June 4, 2007 - LA Sit-Down Production opens with Ana Gasteyer (Elphaba) and Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda)
Take it or leave it."
I'll leave it...nothing is official yet. It's easy for anyone to come on a Broadway message board and admit the "facts" to those who are curious about casting and will take anything they hear. Everyone is hearing different things (ex: Megan Hilty at the stage door) which is proof that these are all rumors.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
Renthead, by recycling people I mean using people from diffrent Companies and bringing them to Boradway. Like what they did with Derrick, Eden, and Kate. Megan and Shoshna are great but now they're going on tour.Can we get some new people to show off their talent.
EDIT: If they do LA Glinda will more than likely be Megan. I remember her saying her agency was bi-costal. Also now because she's doing Vanities she will probably be doing more stuff in California. Updated On: 7/9/06 at 01:30 PM
Most good agencies are bi-coastal. That means nothing.
Actually, Universal and Mark Platt (the lead producer) purchased the bankrupted Kodak Theater at Hollywood and Highland several months ago. I have heard that Wicked will go into the Kodak, as Pantages hosts all of the tours that come through. Obviously, since they own the theater and would be their own landlords, they will surely open there.
Also, I've been told there will be lots of new hires so they don't have to do massive relocations. Rule out Menzel to open, but Chenowith is a strong possibility for a limited run. By limited, I mean, a few weeks at best. Also, look for a parade of soap and TV actors with stage credits as the other leads...David Garrison or Kevin Spirtas as the Wizard, McClanahan as Morrible, Austin Miller or someone like that as Fiyero, and so on.
It won't ever play at the Kodak. The backstage area is actually too small for a show the size of Wicked, and the show would have to vacate for almost two months in the spring for the Academy Awards, which has a long-term lease with the venue. In fact, the theater isn't designed for Broadway. It's a tough-sell.
Of course I could be wrong. I was just there in Feb were I saw Madea Goes to Jail. It seems like the stage was limited, but then again the enourmous set may have fooled me.
Okay, I realize this is an old thread and who knows when this was first posted:
However,
The thing about performers getting "new costumes" every time they open a new production. Completely false. Absolutely ludicrious. Those Elphaba rags cost thousands of dollars a piece, and performers often have duplicates of each dress. You better believe they keep those things in storage.
If Eden opens the show in L.A. she will be wearing the exact same clothes she is wearing on Broadway at the moment. Bringing back cast members is actually a nice trick for productions to save money, BECAUSE they save about 20 grand in having to build costumes for new performers!
I would imagine that the producers of the Los Angeles WICKED will create a new production in order for Los Angeles to serve as the show's "Point of Organization" (Actor's Equity). Under that scenerio most of the show (especially smaller roles and chorus) would be cast locally in Los Angeles. That way the producers would not be required to pay expensive housing per diems.
Agree Yero...what's the point? And if your friend really checks the board, then why post something they told you not to share. "Loose Lips Sink Ships" was invented for friends like you.
"Bad theater is better than no theater"
Some smart guy.
It's like saying "I KNOW WHO IT IS AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER!!!!!!!" It's obnoxious and pointless. How do we even know you really know, or if you are just being a pain in the ass?
"I have this mental image of Patti barreling down the street and pushing tourists out of her way." -colleen_lee
"Okay, next time I won't say if I know who is cast in a show"
Probably a good idea. Especially if you were asked to keep quiet about it. And is dropping a hint just as bad as actually spelling it out? I don't know. I'm not here to judge... but you gave yourself a good rule to live by there. Follow it