Liars and Saints

  One of my main issues with "Wicked" is the end of Act One. Nobody in all of Oz-- No wizard that there is or was-- Is ever gonna bring me down! First, "was" does not rhyme with "Oz." Second, the repetition of "is" in this clunky sentence leaves something to be desired. Finally, how could a "wizard that was" bring Elphaba down? One assumes the wizard is dead? So.....huh? And the writing never really "coheres" when a character is declaring his (or her) undying love: Somehow I've fallen under your spell... And somehow I'm feeling it's UP that I fell! But I think that Stephen Schwartz does a nice job with human pain. I'm recalling "God Help the Outcasts"--and also "In the Wasteland," the highlight from "Children of Eden." In that latter song, Eve just repeats one line over and over. "Abel, my child, you must not die. You must not die. You must not die. You must not...." This...

It's Tuesday, and it's time to get very detailed about Stephen Schwartz and his obscure, failed musical, "Children of Eden." - A truth universally acknowledged. In Broadway musicals, the cream often does *not* rise to the top. There are many, many intuitive, charming actors with fabulous voices, and they are wandering around jobless. Meanwhile, who often gets roles in Broadway musicals? John Lithgow and Matthew Broderick. Does anyone want to hear either of these men sing? No. But--because of the laws of the marketplace, and because of some kind of tenacity/ego mix that other, more-gifted performers lack--Broderick and Lithgow tend to be your go-to performers for musicals. I'd like to call your attention to "Lost in the Wilderness," performed by Darius deHaas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpw5PRD9Ock   If you want to go right for the pay-dirt, fast-forward to 2:25. That's when Darius goes full-scale Whitney Houston on the word "lost."...