Idina's first missed performance!- Page 3

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 12:03pm

"Idina IS Wicked!"

I really cannot stand when people say stuff like this! The same thing with the original cast of Hairspray. Have you seen Eden? She could be just as amazing as Idina. I love Idina, but am always giving other performers chances to prove themselves.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 12:54pm

emcee, what i meant was. Idina IS Wicked because she is probably the best performer in it. She puts herself out there. I mean, Zero Mostel WAS Fiddler, he WAS the show. But, it managed to run over 3,000 performances without him.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:07pm

yeah, I understand. I definitely think the show will keep on for a while once she leaves. It's fabulous, regardless.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:09pm

very true.

[Lorelai]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:41pm

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but one reason Idina will not be performing on Sunday at 3pm COULD be because there is a special performance of Wicked on Sunday at 8pm. Two shows on Saturday and then having another 2 show on Sunday could be exhausting. So maybe she wants to get some rest and I think, given the choice, she definately would call out on the 3pm show as opposed to the benefit. She has been very involved with the Actors' Fund (Funny Girl etc)
Plus I believe she hasn't missed one performance until now?

Updated On: 3/21/04 at 01:41 PM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:43pm

Well, let's look at it like this....atleast two of you have mentioned living in small-town Texas or middle America. YOU both know Idina...and if a small-town Texas highschooler like me knows, then there is hope for the rest of none-NY America!!~! Make Idina Menzel a name!

[wickedfan]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:44pm

yes, that's true. she hasn't missed one until now.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:48pm

very logical bronte, thank you.

btw, how did it go at Little Shop? send me a PM.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 4:49pm

"" Actors expendable? Not nowadays, which is horribly unfortunate, because shows that deserve to endure just can't. Hopefully that'll change""".~ flaemmchen

flaemmchen~ perhaps I'm confused about your reply. I am saying that "actors are expendable, which literally means "subject to being used and sacrificed if needed" ...in other words replaced, as needed. My reason for saying that is look again at the list of shows that have endured with any credible cast. And this is just a sample of "successful" shows.(shows that have regained their investment,lasted more than 2/3 years, ongoing tours).
Count how many Valjeans, Phantoms, Billy Flynns, Kims& Chris', Grizabellas, Beasts etc. have played these roles on Broadway and tours. These shows endure because of their popularity, and obvious quality regardless of the casting. I hope that clarifies what I meant to say.

Many, not me by the way, have said from the start that Wicked and OZ will flounder and fade when their leads are replaced. I tend to agree, but hope that I am wrong. While I think that actresses like Idina, Kristin and Sutton are top of the line theatrical actresses for "the times", they are not known outside the Broadway or theater lovin' crowd. Broadwway talent is a very small world compared to TV, Film & recording notoriety.

Ok... This brings up another topic...maybe on Mon.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 10:39am

As I wrote in my review of seeing Eden perform, the people I talked to came to see the show, not the "names" in the show. I purposely talked to people to see "why" they were there. The majority of those I spoke with had "heard" about how "amazing" the show was. Not one person said to me they had specifically come to see Kristin or Idina. A few of the people sitting around me didn't even know which character Elphaba was when they saw "The role of Elphaba will be played by Eden Espinoza".

I truly think unless you are a "movie star" name that most of the outside world doesnt know who these people are... it is only the Broadway fanatics and theatre geeks like many of us, that give two cents who we see do a role.

To say that productions should put out a press release everytime one of their leads is out is just absurd and shows a true level of ignorance in the business.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 1:54pm

Your comments about people seeing Wicked for the "show" are very interesting. It's easy to get caught up in this "star struck" phaze. I think Idina, Kristin even Sutton get this kind of following. And that's a wonderful thing for them! I just don't happen to view theater that way. I wait to see the feedback of the show itself, and if the leads are especially wonderful, all the better. But I truly go to for the enjoyment of a show.

I'm sure Eden was very excited and wonderful! Understudies usually are. I love to see them now and then.

I've only gone to see 3 shows because of the actors. After many years, I went back to POTO to see my theater pal Brad Little "finally" get to wear the mask on Bd'w. I also braved the Long Island Expressway, heaven help me,to Patchogue NY, to cover Brad again as he played one of his dream roles and challanged his buddy Rob Evan by playing Jekyll, which we had a great interview.

I also went up to the Paper Mill to see Kevin Gray, another pal, recreate his role of "Engineer" in Saigon, which he won a few awards in Canada years back.

I'd travel to see someone I'm fond of in a solo concert, but just to see how they handle a role in a show I've previously seen. Nope. I enojy the shows for what they are.

Updated On: 3/22/04 at 01:54 PM

[shira467]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 2:54pm

I don't know why Idina missed Sunday, but I don't believe there was an actor's fund performance or anything that night. The actor's fund performance is March 28th. So I'm sure she missed it for something else.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 5:09pm

I heard something about a meeting in LA for a movie she is filming in June....(in which Eden will be on for those 2 weeks)

The BC benefit is next Sunday; it was originally suppose to be last night but was moved a week so that Idina would be present.

Updated On: 3/22/04 at 05:09 PM