artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#0Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:05pm
What in the world are those guys thinking?! I saw this guy at the Kennedy Center and I wasn't the least bit impressed. He wasn't very convincing as Fiyero. I mean sure, he's black and Fiyero is supposed to be a rebel of some sort, so thanks to stereotyping, that's a plus. But this guy is just a tad bit too fruity for the role. Half the time he appeared to be competing with Glinda to prove who was prettier. A fruity black guy trying to pass up as a dashing and rebellious prince charming just doesn't cut it for me. Sean Hayes could have done a more convincing job! Eden is tops and deserves so much better! I am truly incensed! Watch him and tell me I'm wrong!
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:05 PM
greenegirl87
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/11/05
#1re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:09pmI too saw him at Kennedy Center, and I liked him. I think he had the perfect "swagger" and I loved the way he danced. He had an amazing singing voice, and I really enjoyed his performance overall. The only real problem I had with him was I felt like some of his funnier lines he really rushed, and so they totally just kinda blew over really fast without any real audience reaction. I am excited to see him again on Broadway.
"But now the air is filled with confusion. We replace care with illusion."
#2re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:09pm
"He wasn't very convincing as Fiyero. I mean sure, he's black"
-Well, saying that he is black is nothing to judge sombody by, he is in fact the only full time (except for Taye) Fiyero.
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#3re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:14pmThis isn't about his blackness. I even said that it was a plus. This is about the 'acting bit'. I will still see the show but only because Eden is there and I've never seen her as Elphie.
#4re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:15pm
Okay...
"I mean sure, he's black and Fiyero is supposed to be a rebel of some sort, so thanks to stereotyping, that's a plus. But this guy is just a tad bit too fruity for the role. Half the time he appeared to be competing with Glinda to prove who was prettier. A fruity black guy trying to pass up as a dashing and rebellious prince charming just doesn't cut it for me."
I don't get why race is involved because Fiyero is dark skinned in the book so there goes that argument. Second, Fiyero is not a rebel, just very laid back. Thirdly, Derrick Williams is married and expecting a child so I would not call him fruity. Fourthly, I say this whenever people bashed David Ayers. He had to audition and work very hard (on the tour as well) to be offered the main part on Broadway. The producers want him there. He is the Fiyero they have chosen. If you didn't like him, then thats fine for you. But please don't preach it like fact. Many people have enjoyed his intepretation. To each their own.
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:15 PM
greenegirl87
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/11/05
#5re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:16pm**cheers for SirLiir**
"But now the air is filled with confusion. We replace care with illusion."
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#6re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:17pm
And yes! I could see Taye Diggs doing a far better job!
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:17 PM
#7re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:21pmI actually saw Taye Diggs and I was a little underwhelmed. He's a great Broadway actor but it just wasn't the right role for him. The scenes with Idina were hot but his voice and look was just not what the musical has established to be what Fiyero is. Being a straight male fan of Wicked, I expect Fiyero to have more than a pretty face to hold my attention.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#8re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:24pmIs Williams the guy who played fiyero in the tour? I saw it in SF and loved him (whoever that was). I had volume isseus at the ends of sentences, but he had great chemistry with Eden, who was phenominal. Better that Edina. And Taye was very good when I saw him. Ah, Taye.
defying_gravity2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/4/05
#9re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:24pmI saw him in San Francisco, and I loved him. He was very funny. He sounded great, looked great, danced great...absolutely wonderful. He is the coolest,nicest guy, too. Break a leg tonight, Derrick.
Pillowpants. 'Nuff said.
#10re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:27pm
Personally, I didn't like Derrick Williams performance either. I do think that he came across as a bit too feminine in his interpretation of the role. Maybe he was playing arrogance and self importance and it came across that way to me, but you certainly aren't the first person to feel that he plays the role with too feminine a twist.
I do agree that his race is absolutely irrelavent but equally so is bringing up the fact that he is married and is expecting a child. Regardless of his sexual preference in the real world, I felt his Fiyero was played a bit too feminine. I won't say that he was "gay" or "fruity" because that is just perpetuating a tired sterotype, although I can see where you might be coming from with that assessment.
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:27 PM
#11re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:28pmArtistinwaiting, I would recommend seeing him on Broadway sometime and see if perhaps you saw him on an off night. I know people who hated David Ayers when they saw him the first time but enjoyed him the next. I would hope people would give a Broadway star a second chance because after all the work they have to do to get this far, it seems fair.
#12re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:30pmI saw him the first night the show played in Chicago and was not impressed with him either.I think Norbert will always be my favorite Fiyero..
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#13re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:31pmPatronus, I was relaying the message of him being married because the orginal poster kept calling Derrick a 'fruity black guy", as if assuming (what does assuming do lol) he was gay. I just wanted to point out he was not.
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#14re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:33pm
Patronus - Thanks for that! I didn't mean to be politically incorrect so let me just re-phrase what I said. He was noticeably feminine for the role. By saying so, I am not concluding that he is gay. That is totally irrelevant. Half of the actors out there are and they are among the best in their craft.
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:33 PM
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#15re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:40pm
SirLiir - According to the play (not the book), Fiyero has been kicked out of school countlessly. Isn't being a rebel what made him popular? Hence Glinda's attraction to him? Or maybe they altered the version I saw in DC.
Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:40 PM
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#16re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:47pmi saw him in LA twice... i thought he was fairly good... nothing to shout home about and stuff... a pretty good Fiyero (well the only one i've ever seen really)
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#17re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:51pmlol at EATLASAGNA.. he's only only Fiyero I've seen too so I have no basis for comparison. He is the BEST and WORST Fiyero I've ever seen. Be that as it may, I still don't think he fits the part.
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#18re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:51pmlol at EATLASAGNA.. he's only only Fiyero I've seen too so I have no basis for comparison. He is the BEST and WORST Fiyero I've ever seen. Be that as it may, I still don't think he fits the part.
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#19re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:51pmsorry for the double post.. Updated On: 1/10/06 at 04:51 PM
#20re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 4:56pmI was underwhelmed by his portrayal on tour. He has a beautiful singing voice, but his acting was tooooo...what's the word?....forced? He just didn't seem very comfortable on stage.
tagiunagi
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/27/05
#21re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 5:06pmI saw him in SF, and yes, his portrayal of Fiyero was too gay. I don't know how he got the role on Bwy.
Question: Will Esparza win for The Homecoming?
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#22re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 5:06pmWell I guess you could call him a rebel based on that but it is never implied just what he got kicked out for. It's possible he just flunked out. Anyway, just give him another chance. Kudos to his hard work for making it back to Broadway after the tour. Whether or not he is the best, I am hopeful he will make the part enjoyable for the folks at the gershwin theater.
#23re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 5:18pmI saw his last show at the Kennedy Center, and while I was watching...I couldn't really decide whether I liked him or not. But I really like him now for some reason. He's an extremely nice person, and I'm glad he's getting the chance to do this on Broadway. He is an extremly talented guy.
"You know who I think is sexy? Robbie Hart."
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#24re: Derrick Williams as Fiyero?!
Posted: 1/10/06 at 5:24pmi wouldn't necessarily call him awful because he wasn't, but he just didn't appeal to me. he has a great voice. very pretty. but it seemed like he was trying to hard. all in all, i would say he was ok.
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