Frank Rizzo, longtime reviewer, instructor and font of theater history, orchestrates two sessions on Wicked, the Broadway musical and hit film. And just in time for you to get in the know! Wicked: Part Two will be released on Nov. 21. The Broadway production outdid itself, winning 3 Tony awards, 7 Drama Desk Awards, and 10 awards from the Outer Critics’ Circle, with the original cast album garnering a Grammy. The first Wicked film has been no less promising, pulling in 10 nominations at the 97th Academy Awards earlier this year. Why has this story so grabbed our culture’s attention? Rizzo will explore this question, sharing backstories from the Broadway production and film, based on multiple interviews with screenwriter Gregory Maguire and composer Stephen Schwartz. Maguire authored the new Oz novels; Schwartz’s remarkable musical career boasts Wicked as just one of his storied accomplishments. Tune in for Frank Rizzo’s thoughts on matters musical and theatrical.
Frank Rizzo has been Variety’s theater critic for 22 years. He has covered the arts in Connecticut for the last 48 years, 33 of them for The Hartford Courant. He is a freelance writer for The New York Times, American Theatre magazine, Connecticut magazine, the Hearst newspapers of Connecticut and other periodicals and platforms. His work is posted on ShowRiz.com. You can follow him on ShowRiz@X (Twitter)
Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11 | 12:30 p.m.–2 p.m. | KF Room/Harrison Libraries | $40
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