Wicked 8/3 Chicago Matinee - Sexual Orientation Unquestioned

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:09pm

First of all, let me just say that I find it amusing that so many posters apologize for liking Wicked or say “I know it’s not the best show in the world” or “I know it has a lot of flaws” and so forth. Well, I say, “Wicked Fans, find your backbones and get some moxie up!”

My husband--who is the most critical, cerebral, well-read, creative, musical, artistic curmudgeon I know--said, after seeing the show yesterday, “How can anyone not think this is one of the greatest shows ever produced?” This from a man who reads biographies about Marc Blitzstein; the diaries of Noel Coward; the Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter, Frank Loesser and Ira Gershwin; and Paul Hindemith’s Craft of Musical Composition...for fun.

I love this show, and I’m WAY past being a teenager (by like 30 years, okay), so it’s not because I’m obsessed with Idina or wannabe the next Kristin Chenoweth.

It’s fun, it’s touching, it’s clever, it’s beautiful. I think it’s underrated. I also think people should get over the “We’re sick of all the Wicked posts” on this board. It’s a free country (well, if we ignore the Patriot Act). Post what you want! Read or don’t read what you want!

Show your Wicked spirit and stop being so wimpy, Wicked fans!

That being said, I will launch into my assessment of the Wicked matinee performance on August 3 in Chicago.

Ana Gasteyer is quite impressive. She is a wonderful actress and singer. Her comedy training serves her well, too. She knows how to time a joke and her delivery is impeccable. She got laughs with lines I have always found funny but which weren’t “sold” by other Elphabas the way they needed to be. It is very clear that she is doing something different with the character than I have seen anyone else do. In making the role her own, she changes the show and its dynamics. She is so completely immersed in the character. I watched her facial expressions (using my 007-quality binoculars) very closely, and she was in another zone right up to the curtain call. She takes it all very, very seriously...even the comedy, which is the sign of an artist, not just an “entertainer.” I definitely want to see her again.

Kate Reinders. Now I know this is going to be quite different from what everyone else has said about her, but say it I must (a very oblique and obscure Wicked insider joke that very few people will even get, but what the hell).

I found her portrayal of Glinda to be amusing. She was very, very funny. But she played the comedy “large” as if she were doing a one-woman show full of one-liners and cute numbers. She plays up Glinda’s ditziness to the hilt, but it’s the pathos that’s missing. She doesn’t have the depth that other Glindas have projected. She certainly got the laughs, but I didn’t believe it when Elphaba said, “Everybody loves you.” If I went to school with Reinders’ Glinda, I would have thought of her as a “silly girl.” My husband and I felt like she was still playing June from “Gypsy”...except this time she didn’t get fed up and decide to become a “big girl.” Very one-dimensional. And not in great voice for this role either. I liked her, but she was the weakest member of the cast, in my opinion.

Rondi Reed was magnificent! I read a few posts in which people thought she was mediocre to bad. I am stunned! She was like Lady Macbeth, Frau Blucher, Mrs. Danvers, Claude Rains’ mother in Notorious, Agnes Moorhead in Citizen Kane or on Bewitched (tee hee), Norma Desmond and Lypsinka all rolled into one. I love this woman! I couldn’t imagine anyone being able to stand up to Carole Shelley’s Morrible, whom I found exquisitely evil and profoundly deranged, but Rondi Reed is right up there. If those two Morribles faced off, it would be the end of civilization as we know it. I hope Rondi gets to play Morrible in NYC. She’ll bring down the house.

Gene Weygandt. Everyone who says he’s the BEST wizard ever is absolutely right. It’s as though finally someone figured out who this guy, the Wizard, is. Joel Grey played him as though he were Eddie Cantor; George Hearn played him as Ronald Reagan; Ben Vereen plays him as through he’s the Leading Player from Pippin, only older and with less magic to do (but I liked his performance immensely anyway). Gene Weygandt finds the right balance for this man who is sort of a wacky inventor and one who has fallen into a “The Man Who Would Be King” situation and decides to go with it...only to realize that in order to maintain this illusion of power and respect, he has to do a carnival act. The thing I most see in Gene’s performance that was lacking in others’ take on the character is his charm. For the first time, I actually saw why people would be “taken in” by him, why people would be believe him. He seems so likable, so trustworthy, so charismatic. He doesn’t appear to want to hurt anyone but he also seems too passive to stand up to Morrible, so he lets her call the shots. In the end, he expresses true sorrow because he has lost something much more meaningful than power. It makes all those lines about wanting to be “a father” come to life. Before, they seemed like throw-away lines to me. With Gene, it all makes sense. I hope he come to NYC too! I love him!

Kristoffer Cusick is so good. He’s handsome, commanding, enchanting, sexy. He sings and dances well, but more importantly, he gives Fiyero character. He is the only actor besides Norbert who delivered every line with conviction and an understanding of what emotion each line was intended to evoke. (Perhaps because he understudied Norbert?) I met Mr. Cusick in NY after seeing him as Fiyero, and he was very gracious about compliments that he was even better than Norbert, but it was clear that some people thought so. He was also very kind to all the teenage girls who were hooting and hollering for him to sign their Playbills and have their pictures taken with him. I was thrilled to think I’d see him again in the role, and was utterly confused why they didn’t have him take over from Norbert in the first place.

I have read one thread suggesting that the Elphaba-Fiyero relationship was hard to accept because Kris Cusick “had gayness pouring out of him.” (A ridiculous statement, which I found offensive and said so.) I read another thread in which the poster felt that Kris Cusick was like 16 years old and Ana Gasteyer like 40. Subsequently, it was revealed that Kris Cusick is more like 31, and Ana Gasteyer is 38. I kind of agree that Ana does seem considerably “older” than Kris. I’m not sure why. I didn’t see this age disparity when Kris played opposite Idina--who is 35, I think. Then again, Idina does have a “little girllike” voice, in my opinion.

I have always thought of Ana Gasteyer as being “older” than she is...even when she was on SNL. I mean no disrespect to Ms. Gasteyer. Being “older” shouldn’t be a “bad” thing (says I, who just turned 47. Choke.) Some people just seem mature beyond their years, which is actually a very good thing (thus, I have close friends who are 20 years younger than I am and 20 years older!) But I do see how some other posters might think there is a wider age difference between them. This is a rather minor point in the big picture, but a noteworthy one nonetheless.

Telly Leung is an excellent Boq. Very controlled, very present. Of all the Boqs I have seen, his is the most solid performance. He really understands every line and how it should be put across. And even when he wasn’t speaking (such as in Dancing Through Life’s “wheelchair dance”), he was able to convey rejection and disappointment convincingly.

Heidi Kettenring: Personally, I found her to be very annoying. My husband thought she was fabulous. When I told him that she irritated me, he said, “Precisely. That’s what Nessa Rose should do.” He thought the last scene between Nessa and Elphaba was most poignant, and he had never felt that way before. So I now agree with my husband (on this point, anyway). Heidi very skillfully builds tension. When she finally screams, “It was Elphaba!” her wickedness is complete and real. (All 9 times I have seen Wicked on Broadway, Michele Federer has been in the part. I guess I’m just a tad taken aback to see ANYONE else do the role!) My husband is right...Michele comes off as being sweet, even at the end. Heidi is downright evil--as it should be. Good for you, Heidi! Good for Wicked!

Steven Skybell, as Dr. Dillamond, was superb. I have never seen anyone but William Youmans do this role (again, 9 times!), but I must say that Mr. Skybell is every bit as masterful. His take on the character is a little different, and that’s a positive. I honestly think he evokes more sympathy from the audience than Mr. Youmans did. Just extremely impressed with Mr. Skybell...and he has a lovely voice.

Finally, I just want to say something about Don Richards, who plays the Governor of Munchkinland and other sundry parts. I saw him as Caldwell B. Cladwell on Broadway in Urinetown. He was filling in for John Cullum at one of the performances of Urinetown that I saw. I am a huge John Cullum fan, so I was not happy to see that his understudy was going on. Mr. Richards offered a drastically different interpretation of Cladwell than Cullum, who created the role. But it was sinfully delightful! I hope to see more and more of him, but I’m glad he’s in a big hit right now.

The ensemble is tight and energetic. Not a single complaint.

I do not agree that the Chicago production is “better than” the NYC production, which I saw as recently as June 27)...or vice-versa. Nor do I see any reason to compare the two. The point is this: if you see the show on Broadway, you will be witnessing a first-rate production. If you see the Chicago sit-down, you’ll be seeing a first-rate production. Either way, you’ll be pleased. Was it worth traveling the 300 miles to see? DEFINITELY. Seeing actors new to the material--or new to each other--is a rewarding and enriching experience. Fresh blood and genuine enthusiasm is critical to the life of a show that has a long run...and, like it or not, Wicked will be around for a good, long while. Obviously, I like it.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:17pm

"I think it’s underrated"

Are you for real?

Anyways, great review. I still have to get my butt to the oriental.

[BroadwayMommy]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:28pm

Wow....What a review. I feel like I was in the theatre. Thanks!I also am over 40 and truly loved the show. I make no apologies for it.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:31pm

When I say "underrated," I mean by lots of critics* who gave it mediocre reviews and many, many people on this board who talk about what a bad show it is. I'm obviously not talking about people who like it because people who like it actually LOVE it! What are YOU waiting for, chinkie azn jai? Go see it now!!!!!

* My husband and I saw it with friends for the first time during previews (October 2003). Afterwards, my husband said, "I can't wait until the reviews come out!" as if to say, "They'll be glowing!" Even though I adored the show, I said, "I don't know. I don't think the critics will see what the audience sees in this show." And I was right (unfortunately).

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:31pm

And here, this is your VERY FIRST review! Bravo!

A couple thoughts: I just read the interview with Reinders (Who I thought was good) and she said something that really struck me. She said that Glinda isn't bad or ditzy, it's just that everything has always gone her way and now things...aren't. And she has no idea why or how or what to do. And I realized that was the impression I got from Chenoweth. Others have played it for laughs or whatever, but KC caught that this really is a very sad character for a lot of the show. She's funny, but as a person she's going through horrible times. Elphaba is the reverse-- her life has been awful, but now, finally all comes together. Interesting way to look at it, at least.

And I totally agree with you about Ana-- she changes the whole show by virtue of her intensity. She does seem older (Or more mature) but I don't mind that. She's NOT supposed to "fit" with Fiyero. You should be startled by those two together!

Anyway, great review-I can't wait to read more! And maybe we should start a support group "Hi, my name is Joe K and I am a WICKED FAN."

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:36pm

I plan on seeing it with the Chicago cast before school starts (so in a few weeks). I've already seen it three times, and I'm almost wicked-out.

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:40pm

Not to be too obsessed (I do have to sleep soon) but---

I also read this week that this cast is signed through January 23. Who's to say who might re-up, but I'd imagine some (many?) of the cast will leave when their contract is up (To go to Broadway perhaps?). Tickets are on sale now through January 15 (and going FAST-- My favorites seats are already gone for Saturday shows in December!) so I'd order now if you want to be sure to see this cast intact.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:42pm

I am so not a Wicked fan, but that's why they make chocolate & vanilla.

Great (if a trifle long) review. I look forward to others. Glad you enjoyed the show.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 11:50pm

Joe, Take a road trip to NYC and see it with Megan Hilty. I am completely awed by her. Only 23 and such a mature portrayal of Glinda. (Have you noticed that you and I are using the word "mature" a lot? Are we in some sort of denial or something?)

Thanks for the encouragung words about my review. You're a good coach!

[Derek]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:14am

glad u enjoyed it! and thanks for the wicked boost!

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:17am

EXCELLENT review. There were some moments in the show that you mentioned that I hadn't payed attention to because it was just so overlooked by the performers I had seen (i.e. Boq's disappointment...it was more portrayed as sort of anxiety thing...ish thing)

UTTERLY looking forward to see this show and hoping that I get tickets.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:54am

Idina's 34* Sorry. felt like pionting that out.
*not a fan girl... more like a non-rabid, very enthused male fan of Wicked.*
Anyway, thank you for that incredible review. Must grab the fam, and hall them off to Chicago before the cast leaves.

Updated On: 8/6/05 at 12:54 AM

[liotte]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 1:23am

Great review, thank you!

I'm looking forward to seeing the production next time I am in Chicago!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 1:29am

My husband--who is the most critical, cerebral, well-read, creative, musical, artistic curmudgeon I know--said, after seeing the show yesterday, “How can anyone not think this is one of the greatest shows ever produced?” This from a man who reads biographies about Marc Blitzstein; the diaries of Noel Coward; the Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter, Frank Loesser and Ira Gershwin; and Paul Hindemith’s Craft of Musical Composition...for fun.

Pssssssssssst.....your husband is...(whispers)gay.







Kidding.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 1:34am

Ouch.

I did like Ana's Elphaba (though I've only seen it on coughvideocough). It's simply an example of how a character can be turned into something different, and that doesn't make it wrong, it just makes it, well, different.

[SondhFan]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 1:42am

Thanks for your wonderful review. It was much better than any of the press reviews I have read. You vividly captured the essence of the Chicago Wicked show for us. I agree with everything you say except for some of your feelings about Kate's performance. While we both agree that she was very funny, I think that her portrayal exemplified Glinda's self absorption and her subsequent unspoken coming to terms with reality. I also thought her singing was terrific, especially Popular.

It's hard to imagine anyone working better together than Ana and Kate in their roles. But as you point out the shows can't really be compared because of the new and different take they bring to the roles.

I too cannot understand how much criticism there has been about Rondi Reed and Weygandt. They were outstanding.

I am also totally unapologetic about my passion for this Musical, and I am much older than you.

Thanks again. You should be a professional reviewer. I look forward to future reviews by you.
Updated On: 8/6/05 at 01:42 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 2:54am

Nice review. I am a 44 year old Wicked fan. Not a rabid one, but a fan. I have seen the original cast on Broadway (May 2004)and am seeing the touring company next month here Denver. Would love to see the Chicago sit down show but there are way more things that I want to see in New York and I think seeing Wicked twice will be enough. If the chance falls into my lap to see it more than twice and have no planned show for the evening, I would see it again. I enjoyed the show. I love the music. Even after 2 years I still listen to the OBCR every other day. I think the music does what it is supposed to...entertain and move the story along. Had it won the Tony for best score I would have been ok with that (Although I think Caroline or Change's score is far superior). And let's face it, most of us were expecting it to win more than it did. My only disappointment with the show is that a lot of Mr. Maguire's book is not included. And I know you could not get everything into the musical. But I, for some reason, felt that even though the show is based on the book, it was weird seeing him out there signing the book in association with the show. And I think that's what gave me the feeling that this show was like a machine or something. An event. I would like to see a 4 hour movie of the book. And a movie of the musical would be nice also. So I have 2 copies of the OBCR (One signed and sent to me by Mr. Schwartz after an e-mail conversation we had about the OBCR and both have ticket stubs in them from the evening I saw it. Yup, I do that!), I have the book, I sat in the house seats on Broadway (The seats the show was conceived from according to the person that I got them from who is associated with the show), Got the program, the t-shirt, the playbill and am seeing it for the second time on September 20th at the Buell Theatre in Denver. I think if I never see it again after Sept., I will have enough Wicked to last me a lifetime! But I will say, I enjoy reading the threads and will probably post my review of the touring show on Sept. 21st!

[KristinChenowethFan]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 9:09am

Here! Here! Fellow Wicked fan here with a backbone...nice to meet another! Great review! Thanks for posting!

[vbplayer]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 10:26am

I live in Chicago and I have yet to see it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 11:13am

You said, "Show your Wicked spirit and stop being so wimpy, Wicked fans!"

My jaw hit the floor. Have you been reading this board lately? Every other thread is about Wicked. I can't figure out where you got the idea that Wicked fans were wimpy?

They are so rabid they may need shots.


Joe first.

Updated On: 8/6/05 at 11:13 AM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 11:58am

Sueleen Gay,

About my husband being "pssssst (whispers) gay": LOL!!!

Actually, you're kind of right.

All of my straight female friends have always expressed dismay in finding wonderful men with whom they establish close, lasting and fulfilling relationships, but they're never straight men! We know the "best guys are gay."

I always say that I lucked out with my husband because he's a "straight gay man." Thanks to this "fact," I am the envy of all my friends (and I'm not kidding about that!)

No offense to "regular" straight men intended.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:04pm

TheaterDiva,

A case in point...

Korenglish's most recent post:

Wicked video clip [sorry for the Wicked post]
Posted On:8/6/05 at 12:03 AM

If you're going to post, don't apologize for it!

Have a nice day.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:07pm

I don't mind Wicked posts if they're something INTERESTING, because I like the show, and it's something modern that I like to follow. I don't really care for "Wickedheads" when those OHMIG!!!WikuD iz liek the ClozD?! threads pop up. But you shouldn't apologize for any post, really. If you tried your best to locate a similar topic to your thread via search, you shouldn't apologize, right?

[DAME]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 12:09pm

miss pennywise,
Let me just say that the first thing that went through my mind was what Sueleengay said. And it is still gong thru my mind. Hmm.. maybe we will see you both on Oprah soon?

[DefyGravity23]

Posted: 8/6/05 at 2:34pm

Great review! I agree with most everything but some of your comments on Kate Reinders. I agree more with what JoeKv99 said about her. But anyway...I too thought Rondi Reed was excellent. I think people don't like Gene as the wizard because he's so different from other wizards. I saw George Hearn and really liked him, so it was hard to get used to Gene because he was much more...bouncy. But he still did an excellent job.