I was by no means bashing her in my previous post. I admit at first i thought she was nothing special because many of the clips on broadway.com were not long enough to form an opinion from. The ones on this site however changed my mind. I was definately not saying she sounded bad just that i didn't enjoy some of the riffs. Otherwise she has a very nice voice.
I'm kind of a sweat pant, t-shirt, no make-up type of girl. So once a year, I can get spiffy.
Sutton Foster :)
Okay, so I said I wasn't going to get involved in this thread but if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, I just don't think Miss Bean is a good performer.
Vocally she makes my ears hemorrhage! Her "technique" is horrid. From the placement to the wide "e's" any person with training knows that it is just wrong and unpleasant. I still feel like she scream/yells more than she sings. Not to mention the over riffing that she feels is necessary.
As far as her acting is concerned, I've seen community theatre actresses act far superior to her. She has no grasp of emotion, timing or character at all.
No, I am not coming to this conclusion as I have indeed seen her live and in person in WICKED but the performance on the divine Martha just reconfirmed everything that I have felt and said before regarding Miss Bean.
I of course wish her no ill will, I just find her "talent" less than mediocre and not Broadway leading lady caliber.
By the way, being sick is no excuse. Check out the filmed version of Bette Midler's DIVINE MADNESS concert. She was horribly sick with a very high fever (102 I believe) and she still rocks and gives an unbelievable performance!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
Anyone have it on their computer yet??? PM ME PLEASE!!!
And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before...
After the Sky.
-Into the Woods (Jack)
I don't know if it's still working.. but I found this one... it wouldn't work for me though... because my computer is dumb, and won't update my real player... erk...
As for Shoshana, I have never seen her perform live, other than on the Soul Train Awards, and though she sounded pretty good there. From what I have seen in clips of her as Elphaba, I was not blown away, but then I have a bias towards Stephanie and Idina. But, I have not seen a whole performance, so I really cannot judge.
I really like her in the show but wasn't impressed with her on Martha Stewart. I can't put my finger on it but there was something I didn't like about that performance!!!
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH!
8/21/05
I watched Shoshana's Martha performance on www.youtube.com the whole thing. Go there if you want to see it. You can find numerous Broadway performances on there and EVERY Elphaba and Galinda you can imagine.
Maybe I'm a freak, but I thought her acting is really good on Martha. I'm not a Wicked person, but out of all the clips of Elphaba's I've seen, hers was the best acting.
"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea."
-Marie Christine