Behind the Emerald Curtain...

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 9:50pm

Has anyone tried out the behind the emerald curtain tour? Would you recommend it? I'm thinking of coming to NYC and would love to know what you think. Do you have any theatre related activites like this one that you have tried and liked?

P.S. Activities that don't include seeing a show by the way.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 11:23pm

I haven't done it personally, but I heard you basically just go backstage and watch random video footage and not actually take a tour.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 11:30pm

No, no, no.

There is no trip backstage. You go into the auditorium and watch a film. And you see the "Wicked museum."

If you're expecting a trip onto the stage to look out, you're gonna be upset.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 11:33pm

"If you're expecting a trip onto the stage to look out, you're gonna be upset."

Which is why the name of the "tour" is a bit misleading. It sounds like a waste of money to me.

You mentioned activities that included NOT seeing a show? So, are you not planning on seeing any shows on Broadway?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 12:17am

I have just heard its a BIG waste of time.

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 12:38am

I did it and I loved it! You start out in the upstairs lobby of the theater exploring the WICKED "museum" which is compromised of original costumes, costume sketches, photos of cast members through the run of the show and its tour, retired props, and even props from cut scenes! The best thing, though, is the giant scale model of the inside of the Gershwin Theatre and the set. It is fascinating and shows the enourmousness of the show. When the "tour" officially starts, two cast members get on mikes and talk about the items you've been viewing. You are then led into the auditorium where you watch a short promotional/behind the scenes video. After the vid, the two actors point out a lot of different things on the stage and throughout the house. You are then let out the other side where you can meet the two actors and buy souveniers specific to the tour. I had a great time. I've even been backstage at the Gershwin when I sold Peter Pan souveniers there several years ago and have been involved in theater since I was quite young, yet I still enjoyed it. I just wish I'd brought a camera!

PS When I went, Sean McCourt and Anthony Galde did the tour. Now that Sean is gone, does anyone know who leads it?

[bwaydoc]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 12:54am

I did it and I was definitely disappointed. There is no real "tour" and no going "behind the emerald curtain" whatsoever, unless you count sitting in the theater looking at a screen that's sitting on stage that shows a video that doesn't really have any interesting or exciting secrets about the show. Yeah, you get to see Joel Grey, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel's costumes, but besides that I wasn't really impressed and just felt like I had wasted my money.

[lfae]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 3:07am

Sean and Anthony still do it. Come question time, people were asking Sean about Mary Poppins *g*

I'd say it's okay to do once, but it's not really anything THAT spectacular. I mean, you DO learn a few little things, it's fun, it's not a waste of time, but it's not something that made me go OMG WOW I AM SOOOOOO GLAD I DID THAT. Pretty much though, what ELSE is there to do at that time on a Saturday morning other than lose a lottery?

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 9:13am

-You mentioned activities that included NOT seeing a show? So, are you not planning on seeing any shows on Broadway?-

Of course I'm going to see a show! What I meant was activities that theatre-lovers like to do other than seeing a show. Comprendo? Something like walkin broadway, a behind the scene tour... stuff like that. If I go to NYC I'll try the drowsy and the chorus line lottery and I'll either go see Wicked or the Phantom (incase you wanted to know (probably not lol)).

Thanks for all your responses!

[javertjunky]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 2:45pm

I wouldn't see Phantom. I heard it was pretty bad and that the national tour was better than the broadway cast. I saw the national tour about 3 weeks ago and they weren't even that good. don't waste your money on that show. May I recommend maybe Rent, Spamalot, or LES MIZ!! These are better shows that you will enjoy more.

[pants2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 3:21pm

go see spring awakening!!! and I did behind the emerald curtain an it was fine, I wasn't dissapointed but I knw going in there was no backstage tour.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 3:33pm

Sean still does it eventhough he is in Mary Poppins?

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:02pm

I would LOVE to go see Les Miz Javertjunky except that I'm planning to go once its over kinda thing... I just can't make it before August.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:10pm

What? You are planning on going to see Les Miz after it closed?

[MissElphie]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:43pm

Broadwayfanatic: If you are interested in what you see there, I took pics. You are welcome to PM me for them. It may help give you an idea of what the actual "tour" shows you.

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 5:54pm

LOL! I'm planning to go to NYC after it closes. So I wont see it even though I would of really liked to I just wont make it to NYC before August.

Thanks MissElphie!

[Weez]

Posted: 2/11/07 at 6:10pm

If Les Mis closes in August, then there'll be a LOT of surprise registered on this board. It's already extended beyond its supposed "six month limited engagement"; if enough bums are paying enough money to be on seats, they'd be fools to close it.

Updated On: 2/11/07 at 06:10 PM

[missyrose87]

Posted: 6/26/07 at 4:09pm

I am getting ready to go to the LA BTEC, which begins today, and I'm a little worried that I am going to be disappointed....

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 6/26/07 at 5:07pm

I just took the Behind the Emerald Curtain tour and although I enjoyed it, it was not something I would want to do again. I was much more interested in talking to Sean and Anthony about Wicked and theatre in general, not watching a video...

They were both very nice and had lots of information. During the Q&A session, one woman asked what Julia Murney's favorite song was to sing in the show. My husband and I were like "How the heck would they know that??"

I had so many questions about the technical elements of the show and would have loved to hear all those details. But I'm a theatre fan, not just a Wicked fan.

So if you'd like to spend a Saturday morning visiting costumes, props and hearing SOME info about Wicked, then by all means, it is worth it. But if you're hoping of getting an actual tour of the theatre and all the elements that go in to putting on a show of this caliber, think again.

[FrontRowFirst]

Posted: 6/26/07 at 5:24pm

When I went a couple of weeks ago Kathy Deitch was leading the tour with Sean. She was great! I enjoyed her the most. Sean was running over to Mary Poppins afterwards, he mentioned.

[theatrenut2]

Posted: 6/26/07 at 5:30pm

I did the "tour" a while back with Sean and Anthony. I liked it, but I would not do it again, either. I live in South Florida; so for me it was neat to see the theatre "empty" and see the stage. The best reason to do it is the ability to really talk to whomever is leading the "tour" and find out stories and such. If you're a big fan of the show, then it is worth it once. Just be prepared for NO tour.

[missyrose87]

Posted: 6/27/07 at 2:13pm

I went to the la one yesterday, and it was ok. The glinda dress they had was super short, and they had a pic of cheno next to it, but it did not specifically say it was her dress. has anyone been to the ny one recently- do they stil have her dress there? i was thinking maybe they brought it over to la, because i cant think if anyone else who played glinda that is that small.....