Did anyone see Kerry tonight?- Page 3

[Misplaced]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 6:10pm

^^"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."


No, the rumor is she was told off IN THE LONDON PRODUCTION for riffing by the folks in charge. Conductor, producer, whatever. No clue whether she's been encouraged or not encouraged to riff on Broadway - I do hope she does, I have heard her riff *The Wizard and I* and *Defying Gravity* and she is marvelous when she detours from the score.

Updated On: 6/19/08 at 06:10 PM

[hollywearsprada]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 6:17pm

It's not really VERY different, but when Kerry performs the song outside of Wicked [ie. at concerts etc.] she tends to riff a little on "things I've never felt" and "so happy I could melt". She did one of them on her last night here too. She should do it all the time; it sounds awesome.

Here's a performance where she does it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjgLjpu8Zes

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 6:25pm

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

She told us at SD on Tuesday night that she was very disoriented on stage for most of the show. I did take notice that she was standing on the wrong side of the stage at some parts. And she even sat down during I'm Not That Girl. Also the Broadway stage is at a steep angle and maybe she's isn't used to that either. I thought that she was AMAZING.

Updated On: 6/20/08 at 06:25 PM

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 8:47pm

Yeah i saw the stand-by Tracy in Hairspray and she did do a fair amount of subtle riffing, over all gave a much better performance in my opinion!


+ It seems weird that they would set standards for Kerry with not riffing....but Oliver Tompsett who play's Fiyero riffs the hell out of everything...not slating it at all, his performance has impressed me more than any other and his voice is a lot stronger than the norm.

I hope Kerry lets go on Broadway, her riffs aren't epic...but they do add to her performance.

[winston89]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 10:32pm

It wouldn't suprise me to hear that it is the music director in London telliing her to not riff anymore. Only because the music director is in charge of all things related to the score when the composer is not around. Maybe Ellis wants to ease into riffing and feel the waters with the music director on Broadway. Most likely because it would be a bad move to start her run with a bad relationship with the music director and she just wants to test the waters and feel it out.

[Leo_Yikes]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:48pm

Saw Kerry in Both London and NYC.
My thing with Kerry is...my opinion changes every time I see her. The first time I saw her live was actually her 3rd or 4th time on as Elphaba for Idina's standby. She was good, but you could tell she was VERY uncomfortable with the score. Even tho it was the first time I ever, ever heard her sing a song let alone a WICKED song...I could tell she was holding back. Then I saw her a week after she officialy took over, and she was fantastic. Since then I have seen her live many times, and she at times...tends to be very dull acting wise. I mean...most of the time she is great, but she does tend to phone in. One performence I witnessed of her...she just 100% was walking thru the motions. On the other hand...as it is most of the time she is very aware of whats going on and she puts on one hell of a show. Now...on Broadway she seems to be resorting back to her standby days. She is holding back alot. In London...I highely doubt she was told to hold back on the riffs cuz Cassidy Janson (her standby/understudy) riffed alot. I just think she likes to stick to the score which...as good as the score is (IMO) it does have plenty of spaces where the performer can take a spin on it. And Kerry just seems like she doesnt want to. Idk, I'm 50 50 with her. When she is on...she is ON, when she is phoning in...I'd rather be elsewhere

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:55pm

I'm glad she came over. She's got a really great voice! Look forward. I'm seeing Wicked 4 times this summer, how is her attendance?

[winston89]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 11:55pm

It is hard to judge if she was holiding back if you never heard her sing anything beofre Wicked. If you have heard her sing something else that isn't wicked before you saw her in the show then you would have gotten a sense of what she sounded like etc. When you saw her in Wicked for the first time you didn't so it isn't fair to judge.

I am willing to bet that it is some of what another poster said on here. That the transition is a bit much (as it is and as it should be becuase Broadway is bigger the West End) and she just needs to ease into it. Hopefully by next week things will be better.

[Lm4dham052]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:47am

Updated On: 6/21/08 at 12:47 AM

[sarla]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 3:23am

"I highely doubt she was told to hold back on the riffs"

Doubt it if you will but Kerry has said herself that(in the UK) the MD doesn't like them riffing, as have other cast members. I'm hoping on Broadway that's not the case and she feels a little more free to try out new things, as others have said she is marvelous when she does.

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 7:43am

but why is Oliver Tompsett allowed to riff?

he does proper riffing that really add to the score and make his rare singing in the show stand out, so maybe they cut him some slack. seems unfair.


+


i saw Kerry in We Will Rock You and she was on fire! She is in her element when she has a bit of a rocking tune to perform, if you YouTube 'I Want It All' + 'No-One But You' from the show (they're bootlegs) you will see what she can do when she gets really into it.

she was also pretty good in Les Mis.

I agree with Leo Yikes, Kerry can be very uninvolved in her performance sometimes, one talent she has that causes a problem is that her voice is extremely powerful...but its effortless, she doesn't need to strain so her facial expressions are minimal.

maybe she's just tired of it all now and needs some new material to get her teeth into.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 9:04am

If she has vocal strain, then I'm REALLY hoping she's out next Wednesday and Julie Reiber is on. There is nothing worse than seeing a sick actress try and sing Elphaba. I've seen actresses I've enjoyed a great deal try to suffer through it, and it has not been pretty. This is not a score you can fake your way through.

[WickedPirate2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 9:32am

Quite true - Although i must say i've seen Stephanie Block go on as Elphaba with a horrible flu and i didn't even know she was sick until after the show! It can be done, but not by many!

[winston89]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:03am

Normally I don't mind if a lead is out sick and the understudy goes on. However, Wicked is the second time in all my years of theare going that I got a ticket based upon who was a lead in the show (the first time was last summer with Adam and Anthony) so I am crossing my fingers. I have heard great things about Julie and she is on my to see list as Elphaba. But, I got a ticket to see Kerry and if she isn't on I will be upset but still have a great time.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:29am

Note : Julie, as standby, doesn't always go on for Kerry. Last night (Thursday) understudy Chelsea went on instead, whereas on Wednesday night Julie went on. It varies from performance to performance.

[winston89]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:02am

OK.

I do wonder how long these problems usually last for. Considering that I have tickets for wednesday (a week after this problem came about) what do you think the chances are of her being better by then? I guess what I am asking is is this a kind of problem that takes longer then a week to fix or what is the average amount of time it would take for this thing to get better.

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:05am

Riffing can get a little annoying if the performer does it on EVERY note (hello, Shoshana Bean).

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 6:33pm

judging from past times Kerry's been off ill, it usually only lasts 2 nights tops.

from what i've heard...when Kerry isn't feeling her best, the worst that happens is that she doesn't hold the notes on for her token time (aka she will hold it on the normal amount) and she may crack on the highest notes in Defying Gravity.

it really won't be the end of the world, so don't fret winston89! she'll still rock it!

[heatherkinz]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 7:40pm

Ok so here it is.
I am a huge Kerry Ellis fan, infact there is probably in my opinion no better actress in the world. Her voice is to die for and she is most certainly my Elphaba.
I live in England and have only seen the London production but I have seen Kerry, Idina and CJ and I am going to see Willhemijn next week who is the German Elphaba.
I have seen kerry 9 times and she has never disappointed.
The girl can riff for England, just look at her performances outside Wicked.
She was sensational at West End Live and there you will hear proper WAI riffs!!!
Kerry was told not to riff In London but every so often she did it regardess, especially the big occasions and saturday nights.
I have seen Kerry in Les Mis and We Will Rock You and at a small gig she did in Wolverhampton and every time she blew me away!!!
If Broadway is open to riffs Kerry will find her way and rock the socks off the theatre eventually.
As for her illness she has been sick for a while. She was off all of her last week except her last show and one mid week so her understudy did 6 of the 8 and she was off the week before that too and some of the week before. She has not ben well for a while and with doing her album and Chess has not taken the break she so needs. She is a hard worker but likes to overwork herself and probably should have taken more time out before hitting the stage out there. I can promise that when she hits good health again she will be outstanding though!!!
I am coming over to NYC in August to see her, too good an opportunity to miss and I hope she will be settled and chilled by then.
It must be hard because I know if Kerry is not going on she will be sat at home feeling terrible!!!

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 8:05pm

i agree with you heatherkinz, i love Kerry's voice, its so clear and powerful...plus i've not heard her hit a wrong note.

plus she should take a break! clearly a workaholic!

no clue how she's going to have one until she leaves Wicked, which could be next June.

she'll have been playing Elphaba from 2006-2009. quite a run i'd say.
Updated On: 6/20/08 at 08:05 PM

[Leo_Yikes]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 8:51pm

The thing I'm worried about is her straining her voice. As amazing as she is...she does tend to over do it. I hope we dont have another Caissie levy (if you dont know that story...Caissie Levy took over for Eden Espinosa in the LA production and was amazing..but strained her voice and had to leave about 4 months into her run)

[legally_wicked]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 9:00pm

"but why is Oliver Tompsett allowed to riff?"

As far as I am aware he is not allowed either and has also been "told off". From all the times I've seen him, he has only riffed in at the most half those shows.

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:11pm

yeah Oliver does riff a fair bit, every time i've seen him he's added in bits in 'Dancing Through Life' + 'As Long As Your Mine'.

there's a cute story about Kerry's last night, how he added in really good riffs into 'Dancing Through Life' for her...apparently she loves when he does it.

they clearly should embrace there inner rebel and riff to their hearts content (but not to Eden/Shoshana levels haha).

what exactly would the producers do anyway? not like they would get rid of them. that would be stupid.

[kerryellisfan]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 10:26pm

The riffs that Oli did for Kerry on her last night in London were in As Long As You're Mine, not Dancing Through Life.

Kerry was told on more than one occassion to reign in the riffs.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/21/08 at 6:11am

Kerry is not in Wicked on Broadway til next June. She returns to the London company of the show in December.