FAN: Helene Yorke is Wicked Good

For Christmas Still A Stroke wanted tickets to Wicked so of course Daddy obliged. We try to get her to a show every 6 months or so and she really enjoys them. I must admit - it's a fun night out for the whole family to get a little dressed up, head into the city, have a nice dinner and check out a show. The thing is, it's stupid expensive. As soon as tickets went on sale I did what I always do - head online and try to find a date with front row balcony available. I got one, dead center to boot, but on a school night. The tickets were still $60 each to sit in the 3rd balcony front row. For dinner we went to a nice casual place that I used to eat at every once in a while for lunch when I worked in the city - The Italian Bistro. They have 20% off your entire check when you have theater tickets. Parking was $18. Princess wanted a program and since she got a 96 on her math test that day, she was again obliged at a price of $20.

I really enjoyed the show and found myself humming Defying Gravity the next day at work. I fixed that by throwing in the earbuds and playing Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. Nothing like Southern Metal to get the showtunes out of your head. That being said, Marcie Dodd who played Alphabet, the Green Witch had an amazing voice. She had the best voice in the cast, but Helene Yorke as Glinda with a "Guh" clearly stole the show. She is hilarious, and quite a serious little hottie. It's hard to see all the facial expressions from the balcony, but I did come home and check out the leads web site's. I was enjoying looking at Helene's pictures until I saw her with Ace, that idiot poser from American Idol. I guess he was in Grease with her. The most uncool Zuko ever. When Yorke's character first arrived in the school scene, I leaned over to tell Stroke that she seemed like Sharpay from High School Musical. Perfect comparison as she played her as well. She's really talented. I hope to see her again in something in the future. Like a bikini, in an HD movie.

Yes, I can go see the arts and appreciate them, but I'm still a bit of a swine. Lastly, I appreciated the venue as much as the show - The Academy of Music on Avenue of the Arts. I've probably been in it 10 times and it never ceases to amaze me. I think I could spend an hour just looking around from my seat. There is a lot of history in that building.