Enunciate, Enunciate, Enunciate!!

[JoMarch]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:41pm

My best friend recently dished out top money to see a big show and could barely understand anything the lead actress sang. 45 minutes into the show, he became very dejected and decided to just "enjoy the scenery" and other character's songs. By the time the show ended, he said his disappointment had fueled into anger. I know that Lea Salonga gets ribbed a lot for over-enunciating but I'll take her anyday over those who forget that at least half the audience has never seen the show before and need to understand the lyrics!
Updated On: 4/12/05 at 05:41 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:42pm

This is how I felt during A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA...drives me nuts!

[WillParker]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:42pm

ok, so spill--who was the actress?

[JoMarch]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:49pm

Stephanie Block.

Yeah, Wicked isn't brain surgery but he had never seen the show before. He was disappointed and annoyed to say the least.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:50pm

OH NO!!!! Stephanie? I refuse to believe it.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:50pm

hahaha its not just her. I saw the original cast and could not understand a thing the ensemble sang or half of what the leads sang. I think it's the show more then the cast you see!

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:52pm

No I've heard that about Stephanie, and I love the Blockette. When I saw Hairspray in January, I have absolutely no idea what anyone of those kids was saying.

[WillParker]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:55pm

hell, i can't understand what the cast is saying on the Wicked CD--can't imagine what it would be like in the theater! in regards to Stephanie Block, I can understand her perfectly on the Boy From Oz recording. love her voice, incidentally--can't imagine her doing Elphaba.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:55pm

I definitely feel you on the ensemble comment...it took me forever to figure out the lyrics in "No One Mourns the Wicked." I probably still don't have them all right.

[MyDreamsRecurring]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:56pm

I saw the second cast of Wicked and I could understand it perfectly.
The current cast of Rent is particularly bad at enunciation, ive noticed. it bothered me. if you see this show, listen to the soundtrack first

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:58pm

Stephanie actually was the opening Elphie at San Francisco. She also helped Schwartz compose the actual music (in other words, the songs were mostly written for her voice). Schwartz, though, felt that since Menzel had more experience "creating" roles (and since Wicked was supposed to be a huge show...which it is), they cast her for the Broadway production instead of Block.

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:59pm

I think Jen enunciates justs fine, and I always understand what she is saying. But that is probably just my opinions talking...

[andyf]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 5:59pm

Talk about terrible enunciation...has anyone seen Little Women??



I mean SH*T!!! I couldn't understand a word they were saying!!!

[WillParker]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:01pm

including Sutton & Ms. McGovern? I find that a little difficult to believe. i've seen Sutton live, heard her on recordings and heard her on, uh, shall we say less than professional quality recordings if you catch my drift, and i've never had a problem understanding her.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:02pm

Aye, I can understand Ms. Foster just fine. :)

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:02pm

that surprises me as sutton is usually very easy to understand on stage.

[andyf]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:10pm

Please direcT yourselF To the quoTe in my signaTure.

I'm assuminG thaT if you didn'T geT thaT, you really haven'T seen LiTTle WomeN.

Updated On: 4/12/05 at 06:10 PM

[WillParker]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:11pm

um......k.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:16pm

Although I love Patti LuPone, she is the queen of questionable enunciation.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:17pm

Interesting...how do you manage to think of such witty-ness the entire amount of your post? I didn't catch that first one. Very clever. Second post, as well. d(^_^)b

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:22pm

andyf, are you referring to Amy something or other? Some people were wanting to wring her neck by intermission, so they said on one of the other threads on here.

Also, Aigo, if I'm not mistaken, I thought Elphaba was re-cast because Stephanie decided to go for Boy From Oz instead?

[Joshua488]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:23pm

I ea y a e whe ac ors ha e awfu enu cia io . t rea y pisse e of .

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:23pm

Hang on..lemme dig up the article. I think it was on her site somewhere.


hey, look what I found on my search. She sort of looks like Ana Gasteyer here...



Alright, here's the interview.
BK: All right, Stephanie J. Block, here you are, young and talented, working away, waiting for the show that will propel you or bring you to Broadway. I was at what I believe was the second workshop of Wicked at Universal Studios, in which you played Elphaba, our very own close personal friend Miss Kristin Chenoweth played Glinda, and Lenny Wolpe, whom I worked with on the cast album of Radio Gals. I thought you were quite marvelous in the reading. How was it to be part of a new musical being shaped for Broadway at such an early stage?
SB: Unreal!!!! Stephen was in town (Los Angeles) starting the beginnings of what was to become "Wicked." He needed a girl to sing Elphaba (the wicked witch) for the first presentation at Universal Pictures. He went to dinner with several friends and my name came up as a recommendation to sing Elphaba. Others at the table agreed and the next day there was a message on my machine from Stephen Schwartz. He was so funny because on my machine he stared listing his credits explaining who he was." I've written "Godspell," "Pippin"..." My jaw was on the floor. I immediately called him back and what seemed to be a minute later, I was in his LA apartment learning 3 new songs he had written for "Wicked." It was amazing, sharing a piano bench with Stephen, singing music that the world had yet to hear. It will always be one of my all time favorite moments. I continued with the "process" for two years. Stephen would call and tell me they had finished Act 1 and that they wanted to hear it read. So...Act 1... first time reading went a little over 3 hours. Needless to say, there were cuts and revisions. Months later there was another reading of Act 1. Then more time passed and I was asked to come back and work on the piece for 2 weeks. We would work on the Universal Lot and then present it to the heads of the studio. By this time the members of the "cast" had come and go. I was the only one still "standing" from that very first 3 song presentation. Lenny Wolpe and several ensemble members stayed with the project for quite a while, too. By now, we had Kristin and she and I clicked from the moment we met, not just as coworkers but as friends. Our chemistry together was nothing I had ever experienced with another actress. During the two weeks, the show changed quite a bit. I felt so blessed and I knew from that first moment sitting with Stephen at his apartment that I was a part of something big. I still feel such attachment to the play and the character of Elphaba. I was able to go as Elphaba in San Francisco and I can't tell you the rush I felt. It was a tremendous night for me and I know that one day I'll be back to play her again.


BK: Obviously at some point it was decided to have Idina Menzel do the role you'd done at the reading I attended. That is, I'd have to imagine, a difficult situation - but you decided to stay with the show and to cover the role. Tell us what you can about dealing with it (Jennifer Paz had a similar situation with Flower Drum Song, and I thought she was much better than who ultimately did the role - I know, sacrilege, but there you are).
SB: I'll be honest. I was heart broken. I felt like I had invested so much time , and beyond that, given my heart to the project and the role. The response from those that attended the LA readings I performed in were overwhelming and I just felt like this role was everything I had dreamed of. Every step of the way I was getting more and more passionate about the project and more and more excited for it's future. I also have been around the block once or twice and know that NOTHING is for sure or in "the bag" until contracts are signed and the curtain goes up with you on stage. So when Stephen called and told me that they were going with Idina because she had experience in mounting an original Broadway musical, I had no recourse. I didn't have any Broadway credits. I knew in my heart that I was ready to do the role whether it was on the Universal Lot or The Gershwin stage, but the decision had been made. So, I accepted the role of her understudy/cover in hopes that when I went on, I'd be able to make an impression that would lead to the next phase of my career. I looked at it as paying my dues...AGAIN!!!!! But I also knew it was the opportunity to get me to Broadway and open more doors. It wasn't just a job, it was a career move.

Somewhere near the middle of the page

Updated On: 4/12/05 at 06:23 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:33pm

Thanks for the clip, Aigoo. I stand corrected! At least she got back on her feet as one of the best co-stars in BFO. Loved her in that - I don't know about Elphaba though.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/12/05 at 6:41pm

I'm going to watch the tour when it comes to the windy city with my school. Hopefully, I will not be disappointed. Ms. Block really is a nice person. She actually answers her fanmails. -____-;