Sutton as Elphaba?- Page 3

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:29am

Why is it that everyone thinks that BELTING an amazingly high note is the only key to being a good singer?

[SummerInOhio2]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:22am

Hmm Hanna that's an interesting question. I think Broadway nowadays is all about belting high. The roles for sopranos have almost been done away with ie Oklahoma, Carousel, etc. and now all we have are people thinking they're on American Idol and screaming their faces off. Don't get me wrong...I love a good belter but variety is the spice of life.

[Katecab99]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:23am

could she pull it off? absolutley, i believe the girl could pull of just about anything thrown her way. sure, she's "cute" and "innocent" and not nescesarily a type similar to idina, but she could totally do it in her very own original and slightly different way - and i would LOVE it.

however, just as people have said, she's a tony-winning actress who i'm sure has people knocking on her door quite often with roles that she could originate. i doubt she would accept a role after two people have already played it. she can do much better than that. after all, i thought i recall that she was part of the WICKED workshop, so, she's had a piece of that.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:33am

I love good belting, too. But performers who can sing legit, belt, mix -- are examples of good singers (i.e., Alice Ripley, Kristen Chenoweth, Kerry Butler). Sure, Sutton can belt, but she has a beautiful head voice, too. The thing that she was able to do SO WELL in Millie was to build her performance. Particularly in Gimme Gimme. She started the number off in a place where she could grow, and she built it up and when you thought she couldn't give anything more, she built it 2 more times to the cutoff of the final note. I also think that Sutton could tackle Elphie, but I would rather see her bring something new to the stage. She has so many facets as a performer and she displayed them quite well in her solo concert that she did at Lincoln Center 1 1/2 years ago. I think she could handle roles that require subtlety and finesse and a more legit sound as well.

[keggss23]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 11:50am

I love Sutton's voice, acting - the whole package. It os so nice to hear someone with a good, healthy legit voice rather than the screaming that has become the trend as of late.

That being said, Elphaba requires a more American Idolish voice which Sutton doesn't have. It isn't a bad thing. She could probably pull it off, but I think she would be horribly miscast. Besides, why would she step in as a replacement when she is obviously more than capable of creating a role?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 12:07pm

Sutton doesn't belt high. She mixes high, which, when done well, can sound like a belt. She sounds like she's belting to the rafters, when actually, she is mixing very well.

I don't think she should play Elphaba, either. Oh, she could. I would give anything to see her do it. But she needs to be in something completely new. I can't wait to hear more about The Drowsy Chaperone!

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 8:46pm

ashley, that's what 99% of "belters" on Broadway do that high...including Espinosa and Bean.

I have to disagree that Elphaba requires a more "American Idol"-ish voice. Are we just thinking that way because the originator of the role was much more contemporary? Sutton could sing it, and I think it's silly to say she'd be miscast, as she can easily handle the role of an awkward girl, if you ask me. I think people are judging this "character type" of Elphaba off of Idina, and though, as an Idina fan, it's nice to see she has defined the role in many people's minds, I think Sutton fits the role just as well...she'd just have a whole nother flavor to the role.

She'd fit the role...just, as others have said; she deserves way better.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:07pm

Eden Espinosa most definetly screams. Her once upon a time was almost a pain for me to listen to. And, as much as I love Idina, she screams too. Shoshana and Sutton both mix, and it's amazing.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:12pm

Espinosa mixes. Most of what I've heard her do in her high register is very chesty mixing.

Menzel belts. She does not scream. That is a ridiculous statement to make...she is a trained singer who uses her voice very differently than Bean, Foster, and MOST other singers. But, she most certainly has a SINGING technique.

[keggss23]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:16pm

Ashley, you beat me to the punch. Shoshana and Stephanie mix which is why I find them to be far superior to Eden and Idina. I don't want to turn this into an Idina vs Eden vs Stephanie vs Shoshana thread so I will leave it at that.

I would rather see Sutton create something new than recycle a role.

[BroadwayBettini2]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:24pm

I agree BroadwayGirl. Elphaba does not have to have a Rock Belt. I have a recording of Kristy Cates (I think her name is) and she sings Elphaba with a more Legit Belt (which in my oppinion sounds better)

I think Sutton could sing it, I think she could act it. I just think her features don't fit Elphaba. Now, I can't be sure until I saw her wearing green makeup.

I personally Despise Idina's Voice and Shoshana's, I feel that the're more screamers than singers. I just can't agree with Idina being this amazing singer. I saw her a bryant Park and in my oppinion her singing was um, not to my liking. I adore Stephanie J's versions of Elphaba. And I think her belt is less Rock as some of you say, and more legit. If by rock belt you mean unclear and scratchy...then no Sutton can not be unclear and scratchy. She's a clear singer with great tone.

And Sutton Does Belt High, in order for anyone to got that high and not scream, they have to blend a little.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:57pm

EEEEEeeeeeeeeeee Kristy.


I don't like when people use the term scream...it's more like...yelling. Screaming and yelling on pitch are two very different things.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:02pm

Yelling, screaming...any time someone uses those terms to describe Menzel's singing, I wonder if she's every HEARD a person scream or yell. If it's unpleasant to YOUR ears, okay. If it doesn't suit YOUR taste, okay. But that doesn't make it screaming or yelling or incorrect. She IS singing. Quite well, actually.

[kim1061]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:12pm

I can sorta see it but not. I feel like she's not mature enough for some reason. Could be from certain roles she's played but she doesn't seem developed yet.

[sassypanz]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 10:38pm

This has been discussed many times. But thats ok. She would be a wonderful Elphie!

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 11:04pm

Ok, I did SO not mean for this to turn into who screams and who mixes and who belts. I was simply using them as examples, not to argue. And I stand by my statements.

[Mr. TN]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 11:40pm

ashley0139, I agree with your statements as well. I can yell on pitch too. Too many singers are getting away with forcefully pushing their vocal chords as Idina did. She even said she was having voice problems during the run. I believe that was from the pushing on top range notes. Last time I saw Wicked with Idina, which was a while back she was absolutely flat on every final note for every song. The worst was D.G. where she was at least a quarter tone flat. Why was she flat, you ask? Because you could see it was hurting to push that much. You could also hear the strain in the folds. There were moments when her voice had a rasping sound (near the end of that song) which is NOT a good sound when you are pushing your voice. I have seen too many students kill themselves for volume and range, ignoring the warning signs. One of them being a rasping/harsh vibrating sound that signals that the vocal folds are being pushed beyond their comfortable limits. The result of this is swelling of the folds and the membranes in the trachia. IE- it hurts to sing. Ok enough about that.


As for Sutton, she is an originator. She is not a replacement. Maybe when Wicked is around for a while and they are bringing back stars to play the part as older shows sometimes do, but she would not play the fourth string to this show. She needs to branch out and originate her own roles while she is still young and fresh and not get tied down in a show that isn't leaving anytime soon.

[Mr. TN]

Posted: 8/9/05 at 11:41pm

ashley0139, I agree with your statements as well. I can yell on pitch too. Too many singers are getting away with forcefully pushing their vocal chords as Idina did. She even said she was having voice problems during the run. I believe that was from the pushing on top range notes. Last time I saw Wicked with Idina, which was a while back she was absolutely flat on every final note for every song. The worst was D.G. where she was at least a quarter tone flat. Why was she flat, you ask? Because you could see it was hurting to push that much. You could also hear the strain in the folds. There were moments when her voice had a rasping sound (near the end of that song) which is NOT a good sound when you are pushing your voice. I have seen too many students kill themselves for volume and range, ignoring the warning signs. One of them being a rasping/harsh vibrating sound that signals that the vocal folds are being pushed beyond their comfortable limits. The result of this is swelling of the folds and the membranes in the larynx. IE- it hurts to sing. Ok enough about that.


As for Sutton, she is an originator. She is not a replacement. Maybe when Wicked is around for a while and they are bringing back stars to play the part as older shows sometimes do, but she would not play the fourth string to this show. She needs to branch out and originate her own roles while she is still young and fresh and not get tied down in a show that isn't leaving anytime soon.

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 12:31am

Well, I think that Sutton has a classical voice, But I think her defying gravity would be pretty cool, it would be different from everyones.

[Ke3]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 12:43am

lol what fun to stumble upon this close to 20 years later. I was looking for examples of Elphaba's who mixed and shockingly this thread was helpful 💀

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 12:49am

I'm a Sutton fan, but I think her Wild Party at Encores proves she's not the beltress for this role. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 10:01am

I wish Sherie Rene Scott could have played Elphie back in the day.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/2/22 at 11:10am

It may have been earlier in this thread, but I'll tell it again.

Sutton Foster was a part of a reading of Wicked, where she played one of Galinda's friends Shen Shen or Pfannee. Can't remember which one.