Improv during Popular in Wicked

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:14pm

I've seen Wicked twice, and both times, Jennifer Laura Thompson and Idina have improvised different things during Popular (when the toss-toss stuff occurs). The first night people were laughing hysterically because it looked like Idina and Jennifer couldn't stop laughing. JLT did her toss-toss thing, and then when she tried to turn Elphie's dress into a ballgown she attempted it twice and then told Elphie that it wasn't working because because she was touching her dress. "Stop touching it!" They were both cracking up and it was a while before she finally tossed her wand. I loved it!

Has anyone seen them improv something different? If so, I'd love to hear about it! The second time, JLT told Idina not to move her lips when tossing. I loved the variety, even if it was slight!

PS: If this thread has already been done before, apologies (I tried to search the message boards but didn't see one)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:17pm

It might be in the "get a life" section.

[Merrydothe]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:19pm

Every time I've seen it-they crack themselves up and break character a lot. Dont know how professional that is, and many times what I thought was improv was actually scripted material-brought to light by this lovely board.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:19pm

Why all the negativity Singingbackup? It amazes me how much people like to try and put others down. Too bad for you!

Merrydothe - ya, I thought it might be scripted, but I've seen them do different things on difft nights, hence the posted question! :) Updated On: 11/4/04 at 01:19 PM

[wickedfan2]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:36pm

Singing- Why don't you get one then and stop clicking on threads that annoy you.

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:47pm

Yes this is a thread....and its called JLT's Popular


It was started yesterday--so please search it up, in order to not be yelled at.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 1:59pm

Ya the message board search engine isn't all that efficient--typed improv and Wicked and got hundreds of returns.

And I actually didn't know that JLT did the improvs more than Cheno did--I thought it was something that both did in the show! Props to JLT! I posted on your thread LittleFish!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:32pm

singingbackup - i couldn't agree with you more.
OBVIOUSLY everyone's seen something different - even you yourself said it's IMPROV. Asking people if they're seen different IMPROV than you is a retarted question because if it truly is improv, then everyone would have seen something different. And do you really care THAT much? I'm DYING to know. But yes, I think singing backup was right - go check in the get a life section.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:46pm

My point, mostly out of frustration: There's way too many here (and elsewhere) so obsessed with trivial and minute details about this show in particular--(this also goes for sports nuts, video-gamers, techno-geeks...anyone who is a little too "focused" on their particular subjects) when there is SO MUCH else in the world that needs our attention. How many of you WICKED-Heads (or whatever the proper name) voted (if you are of age), encouraged others to vote, know or have read all the issues, have given to an AIDS charity, did a cancer walk, spent any time in thought/meditation/prayer (to deity of choice)over peace in the world, hunger in our country and violence in our streets, know the names of your congressman, your neighbors, your postman.....

Plus, It just floors me that so many have seen the UMPTEENTH performance of WICKED or RENT, or have lamented that they stood in the Rush or Lottery ticket for hours for nothing. So much time....

Now, it is your life and you can certainly do with it what you will. Don't get me wrong, I am also for anyone with a passion for theater--but all this makes me crazy. If you took 1/10 of that time, money and energy and put it towards any worthier conceit, how much better the world would be.

Keeping detailed accounts of small spontaneous moments in one particular scene of an eight-show-a-week 3 hour diversion seems excessive.

SingingB Out! Updated On: 11/4/04 at 03:46 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:51pm

Rent people wouldn't have been lining up for hours unless it was on tour - NYC has a lottery system so it would be stupid to line up for hours when everyone has the same chance.

Please continue.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:52pm

Wow. So quick to judge people you don't even know. Try not to be judgmental. Not that anyone needs to explain themselves to you, but I've probably donated more money to charity, AIDS, etc. than you'd ever imagine. Maybe you could learn a lesson or two from Wicked or RENT and not judge people without knowing them?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:52pm

Bravo. Except the prayer part. I don't like Jesus. haha

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 3:54pm

I find it very unprofessional to break character. The director at my school said if we were in professional theatre and broke character, we would be fired on the spot...lol...not anymore!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:03pm

And FYI: I am one of the BIGGEST (read passionate) Theater Fags on the West Coast!

:)

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:07pm

Wait.

What are fags doing on a Broadway board?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:14pm

Every time I see a post on this subject it galls me, and I'll tell you why. Of course part of it is agreeing with the fact that if you pay good money to see a show, you don't want to see the actors' inside joke, as was said earlier. The other part is that it seems people are more interested in the actors themselves than the actual performances. Otherwise, why would this be so amusing - such a big deal? It seems like a desperate attempt to feel you "got" a "real" piece of Kristin, Idina, Jennifer, etc.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:19pm

Very true, Rath. For example, I can't even remember the number of times Cheno and Idina ad libbed during Cheno's last show. It's like they feel they KNOW the audience is there to see them, and has likely seen or heard of the show already so there's no need to, you know, make sure the story makes sense to the odd new audience member.

But you said it more eloquently than I did.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:22pm

Outside the stage door is one thing. Then they are allowed to be themselves. Onstage, do your damn job.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:34pm

I never thought of it as breaking character in this situation. Personally, I have never seen any inside jokes going onstage, just slight differences here and there in the banter between Elphaba and Galinda. I've only seen the show twice, but both times they were still in character, just using different exchanges as far as "how to become popular goes." I certainly agree that inside jokes shouldn't be going on onstage, but I've never considered the two of them as breaking character since the scene calls for some comic exchanges between the two of them.

[Millie42]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:40pm

I dont see why this is such a big deal. The girl is new, tried the search feature, and is now just asking about a scene in a music.
I see nothing wrong with asking an innocent question.
If I recall, there happened to be several threads about Jackie Hoffman's improv lines in Hairspray...

As for the hostility, calm down. Creating this thread didnt rob the poster of much precious time that she could be using to feed hungry orphans. This is a Broadway message board, so, obviously many aspects of Bway shows are going to be discussed.
Also, think about the average age of many of the Wicked posters here. Are you really expecting 12- and 13-year olds to be voting and saving the world?

We were all young once and all had something we loved. I see nothing wrong with this. This thread was clearly marked about its subject matter.

I know I wasnt the only one that bought every TeenBeat magazine there was to learn all I could about the New Kids on the Block. This is no different.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:42pm

Beaverhausen

But the point was that they ARE NOT breaking character. How do you even know if the script doesn't call for small ad libs in that section of the scene?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:43pm

It's not the ad-libs per se, it's the content of a lot of the ad-libs that are essentially "winking" at the audience instead of staying true to the character.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:45pm

Thanks plenty Millie. Much appreciated.

And as for the ad libs and bits stuff, thanks for the explanation and I appreciate the input. Updated On: 11/4/04 at 04:45 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:51pm

Tiff, those types of ad-libs were done by everyone's beloved Cheno during her last show. Those can be annoying. I've never heard or seen occassions where Jennifer Laura has done that.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/4/04 at 4:54pm

So she's become more of a "personality" than a performer. I'm sorry to hear that.