“What Baking Can Do” from Waitress

“Waving Through A Window” from Dear Evan Hansen

“Dust and Ashes” from Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

“One Fine Day” from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

“Dear Theodosia” from Hamilton

“Just Another Day” from Next To Normal

“Say My Name” from Beetlejuice

“Tonight Belongs to You” from The Prom: A New Musical

“Welcome to the Renaissance” from Something Rotten!

“That Face” from Dogfight

“Grow For Me” from Little Shop of Horrors

Here’s the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZewGPd58vomkfAoKzV0YQyw2

And here is an extended edition on Spotify:

Spider Sounds: Wicked

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s post is by KyungSun, one of Parsons Music Library’s student workers and features the Broadway musical Wicked based on “The Wizard of Oz” and Gregory Maguire‘s literary reimagining of the story. The musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz premiered in 2003 and is still going strong on Broadway and on tour. Thanks, KyungSun!

Wicked

Wicked

It’s one thing to see Broadway or even claim you love live musical theater. But we all know that as artists or avid fans, we LOVE to sing along (or at least try to).

Wicked is one of my favorite musicals. I saw it twice, and teared up both times. Why? If you haven’t seen it, it’s more than cheesy story about friendship. It’s also about the political manipulation, perception, and the power of language. Even more than that, Wicked has gotten me through some pretty tough times. If you haven’t heard of the song “The Wizard and I,” I highly recommend you listen or even better – sing it! – to find your inner confidence. The line, “My future is unlimited. And I’ve just had a vision almost like a prophecy. I know – it’s truly crazy. And true, the vision’s hazy. But I swear, someday there will be a celebration throughout Oz, that’s all to do with me.” This line reminds me to keep dreaming even when your own hometown is literally against you. If you’ve seen the beginning of The Wizard of Oz film, you’ll know why this particular lyric is important. Sure, other songs like “Popular” aren’t something we can (or should) sing as our life anthem, but it’s so much fun to try out…in your own room. Be sure to check out the Parsons Music Library‘s extensive collection of your favorite musicals if you’re ever in need of a sing your heart out moment!