Did anyone see Kerry tonight? — Page 2

"the balance of the show was very much thrown off, and it really felt like Glinda's show."
Yes! That's exactly it. Exactly how I felt when I saw her in London. Powerful voice, but not an ounce of stage presence. (Or at least that's what it seemed like when I saw her.)

"plus...has anyone heard her cd yet? mine still hasn't arrived."

Release date for her (teaser) CD on the Dress Circle site is July 7.

FYI....They are selling her CD at the theater for $12.

It seems like I saw a different show than everyone else. I LOVED Kerry. Her accent did fluctuate at times(The British accent came out strong in NGD and Catfight) and I was upset that she said gravidee instead of gravity(I forgot about it when she growled though...lol). I also thought that her and David had great chemisty and her and Kendra looked like they were working together for years.

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Why do performers get "told off" for throwing in some riffs? I've never really understood that. I can see if they like totally tear the score to shreds with it, but i dont get why she would be told off for like her one riff in "the wizard and i." I've also heard things about becky gulsvig getting in trouble for riffing in legally blonde?

It may have been someone like Kerry's vocal coach or something telling her not to riff because its uncertain how her voice could cope with the added strain?

I only say that because it seems unlikely that producers or whoever of the Broadway Wicked company would say something like that....I mean come on, they've had Eden Espinosa + Shoshana Bean who like riff everything and anthing.

So yeah, I'd say it would more likely be in order to save her voice than trying to prevent adding their own flavour to the score.

She should take their advice, she hasn't riffed since she started and thats maybe one of the reasons she's been consistently great since 06 or whenever.

They may also be concerned because if she started wearing her voice out riffing now, she wouldn't be able to perform her best all through her Broadway run AND upon her return to the West End.

Seems a shame, because she can do it so well.

^ i agree, that version is amazing!

"(note Julie Reiber went on for the Wednesday night performance)"

Anyone know why?

PS- I'd have killed to see Reiber in this role again. Stunning performance.

I agree Marcus2. I love to hear an actress take some liberties with those songs. It is one of the reasons I like revisiting the show when a new performer takes over- to hear their interpretations of the songs. It keeps it fresh.

But can we really make a judgement about the London company and riffing yet? I have no idea how the new Elphaba does it, but of the two previous ones, we know Menzel did it, and Ellis did it sometimes. Can you really say they discouraged it over there?

Maybe she was just tired from jet lag or something?
Maybe she has to adjust or was nervous

Idk

I remember reading on one of the Wicked message boards a while back that a cast member had said the UK conductors definitely discourage riffs. One of them made sure that the actors stuck strictly to the score. I believe only one of the conductors allowed it, that's why it was only on certain performances that the cast would take liberties. Also, on a slightly related note, there is a youtube video of the standby Tracy in Hairspray called "the forbidden riff" or something along those lines, basically I think the comments said she's no longer allowed to do that riff as the principle Tracy doesn't do it and the standby basically has to give the audience the same show they would have gotten if the principle was on. Sounds bizarre, but more than a few people have said it. I'm not quite sure why, but I do know that Kerry has said on a number of occasions that she has been told off for riffing in Wicked. Which I agree is a shame as like people have said before I love to hear an actress put their own stamp on it. But the UK shows most certainly discourage riffing, or at least the big Broadway transfers are discouraged from doing it.
This was far more rambling than I have planned, so my apologies!

Updated On: 6/19/08 at 03:56 PM

It's true. Whenever I hear a riff, I come over all queer and have to have a bit of a sit-down and a nice cup of tea. But don't tell anyone about my problem; stiff upper lip an' all that, chaps. :P

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Updated On: 6/19/08 at 04:28 PM