#151
Posted: 2/2/05 at 3:31am
I think any actress capable of the role could carry it off, regardless of race. I also don't think it would be too distracting for the audience to see a woman of color ridiculing Elphaba for being green, given the ethnic and racial diversity of the ensemble--to me, it conveys that other races and ethnicities exist in Oz, yet her green skin is still clearly an anomaly.
Even if the producers, director, etc., thought race might be an issue for audiences or others (or themselves, even), I think it could be worked in without being too "distracting," for lack of a better word. The storyline, in my mind, provides plenty of opportunity for it. One of the points made in Wicked is the extent to which history and facts can be distorted and spun into something completely different. As has been previously noted, the term "blonde" can refer to personality as much as hair color. Also, a big component of the rift between the two women is that Elphaba sees Galinda as selling out to achieve her popularity. Who's to say which aspects of Galinda might have been spun to have her better fit the mold/perception of the Wizard's ideal protege?
Even if the producers, director, etc., thought race might be an issue for audiences or others (or themselves, even), I think it could be worked in without being too "distracting," for lack of a better word. The storyline, in my mind, provides plenty of opportunity for it. One of the points made in Wicked is the extent to which history and facts can be distorted and spun into something completely different. As has been previously noted, the term "blonde" can refer to personality as much as hair color. Also, a big component of the rift between the two women is that Elphaba sees Galinda as selling out to achieve her popularity. Who's to say which aspects of Galinda might have been spun to have her better fit the mold/perception of the Wizard's ideal protege?
