Burnham to join Wicked as Fiyero

[Princeton78]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 2:16pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=23773

[Kalimba]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 3:11pm

Not for nothing, but why wouldn't they let any of the number of Fiyero understudies fill in as opposed to bringing Derrick Williams and his tired performance back to the Broadway production?

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 3:19pm

I was wondering the same thing. Not that I dislike Derrick...it's just that he has been playing the role for so long...isn't he supposed to be playing the role in Chicago? Who is taking over for him there? It's all very strange lol. Anyway, I have heard David sing As Long As You're Mine with Eden once before and it was gorgeous! I'm excited :)

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 3:20pm

actually here it is...

I'm not sure what the video is all about, but the music is David and Eden.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fJejSl2GFow

I don't think this violates anything. If it does, I'm sorry.

[jennyish]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 3:45pm

Ugh. He's much too talented to have anything to do with 'Wicked', let alone being the 400th replacement for a terrible character.

[timote316]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 3:53pm

Agreed... but a job is a job. Perhaps this will be his attention-grabbing role in New York, since he wasn't given the (regular) chance in Piazza at Lincoln Center.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 4:10pm

Three original cast members from original readings all together again!


This can be fun!

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 4:54pm

was cheno in the original reading? If not, who was galinda?

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 4:58pm

I'm pretty sure she was in the original reading.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 5:09pm

I don't think she was. I remember in one of the documentaries it was said that Glinda was a much smaller and lesser character before Chenoweth was hired. They wrote "Popular" specifically for her, a la Audra McDonald in Ragtime.

[threatXthree]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 5:23pm

bwayguy22089:

Derrick recently left the Chicago company; Michael Seelbach now plays Fiyero over there. Squee!

[Popular]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 5:47pm

was cheno in the original reading? If not, who was galinda?

I forget her name now, but she is from the west coast and I think Seth mentioned her name in a chatterbox interview he had with Stephanie. Don't quote me on this but I think if you go back and listen he says it when discussing "my other favorite west coast girl" or something like that. Wow, I have a random memory!

[me2]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 6:18pm

I seem to remember WICKED: THE GRIMMERIE saying that Chenoweth was workshop Glinda. I think she was doing her sitcom in LA when they were doing the readings.

If you haven't seen the Andrew Gans interview on Playbill, by the way, Ms. Block addresses not getting the Elphaba part on Broadway.
Broadway Blog: From the Mouth of Stephanie J. Block II

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 6:22pm

Stephanie Block workshopped the material for Elphaba from the beginning.

Chenoweth came in for the full-scale "big" workshop they mounted at Universal for the producers, which is also where David Burnham and Lenny Wolpe participated in the project.

[fflagg]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 6:37pm

For more interesting information on him, check out www.billymasters.com.

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 6:38pm

Has anyone else seen Derrick? I'm really curious about him.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 7:07pm

I saw him during his first run on Broadway. I found him to be one of the better Fiyeros. He exuded the charm and charisma necessary to at least make a poorly written role somewhat interesting.

[Popular]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 7:30pm

obsessedjb - I'd rather keep my opinion to myself and let you decide on your own what you think of him. I'll say this much though... I don't think you'll be disappointed. Let us know how you enjoyed the show! :)

[bk]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 8:51pm

"Stephanie Block workshopped the material for Elphaba from the beginning.

Chenoweth came in for the full-scale "big" workshop they mounted at Universal for the producers, which is also where David Burnham and Lenny Wolpe participated in the project."

Correct - I was there, although I thought she'd been involved a bit before this workshop. And it wasn't a "big" workshop - no blocking, everyone sitting at tables, more of a reading, so maybe this was before what you were describing or maybe we have different definitions of "big."

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:17pm

He has such a great voice. It's a step down from Piazza, but it's a lead on Broadway (and not an understudy), so good for him!

[Act0r721]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:30pm

I saw him in "Piazza" in Chicago and he was fantastic. I second the hope that this can be a vehicle for him, to get his name out there.

[Popular]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:46pm

It was Tami Tappan Damiano who did the presentation as Glinda.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:48pm

bk, I meant "big" in terms of importance.

[bryan]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:55pm

i saw burnham here in portland, maine in the magic of christmas and he was great he has a great singing voice and he is very cute too.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 9:59pm

Cheno was in one other workshop before the big one.