the current wicked cast..when did it get so bad and young?- Page 3

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:12pm

"Saycon is better than Sho"??? wow...if that's true Sho must be horrible..

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:15pm

Shoshana's singing is better than Saycon, from a technical perspective. Shoshana sounds more like a trained pop singer, if that makes any sense.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:32pm

when i saw a clip of sho singing the wizard and i i must say i wasn't overly impressed. Although i can't judge on that clip alone and would give her the benifit of the doubt.... after all, she got the job so she must be pretty good???/ right???????

[Phantom05]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:38pm

In terms of Elphaba I still feel that, if she weren't working with "Lennon", that Mandy Gonzalez would be a superb Elphaba! I watch you list all of these names, and I just sit here thinking that there are performers that are so much better than the tiny talent pool that all of the little teenagers here have created. Come on, the same three names have been mentioned for Elphaba repeatedly, and no one believes that any other actress can live up to KC's Glinda, which is TOTAL CRAP. The reason no one can live up to Chenoweth, is because no one else can be Chenoweth. She's the kind of actress who, in my opinion, doesn't really act. She just plays herself all of the time. To me, there are many other talented actresses that could take Glinda and successfully make her unique and their own. However the only problem is that everyone has it stuffed in their head that the "CHENOWETH WAY" is the ONLY way...Why, I have no clue?!?!?

Later!

Phantom05

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:38pm

Amen, regarding Kristin Chenoweth.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:39pm

the squeeky voice is hypnotising people! I quite like chenoworth actually... sorry!

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:42pm

I really think that if anyone has anything bad to say about Shoshana than they haven't seen Idina. Shoshana's acting is a millionnnnnnn times better. Idina is a belter who attempts to act...I'm not gonna even call her a singer because she only really can sing one type of broadway..her voice isn't very versatle. (if you can already tell I don't really like her). But Shoshana was GREAT she has loads of talent...tons more than Idina. In my opinion that tony belonged to Kristin...

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:43pm

yet it was idina who walked away with it

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:47pm

Actually, that TONY belonged to Tonya Pinkins who gave a thoroughly breathtaking portrayal of Caroline Thibodeaux (sp?) with Chenoweth and Donna Murphy tied for second place for their master classes in musical comedy performances.

EDIT-But let's not get into that again. Updated On: 5/22/05 at 04:47 PM

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:51pm

i repectfully disagree. I saw Shoshana in Godspell as well, and Leslie Kritzer, Chad Kimball pretty much blew her off the stage with improv and character control. Shoshana sang "O Bless the Lord" and, as usual, mariah cary'd the whole thing. NO feeling, but whistle tones galore.
You wanna see loads of talent, find "Funny Girl" from Papermill Playhouse. See Leslie Kritzer play fanny brice just as good, if not better than Streisand at 23 no less.
That's called Loads of talent. Loads of talent isn't strutting around the stage, waving her hands as she sings high notes, and pushes acting beats like she is acting to the braille audience with indication gestures.
you know, I am going to start a post on the brilliance of Leslie Kritzer in that show. That girl should be Elphaba.

[Chlydomnestra]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 4:59pm

Ouch!!! Obviously a lot of non-Idina fans, but I have gotten used to that on this board. I respect it, and I somewhat agree in the fact that her voice is not a typical Broadway voice, but Idina herself never set out to be a Broadway voice or what some people may call a star. Read a background, an interview, a history and you will find that Broadway fell into her lap. Singers, actors, dancers all go where the jobs are and where they can make money. I can understand someone not liking Idina's voice, just as dare I say it, I can't stand Streisand's voice...but some people on Broadway like it, otherwise she wouldn't continue to get roles. Just like some people out there hear something special in Eden's, Shoshana's, Stephanie's, Megan's, Jennifer's, Kristin's, and Saycon's voices. The fact is there are only a handful of people on Broadway who make it to the forefront and into lead roles. Those few are there, because someone heard something different and special, and like it or not, we don't always have a say in those who are pulled to the front. However, people who are pulled into leads, who the audience don't connect with usually have a short lived career in the lead roles. They return to chorus and background people. Idina, like it or not, for the time being has connected with some people and this is why she continues to get roles. Same with Kristin.

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:03pm

Americans simply baffle me sometimes. Not only with the obsession of giving standing ovations at every performance, but ENTRANCE APPLAUSE? I have very rarely seen entrance applause in England, perhaps a couple of times but because it's part of the character not because of who it is. When I've seen really really famous people perform, instead of getting an entrance applause there is generally a temporary whispering of 'omg, there he/she is!'. I mean, when I saw Judi Dench and Maggie Smith perform together it would have been ridiculous for there to be entrance applause, there was only two of them in the play!

And, for the record, there was entrance applause for Joel Grey, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel when I saw Wicked. If they had have hit me in the face in the street I would not have known who they were (Joey Grey excluded).

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:05pm

doesn't it bother you though that people who are on broadway only did it because it "fell into their laps" or because they want to jump start their pop-singing career? It sure bothers me. I mean broadway to me is diff. from any aspects of performing and the media...it has always been somewhere(in my opinion) where people with REAL talent are but now that is all slowly changing...with stun casting and what not.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:09pm

Despite the fact that Shoshana's #1 goal is to be a pop star, she did go to college for musical theatre, so it's not like she's just a pop-star-wannabe that "stumbled" onto Broadway.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:17pm

I wasn't directly talking about Shoshana(in fact when I saw her I thought she was fantastic!). Actually I kind of got off topic of the thread (sorry bout that haha) I was jsut talking about how broadway is startin to become less about talent and more about other things. and it saddens me. alot actually..

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:20pm

I see.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:27pm

I was jsut talking about how broadway is startin to become less about talent and more about other things. and it saddens me. alot actually..

That's inevitable with many things. Especially theatre. A common example is that if you don't "look" that part, almost sure-fire you'll lose the role to someone who does, no matter how much talent you possess and how much talent they don't.

College acceptions. You can be the most intelligent person on Earth. But you know what they look at....your high school name. They'll take someone with say, an SAT score of 1210/1600 that went to Illinois Math and Science Academy over...hmm....a 1410/1600 that went the Elgin High School.

[Chlydomnestra]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:51pm

It has always bothered me when anything falls into the laps of anyone...be it careers or otherwise. Call me bitter and jealous LOL, and Broadway has always been an outlet of talent. I mean, take Ethel Merman...she didn't go to college and study...she was someone who just had IT. There's no explaining why. Some of the most talented singers, musicians, dancers, and actors have never studied professionally. It's just natural to them. Idina has trained professionally and it just so happens that the going trend on Broadway matches the training that she and many others have went through. I hope that after all this rock and roll broadway belting trend is through, there can be a balance of traditional and belting.
Kind of off topic, I think how many millions of dollars, myself included, get poured into training and education to learn how to do some of these things. This is not to say that people should not study and improve their craft, but a majority of the people that have been made famous in the art fields have had minimal to no training. That's not to say they are all great, but that's just a fact of showbiz. Not Broadway related, but Elivs never had a lick of training...nobody ever taught Jerry Lee Lewis how to play a piano...and Tina Turner never had anybody teach her to sing. It totally stinks to think I could train from now until the cows come home and just not get what some people have naturally. My father is a great example...middle school drop out, self taught guitarist, who has played with just about anybody from the 1960's country music scene, and now at 58 years old, he is learning to play a pedal steel guitar and is becoming in demand. He plays piano, bass, organ, and almost any string instrument...and I just did not get a shred of that talent. Natural talent goes a long way, and I'm not really sure how I got to talking about this, but hmmm...something to think about.

[Derek]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:55pm

I personally think many people are becoming too judgmental (if thats even a word lol). I just go and enjoy the show and performance, and i notice when i do that, i actually get much more out of it. Some of u should try it lol :). Im going back to see Wicked on Wednesday and cant wait!

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 5:57pm

Hmm. I need some of that natural talent.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 7:28pm

I really don't think people are too judgemental. I think that people either have IT or they don't. And no matter how much training they have it doesn't mean they will one day be great. You have to be born with natural talent and training ONLY enhances and brings that talent out.

[heaja123]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 8:00pm

i have only seen wicked once, with Idina, and i no it seems everyone on the board hates her, but i personaly LOVEEEEE her i think she is sooooo talented and yes she is pitchy but when she is on that stage she GLOWS!! in a good way, she is beautiful and you cant take you eyes off her, and i think her voice is very unique and beautiful

[Chlydomnestra]

Posted: 5/22/05 at 9:12pm

Who else on this board needs a little natural talent?

ding*
ding*
ding*

Your wish is granted...Now you all have natural talent.

However, you'll have to see someone in the personality department to obtain your IT factor.

Everyone has a favorite on Broadway, present and past, but I think we can all agree it takes a lot of guts to stand up there night after night and know that critics await. Let's all be mindful that what one person hates, another loves, otherwise they wouldn't be on stage. Try not to take things personally, but try not to be cruel either. Phrases like screaming banshee are not exactly constructive, but still...it is an opinion.

Posted: 5/25/05 at 9:58am

Nobody can say in the same sentence that David Ayers is crap and that George Hearn deserves more applause. That is (frankly) ridiculous. At least Fiyero is actually fit for a change, unlike butt-ugly Norbert.
Also, just because they haven't passed through puberty yet is no reason to slag the flange off Sho & Eden.

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 10:18am

I went last night and JLT, Shoshana and George all got entrance applause. I'd venture to say most of the audience has no idea who George Hearn is, which is understandable given the age group that tends to see the show.
I am not a fan of David Ayers in this role at all. He plays with his hair so much that by the time he tells Elphie she's been "galindified" it just looks like he's playing with his hair again. His voice is all over the place and he squeaks in some parts. I worry for him getting through it like I used to for Idina.
Shoshana sings the crap out of the songs but the acting is meh. She uses her hands so much that in the beginning when Elphie's magic starts, she's left wandering the stage not looking like she's doing very much. But she can sing the heck out of the stuff.
I haven't seen Hilty yet and JLT imo carries the show right now, it will be interesting to see when there are no stars in the show (Ben Vereen is a star in a thankless role) how it fairs.