The recyling argument crops up again...
...well no one here in the UK complained (well not many) when Idina was cast. In fact most of the Wicked fans here were screaming with delight, I know I was. Recycling helps a show rather than hindering it. You know you are seieng someone who has been tried and tested in the role, wether it be in a different cast or as a standby/understudy.
Most people coming to see the show here and (I believe most other productions) do NOT come to see the performer. They come to see the show, the amount of people here that had and still have no clue who the great Menzel is is extreamly large. Apart from the contingent who flew from the US specifically to see her, the joe public audience here had no clue who she was BUT the fact that they read in the reviews or the press releases that she won a tony and originated the role helped them believe it would be a good show.
Also, a lot of you seem to forget that they HAVE got a entire cast of new people here in the UK. In 12 days time we'll have a entire cast who have never performed in another production. The 'new blood' everyone wants. Yes it's across the pond but it's giving others a go and all that...Kerry is a fantastic Elphaba. Probably better than Idina...IMHO of course.
I think that we as fans are incredible spoilt, mainly due to seeing clips on certain sites....we like (and are able) to see new people sing the songs, do the cat fight scene etc. But for the people that are keeping the show alive, the general public who see the show while in town, let them see people as amazing as Julia, Eden, Idina etc. New people will come through - Dee, who ever takes over the tour after Sho and yes even Kerry Ellis - and we'll
probably complain when they move from Chicago/Tour/LA/London/Germany/Japan/God knows where they'll put in next to Broadway....but hey you know they'll be good right?*
*I do not include Kate Reinders in that statement
---Rant over----
Updated On: 12/18/06 at 06:10 PM