Best- Nicole Parker or Willemijn
Worst- Dee Roscioli
I've been watching some clips of Willemijn and am completely blown away. Also, though, is it more or when she flies does that lift go up REALLY fast. It looks way faster than the one they're using on Broadway.
Well, I am not a big Wicked fan at all, but I saw Merideth Kaye Clark in the national tour and thought she was very talented and had a nice voice. I preferred her to the other Elphaba I saw, Victoria Matlock.
I think it's funny when people choose a performer they've obviously never seen live before.
I don't need to see Willemijn live to know that's she's probably the best Elphaba yet in my opinion. Right up there with Idina Menzel and Lisa Brescia, both of whom I have seen. All three of them are almost perfect in the role and Willemijn is the full package.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/07
I really want Jemma Rix to come to Broadway.
Did someone really just say that Idina 'If I Contort My Face Any More Will I Get An Award' Menzel was one of the best Elphabas?
Haven't seen Brescia in the role, so I can't comment, but I have seen her wail in AIDA. Nice pipes.
BN
Different strokes for different folks. Though I do agree that her facial expressions are unintentionally hilarious.
I have to agree with that. Not a huge fan of Huff-and-Puff-Idina however I have seen Lisa and she is phenomenal in the role. Not only can she really sing the role, but her acting is amazing.
I believe that all the Elphabas are obviously talented to have been cast in the first place. I'm of the thinking that if you actually have seen a particular Elphaba perform and compare that person with others you have seen live, then perhaps you have a legitimate reason for comparison. But to throw out this insipid thread about the Worst Elphabas...is incredible. I can understand someone having a Favorite Elphaba or Lest Preferred Elphaba... but to use "Worst" is an insult to their talent and professionalism. Cutting down performers on a mindless whim is something I've come to expect from time to time. I try to make an opinion on a performer if I've seen that person live or have heard that person on a recording. That's all. from RC in Austin, Texas
Best that I've seen live: Nicole Parker. The only thing I didn't like was on one or two of her funny lines, she used her Ellen Degeneres voice and it annoyed me.
After reading this thread I went onto YouTube and watched a multitude of different Elphabas. I never knew there were so many recordings! (I blame all of you for my current state of sleep deprivation...) Anyway, I was blown away by both Willemijn and Eden Espinosa. There's a video called "Crazy Eden Riff" which is seriously impressive.
Side note: I was a bit disgusted by how well I know Wicked, as I was translating the German (I think German, right?) lyrics with no problem.
at BrendenNichols2 the list of Elphaba's from the orginal post is a list of the actual Elphabas, the standbies, and the understudies in about i tihink 3+ productions so they don't really go through them quickly.
Actually felm they aren't direct translations.
Actually felm they aren't direct translations.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
You people are inventing those names. There can't be human beings with those names in this thread.
Teal Wicks sounds like a line of homoepathic candles.
I'm just not an insane Eden fan. I agree that she's got a very impressive voice and can riff the hell out of anything, but there's something missing from her performance IMO.
Sure, I'd sit through her doing the show again. Her Elphie is INSANELY better than her Maureen in RENT.
Nicole Parker, I've been told, acted the part best. I only have seen her YouTube vids. That's not enough to judge on.
I did love Ana Gasteyer during her Elphie run in Chicago: She didn't have the insane vocals of someone like Ellis, but she was head & shoulders above any other actress I've seen do the role.
BN
I had never noticed, but wow, some of them do have bizarre names!
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