Ana Gasteyer/Cast of "Wicked,Chicago"

[David1gr]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:27am

I just got back from a Weekend in Chicago,and was fortunate to be able to see "Wicked" performed there. A friend in Toronto has not shut up about it since he saw it when it 'flew' through there. I now can see why. The show was totally awesome, brilliant, and the best tonic for a cold winters day. I always loved Ana's singing from snl, fab2c her talents are being expounded and utilized so well. Bravo/Brava to a superb cast. I had to wait 7weeks out for this, but it was Well worth it. I was lucky2b in Orchestra row,B10(and12,my boyfriend). I am going online soon to hopefully get tickets to see the show again. Kudos! , David

[Act0r721]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:39am

Glad you liked them. Chicago is glad to have them here. =)

[liotte]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:45am

I saw it this weekend too. Just uploaded pics of me with the cast in my fan photos if anyone wants to look.

(and that night, the producers were there and the cast got many many notes, so we were outside freezing for an hour waiting for them. It was worth it though!)

[JACXR71]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:50am

Liotte, did you post a review of the show? If not, what did you think?

[liotte]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:53am

I didn't post a review (I think there are enough wicked threads and reviews), but I enjoyed it. Especially from my front row dead center lottery seat :)

I spent a lot of time noticing the differences between the NY and Chicago productions, and comparing actors from different companies (couldn't help it). But it was a good show and I definitely am glad I went!

[JACXR71]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:56am

Yeah I agree, though I still enjoy hearing what people who are well acquainted with the show think of the Chicago version When I saw it, it was my third time - the first being on Broadway w/Idina, and the second being the tour, so I was eager to compare the different casts as well.

Glad you enjoyed it, hope you had fun in Chicago - you just missed the snow!

[RENThead414]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:58am

AHHHH i LOVE the chicago cast......much love to them......ana and kate leave on jan. 23 though, then kristy takes over as elphie! squee! she was awesome. ana was good, but kristy is AMAZING (imo)

[liotte]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:03am

OT, but I got the snow last night and today, it caused my return flight to NYC to be delayed 3 hours.

[JACXR71]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:08am

Oh, I didn't realize you were still here. Sorry about the delays...happened to me on more than one occasion. I'm heading home on Wednesday and the snow better stop by then!

[mermer20]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:14am

Just caught the Sunday matinee show. It was fabulous as always! I've seen the tour a couple of times and the Chicago cast a few times now. They have gotten MUCH better as time went on and I thought they were fantastic the first time I saw them!

Just a little anecdote for those of you who like to hear the little stories. At the curtain call, Ana stopped the music to talk about Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and she did her own little stand up routine trying to get everyone to donate money. She started by promising that she would be quick, because she knew people had to pee. She asked, "who needs to pee?" then Gene W. (the Wizard) raised his hand. She then went on to explain how if you donate $100 you can get a poster signed by the "Chicago Broadway cast." Realizing her mistake, she told everyone that she's been drinking and she's been drunk since Thursday. She told they kids to ask their parents about it later in the car. Then she said - "Nooooo, I can't drink - I play Elphaba, I play ELPHABA." It was hilarious. Then she went on to talk about how the producers and choereographer signed 10 posters that they were giving for $200 donations - "but you can sell them for more than that on Ebay, because these guys are the real deal and I'm not on TV anymore so this (points at her signature on the poster) means nothing!"

There was a bit more about the cute male castmemebers who would be collecting money, but you get the idea. It was hilarious. How one person can be so talented - singing, dancing, acting, and spontaneously funny - is beyond me. I'll be sad to see her go!

[liotte]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:18am

That speech sounds very similar to the one from Friday night...

[emo_geek]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:58am

I am still waiting for a letter back from her. I sent mine a couple of weeks ago hehe.

[RENThead414]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 8:06am

when i went the tuesday before thanksgiving and ana was gone for the night (kristy was elphie!), rondi reed (morrible) did the whole announcing of the equity fights aids thing. she mentioned hot male cast memebers, too...yay telly! lol

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 8:53am

liotte, i am so completely jelous of you and your pictures. So jelous. You are so lucky.

[Conor]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 9:08am

I saw the show in Chicago about 2 weeks ago, and was grossly disappointed. Reinders', who I am quite a fan of, did a painfully obnoxious take on Glinda and her voice was too weak for the role. She just doesn't have the beautiful range of Kristin Chenoweth, and her high parts were very weak. Ana's voice is pretty phenomenal but her take on the part didn't really work for me. I just found teh experience generally disappointing but it was my first time seeing the show since Kristin's last performance.

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 9:23am

OK OK! Just a moment to say I LOVE ANA! She is incredible! Can't believe she is leaving..... so so so sad. We will truly miss her and I hope she comes back to us someday.

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:29pm

I saw the show (again) this weekend and at the Saturday Matinee both Ana and Kate were out-- so I got to see the pair that will take over in January. Kristy was fine and I thought the Glinda (I don't recall any of her three names) was awesome-- best I've seen since Chenoweth, even after a rough start vocally. The show is really holding up. I took a bunch of first timers and they all want to go back!

[Mirama]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:04pm

Actually, you didn't see the "pair" that will take over. You saw Kristy who 'will' take over Elphaba, but the Glinda you saw was probably the understudy Sarah (something something). Stacie Morgain Lewis is taking over Glinda and she is the standby in NY. Just an FYI.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:19pm

"Ana's voice is pretty phenomenal but her take on the part didn't really work for me."

She plays Elphaba more in line with the book. The Chicago cast is far better than the original Broadway cast, which I have seen several times, and they are FAR superior to the current cast on Broadway. Although I do admit that I didn't see Reinders, but her understudy was great (her comic timing was a little off, but I think Reinders had just left at that point). My only problem with Gasteyer is she looks a little too old, but her acting and singing are phenomenal.

Posted: 12/5/05 at 1:20pm

Eeep-- really? Wow, the Tribune reported it was the two "Understudies" who would move up and since they both had three names I assumed-- well, I know what happens then!

Pity, as the Understudy for Glinda gave an awesome performance! Has there been any other word on who will be leaving and who will be staying?

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 2:31pm

Kate Reinders is amazing. Ive seen her twice, and she runs away with it.

[otis33]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 2:36pm

Has anyone seen Ana's actually understudy (Courtney Corey-Armstrong) go on? We worked together a few years ago, and am very excited for her. Would love to see her in the show, but sadly am on the West Coast.

[Act0r721]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 5:54pm

I have one of those signed posters framed on my wall. Gotta love having a rich, generous boyfriend. =)

[gustof777]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 6:41pm

"Reinders', who I am quite a fan of, did a painfully obnoxious take on Glinda and her voice was too weak for the role. She just doesn't have the beautiful range of Kristin Chenoweth, and her high parts were very weak"........

...........have you seen the tour Glinda...whoowhee!!!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 12:12pm

Reinders' understudy (Sara Jane Everman, or something like that) was totally fine in my opinion. I hated Kessenbaum. I don't think she is good in the role at all.