Idina reportedly highest paid actress in West End History- Page 3

[lifeisacabaret]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 2:25pm

If thats true, its phenomenal news. Kerry is AMAZING.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 4:12pm

I read somewhere several months ago that Idina did not want to live in London for a whole year. Apparently, they made her a nice offer for 4 months, and that seems long enough for a gal to make a star turn.

Incidentally, 30,000 pounds translates into roughly $60,000 American dollars if I am correct, so that's a pretty penny. Good on her!!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 4:43pm

The article says 30,000 dollars, not pounds.

[Claire2141]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 4:54pm

$30,000 is about £16,000 pounds roughly depending on the strength of the pound....

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 5:07pm

""The article says 30,000 dollars, not pounds""

Mea culpa, I misread an earlier post!

Still...not bad money.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 5:12pm

I'd take it.

[WickedlyPerfect]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 5:22pm

so is she leaving before or after christmas? I was planning on going to London anyway for a week in December, will she still be around?

[Claire2141]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 5:38pm

Well it said on the newsletters that she would be doing it until the new year so I would take that as up to Christmas...don't quote me on it though.

[bwayfan3]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 9:08pm

Just to provide clarification about the pounds vs. $$ debate from the author of the column, Pandora, directly:

"Yesterday, I revealed that the Broadway star Idina Menzel was set to earn $30,000 (£16,000) a week for her role in the musical Wicked.

Now it emerges that Hollywood star Lewis has agreed to star in the play Fool For Love for a comparative pittance.

According to the producers' budget for her stay, seen by this column, Lewis will be forced to rough it on just £477 a week during rehearsals.

Although this will rise to £1,500 during the show's run - and she'll also get £4,000 first- class flights, with accommodation worth £1,250 per week - it's a commendably modest reward.

Says a source at the Apollo Theatre: "We're still trying to find a co-star who will perform for the same fee as Juliette.""

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/pandora/article361541.ece

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 10:09pm

I thought Idina said she was done with Wicked?

Not that if I were her I'd pass up that chance. I'd kill my boyfriend for that oppertunity.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 10:51pm

Regarding the issue of the 4 months... I do not know this to be factual, but merely speculate it as a possibility. Equity on both sides of the Atlantic are very protective of their performers. It is highly possible that they (the producers of Wicked) had to offer an exchange-- meaning Idina could take the lead in London provided that they brought an actress from the UK to work on Broadway for the same salary for the same frame of time. 4 months happens to be the length of time someone is allowed to work in the United States, assuming paperwork is on order, without filing for a green card or other resident status. This could mean that Idina's Glinda co-star could venture to Broadway for 4 months at some point in the future. Just a guess.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 10:55pm

If this amount of money is correct, she'd be a fool not to accept it, and made a very sound business decision.
Updated On: 5/2/06 at 10:55 PM

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 11:15pm

I am pretty sure, as previously stated, that the divine Elaine Paige is the West End's highest paid musical star...they do not call her 'the first lady of the musical theatre' for nothing. She was pulling in around 30,000 POUNDS, not dollars, a few years ago in 'The King and I.' The article mentions dollars for Idina...and Elaine's salary was a few years ago, with less inflation.

[Come Back to Me]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 11:20pm

so much money...

[Leanne_Jones]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 4:17am

"they'll love her no matter what...esp. because London DOESN'T have belters..."
- That comment has just made me so angry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrghhhh,OF COURSE LONDON HAS BELTERS! What a ridiculous statement to make!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you british or american???

[Claire2141]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 7:14am

I was quite annoyed at that comment too - personally I think we have quite a few. Elaine Paige and Ruthie Henshall to start with big names....

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 8:44am

what a ridiculous comment about how she isn't staying long enough. people complain when a performer leaves a show and isn't grateful to their audiences (sara ramirez), people have started to complain that stars don't take their shows on the road or across the pond.

now one does and all we get is "she's just getting in for critics and getting out." she performed the show for 15 months on broadway. now she's moving what is definitively her role to london and staying for 4 months. this is just as long, if not longer than kathleen turner's recent stint.

shame on all of you. you simply like to complain about these performers. idina was offered a job and she took it. there is always bargaining on both sides of the table that has to be done. let the girl perform.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 8:51am

rumours in the Dress Circle board that Adam Garcia wasnt happy that Idina got so highly paid as Adam defo have more of a star name in the UK than Idina and apparently he is not doing the show. But that's rumour and I hope its not true!
I am sorry, Idina is great dont take me wrong, but the other Elphabas after her sing much better than her imo! And I am sure alot of British actresses, like Ruthie Henshall about 10 yrs younger wud be SO SO SO perfect for the role... omg... imagine Ruthie as Elphie and Tim Howar as Fiyero!!!omg.... soz... just one of my Ruthie/Tim in a show stroke....

[StartaFire]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 4:38pm

What a waste of money...

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 5:00pm

"Elaine Paige and Ruthie Henshall to start with big names.... "

Elaine Paige is GOD!!

I don't think I have ever heard higher belt notes than what she sings in "Nobody's Side"!!

[mrkringas]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 5:11pm

Really?

Cause that song only goes up to an E natural

"Dont forget the best WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLL go wrong"

I never did like the original concept cd. Plus she didnt do the octave jump to high F# either. Now if you want to hear high belting listen to Julia Murney's rendition. The whole thing is up a full step too. Okay so her high G# yelp was a bit iffy but all those other big notes sounded fab... especially with that ensemble belting out one of the hardest backing vocals in a musical I know. The male line is a killer...gave me nightmares for weeks so much more than any other part of what is a bloody big sing

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:32pm

"Really?

Cause that song only goes up to an E natural

"Dont forget the best WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLL go wrong" "

Well, that's higher than I can sing with a wedgie, so it impresses the hell outta me!!!

[sondwisenheimer]

Posted: 5/4/06 at 12:02am

I say good for her. At least her value is being judged on previous stage work rather than the gross of the latest Farelly Brothers film or a heavily run Preparation H commercial. We should all be applauding a performer whose primary platform is live theatre reaching this level of achievement, regardless of what we feel about "Wicked" specifically.

[Claire2141]

Posted: 5/4/06 at 7:49am

'I say good for her. At least her value is being judged on previous stage work rather than the gross of the latest Farelly Brothers film or a heavily run Preparation H commercial. We should all be applauding a performer whose primary platform is live theatre reaching this level of achievement, regardless of what we feel about "Wicked" specifically.'

*Nods* - normally that type of money's reserved for the 'movie stars' wishing to branch out for a bit. It's brilliant that as an unkown in the UK she can get that much and shows what people think of her talent.

Posted: 6/7/06 at 6:27pm

She deserves every penny she gets she works so hard.