the current wicked cast..when did it get so bad and young?- Page 4

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 4:34pm

ready..same sentence..."david ayers is crap and George Hearn deserves more applause". If and only because he was Sweeney in the best production of it ever. Get the DVD.
and you said, "thank god fyero is fit for a change, instead of butt-ugly norbert?" I didn't know that being pretty was a requirement for positive respose about talent. I didn't like NOrbert either, but he is SOOOO much better than "bad acting, singing, dancing, david ayers". That guy is just bad. its like watching my highschool....no..my middle school younger bro play that role.
I hope you are gorgeous, saying that someone else is butt-ugly. You know, even if you are gorgeous, it still doesn't matter, because your comment on a person's looks is shallow and sad.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 4:45pm

Maybe I'm just old, but I thought Norbert was a little hottie in those white pants.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 5:13pm

Norbert seems to me like one of those people that are "cute". Or like...a big brother you've never had. He's not necessarily "hot". But he's "attractive".

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 6:42pm

at one point it looks like David is wearing maternity pants (as long as you're mine) perhaps it's a change in the costuming?

[BillFinn]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 7:48pm

My own 2 cents of Wicked's Casting:

After reading each and every one of your responses, here's what I have to say. I don't post on this board very often. I know enough people in the business to know what I'm talking about. But Wicked is something I enjoy immensely and I'm glad someone finally piped up and said something about the current state of it.

Can we just get a list of every actress whoever played Amneris in Aida and stick them in the role of Elphaba? Because that seems to be the pattern this board is giving and it's just making my very long day amusing. Thank you, guys. Honestly now. Mandy Gonzalez as ELPHABA?!?! Do you want to make another "Green Bean" mistake?! Mandy doesn't have the power to defy gravity. Mandy is more suited for Nessarose. Most defintely.

I heard that because of Kendra Kassenbaum, they (1) revised some of the harmonies to fit her voice and (2) the ensemble member standing on the bridge sings the high note at the end of "Thank Goodness" for her now. I was appalled when I heard this. I mean, casting Kendra in this role. Just, why? Kendra is so talented and needs to be used more, but we all knew she couldn't hit Glinda's notes with enough power and now she has ensemble members covering up for her? She lipsynchs? It just really disturbs me that's the quality of theater we're getting. If I'm paying $100 to see lipsynching, I mean. Come on.

For WICKED to work - ACTUALLY work - those girls need to exude RADIANT star-power.

Thank you, ColorofFire. The voice of reason. We are talking about THE Wicked Witch of the West and THE Glinda the Good Witch. Two of some of the most prominent literary figures in Children's Literature. They need to give presence. Power. Meat to the roles.

A few of my friends have auditioned for Wicked and the problem basically is the casting team is a mixed bag. They don't have a set thing in their mind of "Who" is Elphaba or Glinda. The only reason Idina Menzel got Elphaba was because she had RENT on her resume'. Stephanie would have been Elphaba if she had a Broadway credit to her name, but alas. I was talking to some people who are very close to Shoshana Bean and when the entire "Who's the next Elphaba? Eden or Sho?!?" was occuring, they told me "Trust me, Shoshana won't do it. She wants to focus on her recording career." So I mean, with a show like Wicked. It's an instant hit. You can put Frenchie Davis in the role of Elphaba and Britney Spears in the role of Glinda and you're still making money. No matter how much those two leading ladies suck, the show's going to make money. Everyone wants to hear the story of the Witches of Oz. Everyone. These people don't do their homework about performers and such. They go in blindly and it seems to me in the U.S., it's all about the special effects. They will praise her if she can fly. Stick someone like Celia Keenan-Bolger in the role of Elphaba and the show would still make money! LOL. It is that insane. So I don't think the casting team cares too much about whether or not the lady they're choosing can "act" and "sing" the role the way it should be.

Another thing you guys need to learn to stop doing is comparing people to Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. I remember this happening with Aida. "Oh Idina's so much better than Sherie!" / "Oh Felicia's vocals suck! She can't act! Sherie was so much better!" / "Oh Mandy's too infantile for the role." Learn to take each performer as a slice of lemon to a lemonade. It's one role and every performer brings something new to it. Idina will always be THE Elphaba as well as Kristin. But instead of sitting here and going "Oh Shoshana sucks" , why don't you say "Well Shoshana's riffing is something interesting she brought to the role" or "Oh I didn't know Elphaba could be played so meekly. That's interesting." Personally, I'm not a fan of Shoshana Bean in the role, but I do appreciate the new riffing techniques she brought to the songs. Riffing that Idina, Kristy, Saycon, Eden, Stephanie, and Jenna hadn't used yet.

Just because someone's in Wicked, doesn't mean they worked to get there. Trust me when I say this. "It's all about who you know and how you blow." Cruel yet honest truth about getting cast. I'm not saying people don't get cast based on good, honest talent and hard work, but I'm just saying don't assume EVERY ONE of those actors (chorus boys...) got there based on it.

And don't be surprised if Eden Espinosa is announced as the next Elphaba. I know they're already having auditions for it so Shoshana must be leaving soon...

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 9:07pm

"It's all about who you know and how you blow?" really? .....really..did you really write that? you can say that about almost every business. corporate, government...but that is making it way too easy..so you are saying that some of your friends that are in the biz, and got jobs on bway because they had a good time with someone and thats how that got their jobs? really.

I know many talented people on broadway. Meghan Hilty is one of them, maybe not in this role. Gavin creel, sutton foster, the entire cast of Spelling Bee, carly jibson (19 yrs old starring on bway..who did she "blow"?) but if you are pointing out chorus boys, I think thats wonderful to stereotype a group of hard working performers. I think that the cagelles are chorus boys. I tend to think they make La Cage what it is which ones "blew" to get there?

and "you know enough people in the biz to know what you are talking about". incredibly arrogant statement. I am sure that many people on this board know "many people" in the business as well. But if you could share how many you know, then we can take a tally. The person that knows the most people in the biz, will know more what they are talking about more than those who know less.
ugh...

I think people should compare. we compare presidents, ceo's, basketball players, cpa's, teachers, to their successors. "my substitute was better than my real teacher". Comparisons are natural parts of life, and measures of success and competence.


and you are telling people how they should talk about their opinions, "you should say...or you could say". They said their opinions how they wanted, let them say what they want. i think we are mostly competent human beings with thought processes that work.

"just because someone is in wicked doesn't mean they worked to get there." I think I posted that a while back. Originality is a wonderful thing this day and age.

I view your post as arrogant, self-absorbed, and repetitive of many other posts on this subject.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 9:15pm

Please read my entire post before throwing flames at me.

I'm not saying people don't get cast based on good, honest talent and hard work, but I'm just saying don't assume EVERY ONE of those actors (chorus boys...) got there based on it.

Thank you. And no. I'm not going to be so crass as to list off people who've slept their way to the top. My point wasn't to say EVERYONE does this, just to not assume that EVERYONE worked their ass to get to where they are.


I wasn't trying to be "arrogant, self-absorbed, repetitive" and I certainly wasn't trying censor people what to say. I was simply giving them another perspective to all of this. You don't have to choose sides. You can have the best of all worlds. You're not a bad person if you're in the minority to think Shoshana Bean is good or not in the role. It's called being open minded. People compare so they can view pros and cons. What's being done right and what's being done wrong. Focusing on the negative is stupid and gets you nowhere. Okay. Shoshana can't act the part of Elphaba. You learned your lesson. Don't go buy full price Wicked tickets til she leaves, but to dwell on it. Get over it. Appreciate people for what they bring to your life, not constantly depreciate them for what they don't.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 9:32pm

And don't be surprised if Eden Espinosa is announced as the next Elphaba. I know they're already having auditions for it so Shoshana must be leaving soon...

Auditions now? I guess. I haven't seen anything anywhere (playbill, AEA, backstage...etc...), but they might not post that sort of thing online [meaning available only through agents. But Shoshana is scheduled to leave Jan '06.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 9:34pm

Jan '06 is so far away... I don't know. I just met this guy recently and he said "Oh my friend's auditioning for Elphaba now. She says it's so hard but a lot of fun. A lot of work."

[KMEP05]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 10:31pm

two words: Kristy. Cates.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 12:44am

Kristy Cates is soooooooooooo wonderful.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 12:49am

I heard on Sirius sat radio MONTHS and MONTHS before Sho was cast that Sho was up for the part and was going through auditions and what she had to sing (Defy Gravity, Wiz and I, last few bars in I'm Not that Girl, No Good Deed, and I think that's it but I could be wrong! they are picky!) so they could already be auditioning. They start early probably since they have a LOT of talent to go through.

AND btw--even though i always thought Norbert was unnattractive, after seeing him live (in DRS), and now looking at pics of him as Fiyero...he's charming and I find him sexy in his own way--but still sexy!

[Norbert Leo's Butt]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 5:14am

Yay for norbert! his voice is SOOOOOOO much better than david ayers' and taye's

[ken8631]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:05am

I heard Idina and I heard Stephanie Block (currently on tour). Liked them both, but liked Stephanie better.

[mikewood]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:11am

This thread makes me nervous, considering I already bought my tickets for December 26th.

[BoxFive]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 10:49am

Shoshana is at times wonderful in the role, yet for the most part is a creative burden on the production.

Take a trip to Chicago, there you will witness the true WICKED.

[TheColorOfFlame]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 11:58am

BillFinn, absolutely brilliant.

Guys, I think Norbert's way sexy too.

As for Kristy, I've seen several DVDs of her performance. She's kind of a dork, which I suppose works for Elphaba, but she strikes me as very Mary Catherine Gallagher-esque up there on her broom. And when she says "I could . . . melt!", she laughs histrionically and claps her hands like a maniac. Me and my friends have had many a good laugh taking in Ms. Cates's Elphaba. Basically I'm not a fan.

Updated On: 5/26/05 at 11:58 AM

[thenextfiyero]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 1:50pm

i miss the original cast
Updated On: 5/26/05 at 01:50 PM

[525600minutesWicked]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 2:13pm

Well, I kno Shoshana is NOTHING compared to Idina on stage but I hear shes a sweetie... And yes why are all the good Fieyros?? And also, I dont mind that the cast is young, but we need talent. Besides, Idina is extremely young...

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 2:25pm

Idina is not EXTREMELY young....

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:26pm

How old is Idina now? Early 30's? Mid 30's?

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:30pm

she was born may 30, 1971 so she'll be 34 in 4 days.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:44pm

There we go. Can you believe Sutton Foster just turned 30, as well? She doesn't look a day over 17.

[Derek]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:50pm

All I can say is I just saw WICKED yesterday and the whole cast in my opinion (and by the sound of the audience) is AMAZING! everyone is soo critical. Just go and enjoy. It really is (out of all the other shows ive seen, which is ALOT) in the best shape!

[elphieisperky]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 8:02pm

Well, I'm seeing it on Sunday, JLT's last performance. There will be a lot of adlibbing, but I'll give my full rewiew of the real performance when I get back. I mean, the last time I saw it, it was Idina's last show, so I could hardly focus on the acting. But was it really that bad?

Updated On: 5/26/05 at 08:02 PM