Random Wicked Musings (Chicago production)

Posted: 5/23/05 at 12:50pm

Sitting here at work, restless on a Monday, my mind wanders back to the Chicago Wicked production I was lucky to see a few weeks back. Great production. But by watching the show with an audience who seemed unfamiliar with it, a lot of things stood out to me.

Spoilers Galore





Most of Glinda's word jumble humor is lost because the audience seemed to be following the show too intently. Her scenes with broad physical comedy worked well but the little dialogue jokes went completely unacknowledged as the audiences seemed to be following the plot too closely.

There was no entrance applause for Glinda. Were they too busy admiring her bubble?

Likewise, Glinda's Evita homage went virtually unnoticed. I was disappointed that no one else seemed to get it.

No entrance applause for Carol Kane either. That surprised me. Again, it seemed the crowd was too into the plot to stop and acknowledge her prescence.

Elphaba's (at least played by Stephanie Block, loved her btw) reaction to Fiyero's "death" was completely unbelievable and unconvincing. She might as well have shrugged her shoulders and lit up a cigarette when she received news of his death. She didn't seem one bit shattered by the news. As a result, no one seemed surprised when he showed up alive or when Elphaba's plan was revealed.

The emotional and spectacle impact of Defying Gravity seems to work well on any crowd, regardless of how many times they've seen it.

The comedy of Popular seems to work well on any crowd, regardless of how many times they've seen it.

Morrible's comment that Elphaba mustn't get wet also went unacknowledged.

The deep ending notes delivered by Elphaba and Glinda on I'm Not That Girl received unintentional snickers both times. Time to lose those low notes?

Don't get me wrong, the crowd loved the show and jumped to their feet as soon as the lights dimmed. I just noticed a few things here and there and thought I'd comment on them.

[pndmnd]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 12:58pm

I don't think it's necessarily that you have to know the show well before you see it. In terms of the lack of entrance applause for Glinda, that seems to be the Chicago way. People here seem less likely to give applause upon an actor's first entrance. I actually remember the first time I was at a Broadway show, and being surprised that an actor would get applause just for walking on stage (I kind of get it, now, though)! I also think that sometimes midwestern audiences are a little quieter. Maybe it's for fear of missing something if we laugh to loud or applaude too much.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:01pm

I saw two matinees 4/30 and 5/14 and all female leads entrances were applauded.

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:06pm

You may have a very good point. It was my first time seeing a show in Chicago, so I may have overlooked the whole midwest perspective angle.

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:08pm

Interesting, brdlwyr. I saw it opening night when I thought excitement and enthusiasm would be highest and only Stephanie received applause.

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:18pm

Great observations Kuhn-- I think the Chicago audience is just not as eager to applaud. Many times Star Entrances go unrecognized here. If you start the applause, usually people will join in, but I think they are unwilling to look too enthusiastic. Plus, I think that this crew is just not very well-known. None of these people are "Stars" here in the midwest

[ShuQ]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:25pm

Another thing...some of the things you said went unnoticed, like the Elphaba getting wet comment and the Evita homage, how do you know? It's not like they would clap...

Posted: 5/23/05 at 1:37pm

ShuQ, very good point. Maybe they did get the references but they did not react vocally to them. I've actually seen the Evita homage get a big hoot/ovation a couple of times and the Elphaba getting wet comment is usually good for at least a few good chuckles. I've also heard vocal response to both scenes on "unofficial" recordings. It could be that this audience did get the reference but they just weren't vocal about it.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:07pm

The next time I see this show I will make sure to exclaim "Wow, she looks like EVITA!" and laugh loudly when Morrible warns Elphaba not to get wet just so you know I got it. Just because we don't laugh out loud or "Ahhh!" at a reference doesn't mean we didn't get it.

As for the lack of applause on the entrance of certain people…are we to applaud the Character (Glinda, who anyone buying a ticket to this show KNOWS is a character so it is no surprise to see her), the actress (in this case Jenna Leigh Green who is hardly Mary Martin or even a Carol Kane) or the manner in which they enter (the clunky bubble is hardly a breathtaking piece of stage magic.) None of which warrants entrance applause for this production. There are no "Stars" in this production. If you ask the average person who Carol Kane is they wouldn't know...now if you said "You know, that chick that played Latka's girlfriend on Taxi..." some might say "Oh, her." But she is almost unrecognizable (as well as unintelligible, I might add...come to think of it, maybe the audience just could not understand what she was saying when she told Elphba that she shouldn't get wet.)

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:12pm

Sueleen - my nine year old was complaining that she could not understand Carol Kane.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:21pm

Thanks for your very interesting observations. However, as to the applause, Kendra Kassebaum is not a name, even in New York, so no applause is warranted. When I saw Wicked last September, Idina got applause, as did George Hearn (both were names) however Jennifer did not (as she had just recently assumed the role and most people did not know her from Footloose and Urintown). It's my understanding that as she has become known for her excellent portrayal of Galinda, she now receives applause on her entrance. I imagine the same thing may happen when Megan Hilty takes over for her. Only a well known star merits applause.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:24pm

brdlwyr, but did your nine year old actually say, "Mommy, (or Daddy as the case may be) I can't understand Carol Kane!" Or did she say, "I can't understand that chick from Taxi!" Big difference.

[metoog]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:30pm

After seeing the show 2 times in NYC, I was expecting a little more excitement in the air when I saw the tour. We saw the next-to-last show in Toronto and I must say the audience seemed "dead".

The reactions/applause/ovations/laughter that occur in NYC really add an excitement to the show. They really were missing in Toronto and it sounds like in Chicago as well.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:37pm

Or perhaps the audiences in NY are full of the teenagers that have seen the show 50 times and want to let thier fantasy boyfriend/girlfriend who is playing Elphie/Boq/Fieryo or what ever know that they are there and THEY GET IT!!!! Perhaps the audiences in Toronto and Chicago are there to see and enjoy the show for what it is and not treat it like it was the reunion tour of the Backstreet Boys.

Updated On: 5/23/05 at 02:37 PM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:38pm

For some reason I was telling her that Madame Morrible was in a TV show. She did not know Taxi and did not care. I believe that we were comparing the Broadway Mme. Morrible to the Chicago case and she did not like Carol Kane. She also did not like Derrick at all. She said that his pants were too tight. I thought that was pretty funny.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:41pm

Hmmm, can someone with a body like Derrick's wear pants that are TOO tight? I think not.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 2:44pm

"Elphaba's (at least played by Stephanie Block, loved her btw) reaction to Fiyero's "death" was completely unbelievable and unconvincing. She might as well have shrugged her shoulders and lit up a cigarette when she received news of his death. She didn't seem one bit shattered by the news. As a result, no one seemed surprised when he showed up alive or when Elphaba's plan was revealed."

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe the note that Elphaba recieves is FROM Fiyero, and it's telling Elphaba of the plan, and to put it to work. That's why she says "We will no longer be seeing his face", she knows he's alive and knows that now she must fake her own death (which is why she then brings out the bucket). I think the reaction she has for this is perfect, it's more of a "I know what I have to do, I can be with my love who I messed up with my magic, and I will never see Glinda again." That's what I get from that part.

I got the same idea from jenna's performance as well, BUT i could be wrong.

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:04pm

Suelynn, where were you in Chicago? If my audience had reacted so passionately and over-the top as you, I'd have never posted the thread in the first place. ;-P Metoog, it was definitely a muted audience to say the least. I had been told Chicago had super enthusisastic audiences, so I was surprised (and a bit disappointed) to watch the show with a subdued crowd, particularly on an pening night. They were very enthusiastic at the end but just so quiet throughout. I viewed as them being really into the show but maybe it was a midwest thing or a combination of both. I didn't view it as a bad thing, just "different." Looking forward to seeing next month if the LA crowd is more in synch with the New York or Chicago audience.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:06pm

KuhnCrazy, are you in the show? Or are you just a groupie with lots of money that can follow the tour to all of its stops?

[TGIF]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:07pm

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe the note that Elphaba recieves is FROM Fiyero, and it's telling Elphaba of the plan, and to put it to work."

I believe the poster was referring to her initial reaction. She didn't recieve that note until later on.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:08pm

I think a LOT of the audience stuff has to do with who is there! I went on a thursday and there was obviously a lot of chicagoians there. They were awesome and very enthusiastic!
then I went on a tuesday and there were a LOT of field trips there! Young high schoolers and older people. I overheard a lot of people talking about "No one cares who's in the show, no one came to see Jenna whatsherface" (when in fact, I was there to see Jenna!) and when I started clapping for each main character they all looked at me like I was crazy!

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:10pm

TGIF--Huh? then I have no idea what part we are talking about!

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:12pm

Stephanie, I know that Elphaba knows Fiyero is alive, but isn't she supposed to make Glinda (and to the same extent, the audience) believe that he has died? In order to do that, wouldn't she have to be a bit more convincing with her reaction to the death of the love of her life? In the performance I saw, she barely reacted to the note which caused my friend (who'd never seen the show) to whisper to me "I'm guessing he isn't really dead??" Therefore, the resulting revelation that Fiyero and then Elphaba surivived didn't work in the performance I saw.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:13pm

People always miss the "Eh, slight gulch." comment made by Morrible during the Shiz scene.

Posted: 5/23/05 at 3:14pm

Suelynn, I've seen the show twice "in person". I'm a native Californian who has a sister in New York and a brother in Chicago. Are you the mayor of Chicago or just really sensitive about your town?
Updated On: 5/23/05 at 03:14 PM