Elphaba and Glida reversal

[winston89]

Elphaba and Glida reversal#1

Posted: 1/6/07 at 1:50am

Are there any actresses that have played Glinda and Elphaba that have the vocal abaility to switch roles? I know that in shows such as Chicao there were two actresses ( Bebe and Ruthie Henshall) that played both roxie and velma at different times. I was just wondering, do you think that therre would be a chance of something like this happining for a show like Wicked?

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[actressray1991]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#2

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:01am

thats really interesting....
i dont think i know any! could be partially because of the image of each actress doing her role, that its hard to imagine it any other way.
dont bash me for saying this: physical appearance kinda plays a part? ish?

[winston89]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#2

Posted: 1/6/07 at 4:20am

But, there have been actreses that have played both that have the same physical apperence. I do think that physical apperence might play a part for the casting of Glinda. Only cus that character is essentally supposed to be perfect in every way. As for the casting of Elphaba, I don'think it does. As far as the physical apperence is conserned in terms of the story. She is green and that scares everyone off. And being that the actress playing Elphaba is green throught the entier show, you don't really get a full idea of what the actress looks like cus of that.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[Horton]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#3

Posted: 1/6/07 at 4:43am

We have had actresses play Glinda and Nessa, or Elphaba and Nessa, and thats about as big as swich as possible. I just think its too much to learn both tracks.

[winston89]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#4

Posted: 1/6/07 at 4:56am

Horton, I don't mean to be able to do both roles at once. I am talking about if there are any actress that have the talent mainly vocal to return to the show as the other role. We have had actress like Henshall play both Roxy and Velma in Chicago. I am talking bout the same sorta thing with Elpahba and Glinda in Wicked.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[COOOOLkid]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#5

Posted: 1/6/07 at 5:04am

Could Kendra pull off as an Elphaba?

"Hey, you! You're the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber!" -Family Guy

[Wanna Be A Foster]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#6

Posted: 1/6/07 at 5:07am

Who Glida?

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

[Horton]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#7

Posted: 1/6/07 at 5:48am

Kendra cant even pull of Glinda!

I could see Meghan playing Elphaba, thats what she originally thought she should play, remember! Updated On: 1/6/07 at 05:48 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#8

Posted: 1/6/07 at 6:22am

i think it wud b kewl if idinda play'd glida and krissten playys elphie. that wud cell tikts!/

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

[Claire2141]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#9

Posted: 1/6/07 at 6:45am

Anyway...hasn't there been a thread on this before?

[admanrich]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#10

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:18am

I've heard a couple stories about people who went in for Glinda and got called back to read for Elphaba. I could see them making a Standby for Glinda and Elphaba--probably not an ensemble member because that would be way to much to memorize.

[winston89]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#11

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:20am

Claire, there hasn't been a thread on this I did a search before starting.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[theaterdude87]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#12

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:28am

No, but there was totally a thread like this before. Maybe it got deleted.

for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world. http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/

[Claire2141]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#13

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:36am

I searched too but I'm convinced we've been through this before.

[MimiLovesRoger]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#14

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:40am

I think I've seen one like this, too.

[GreenGirl22406]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#15

Posted: 1/6/07 at 11:42am

Having flashbacks here as well, but I do think Meghan could pull off Elphaba, if not excellently.

"In the rain, the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever."

[Parks]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#16

Posted: 1/6/07 at 12:17pm

Are there any clips online of Megan belting out songs...Elphaba-esque?

I remember people saying that before Megan auditioned, she and her friends thought that she would be auditioning for Elphaba. What a talented performer--to go in thinking you'd be playing one role and come out being cast in a role that's a complete 180.

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#17

Posted: 1/6/07 at 12:24pm

"Are there any clips online of Megan belting out songs...Elphaba-esque? "

Search her name on the forbidden site and you'll find a video from Vanities. Megan IS a belter.Her range is unbelievable.
Updated On: 1/6/07 at 12:24 PM

[theaterdude87]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#18

Posted: 1/6/07 at 12:26pm

if you go on the same site u can see the last DG from the tour and I think it's quite Shoshana-ish...but I thought it was ggreat.

for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world. http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/

[bwayfan4life]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#19

Posted: 1/6/07 at 12:35pm

I have seen 4 differnt Elphaba's and 5 different Glinda's, the one that struck me as most compatible to pulling off the other part was Jennifer Laura Thompson, who played Glinda. She has the voice and the stage presence. I think that she would make a very strong Elphaba.

It's gonna be a happy new year.......RENT

[somethingwicked]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#20

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:02pm

All of the things Megan Hilty did at Carnegie Melon were belty roles, like Queenie in "The Wild Party." As others have said, she always thought she'd go in for Elphaba, but ended up getting Glinda. Where as I think she may be able to sing Elphaba, she has too much of a 'baby face' look to be right for it.

While I found Kendra Kassebaum to be quite the comedic genius and show stealer when I saw her as Glinda, I think she may be the one person who could actually play Elphaba. As has been noted with her struggles with her soprano rage, Kendra is first and foremost a belter (something she snuck into Glinda during moments like her belted oppertuny in "Thank Goodness.") She has the quirky look about her to be Elphaba, and if her top notes can be belted, I could see her pulling it off.

Will one person ever play both roles, however? No. They aren't going to implement a track where one girl has to learn two roles of such magnitude.

Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

[SporkGoddess]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#21

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:03pm

I've heard that Kristy Cates has a fantastic upper register (she was Maria in WSS,) so she could probably pull off Glinda. But I dunno.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

[gustof777]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#22

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:19pm

megan would be an amazing Elphaba and trust me she has the belt for it.

RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~

[Candleshoe2]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#23

Posted: 1/6/07 at 3:00pm

If you heard Megan belt out "Fly into the Future" from "Vanities", you can definately tell she could pull off Elphaba. In a interview, she said that she would do the role for one night, and I would love to see that!

[otis33]

re: Elphaba and Glida reversal#24

Posted: 1/6/07 at 3:02pm

Courtney Corey (Elphaba U/S in original Chicago company, and soon to be in LA) was being considered as u/s to both lead girls when the show was being cast in Chicago. I know for a fact that she can vocally handle both roles. Didn't happen, though.