Audra McD as Galinda

[parislover87]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 7:46am

God, I would LOVE to see Audra McDonald as Galinda though I've never seen her attempt anything comedic... She is so incredible I'm sure she could do anything, though it may seem a bit forced... I highly doubt the possibility of this development, but one could dream.... I think in an art show, racial lines can be blurred more easily than in the teenie bopper sensation that is Wicked... But I'm sure once audiences saw Audra, they'd be quite forgiving if she didn't fit the perfect image of Galinda...

sidenote: will we get a recording of her one-woman show?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:52am

She rarely plays anything but roles written for white women

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:55am

I doubt if she'd do it simply because she has a large enough career to not have to step into roles created by someone else. And let us face it - it's just not a good enough role for her.

[WhenURScrap]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 9:53am

I am not a big Audra McDonald fan, though good in the Annie movie, so I don't think she would be fabulous as Galinda. I also have not been happy with those who have been cast as Galinda as it is. No one can top Chenoweth. PERIOD!

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 10:37am

I don't think Audra would degrade her fne musical theatre training to do Wicked.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:03am

She is SO much better than this role.

[gustof777]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:13am

exactly...she is in a whole different league than WICKED

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:27am

Agreed. Wicked would be a step down for Audra. Her talents should be put to other and better uses.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:12pm

Yes, and besides that, can she even SING that high?

[C is for Company]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:19pm

Please don't doubt Audra. She is the female equivalent of the whole ridiculous 'Chuck Norris' phenomena

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 11:28pm

While Audra CAN do anything, it doesnt mean she would want to do every role proposed. Wicked is certainly a step (several in my opinion) down for her.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:13am

Thank goodness for some more material given to her for next season! I'm dying to see this woman live. After watching and listening, I am convinced she can do anything. However, Wicked would be one of the last. After having completed Ragtime, Passion, and Dreamgirls, I think that Wicked can step aside.

[donna_darko_23]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:39am

Just a note...it's "Glinda" not "Galinda"

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:00am

"Just a note...it's "Glinda" not "Galinda" "

It's both. :)

Anyways, Audra McDonald just cannot do this role! She deserves much better role.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 9:25am

Well, Audra could definitely sing it - easily. I don't think she's above the written role, but there isn't really a reason for her to be the 10th replacement in any Broadway shows when revivals and shows are being planned and written around her.

[broadway86]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:05pm

Audra's a wonderful talent, but I just don't think she's right for this role.

[broadwaybaby692]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:11pm

"She rarely plays anything but roles written for white women"

Are you kidding me????
Carousel, Carrie Piperidge - not written for specific ethnicity
Master Class - same
Ragtime - written for an African-American woman
Marie Christine - written SPECIFICALLY for her
Dreamgirls - duh
Henry V, Lady Percy - not specifically "white"
A Raisin in the Sun - African-American
110 in the Shade - this is the only one where I kind of agree

And she would NEVER do "Wicked", it's so not her.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:14pm

She can definitely sing the part. I don't have it right now, but she's been quoted as being able to sing up to a high F on a good day, or something to that effect.

In any event, if Audra (god forbid) were to take the part and didn't sing the optional Chenoweth notes, as Jennifer Laura Thompson didn't sing such notes either, her voice is more than capable of tackling Glinda. It might even be interesting to hear those songs sung w/ the emotional intensity Audra brings to her singing, though emotionally intense is not how I would describe ditties such as POPULAR.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:28pm

Carrie was pretty clearly meant to be played by a white woman considering that Carousel is Americana, but it doesn't add any more steam to the claim that she plays nothing but white roles. Seems to me that the racial line is just something that absolutely can't stop her.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:19pm

"Master Class - same ( not specically written for a white)"

Sorry, I didn't realize that Maria Callas was black. She didn' look that way when I saw her in Norma at the "old" Met.

"Marie Christine - written SPECIFICALLY for her"

That could be but Medea and Eurypides might be surrpsied to hear that

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:24pm

Somehow, I'm doubting that she's enough of a comedianne to do it. She just seems so wrong for the role in so many ways.

But, I agree that she's better than the role anyway.
Updated On: 5/11/06 at 01:24 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:39pm

No one can top Chenoweth. PERIOD!

That's a matter of opinion.


As everyone else has said, Audra is beyond Wicked.

[broadwaybaby692]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 1:43pm

Tom14850 - Audra played Sharon in "Master Class" not Maria Calas
and LaChuisa adapted "Medea" into "Marie Christine" for Audra.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:20am

While you can argue that the role of Medea is supposed to be white (Greek), the character of Marie Christine, while very loosely based on the Medea myth (and it was a myth long before it was a play) is, according to LaChiusa's specifications, specifically supposed to be a BLACK WOMAN in 1890s New Orleans.

And the role of Sharon in MASTER CLASS is racially non-specific if I remember correctly -- she's merely one of Callas's pupils. However, you could certainly argue that McNally preferred the role to be played by a black actress-singer given that not only did he choose McDonald to create the part, but her understudy and eventual replacement was Helen Goldsby who was also African-American.