Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

#1

Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 5:55pm

Read the article at theatermania.com. She said that she would love to play Elphaba.

I love Lea Salonga, but she wouldn't be my first choice to play Elphaba. I've never really heard her sing with a "rock belt" or any type of voice that would be needed for Elphaba. I could see her as Glinda, though. But that would cause a freakin' uproar since she's Asian.

If you don't get it, look for the "Black Glinda?" thread.

#2

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 5:57pm

I love Lea Salonga, but I don't exactly think she'd fit the part. She wouldn't be as bad as Kelly Osborne in HAIRSPRAY, but she just doesn't have the right voice.

#3

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:18pm

I'd support her....I'm mean, she's not Idina, but she doesn't have to be, she's Lea. I think her voice will work just fine. Also, it will be nice to know that we could see her again.

#4

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:35pm

As Elphaba?!

She can't even belt Eponine's notes...how would she possibly get through Wicked??

I don't think so.

#5

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:40pm

Really???? I thought she did a good job as Eponine from the DVD I have. I may have to listen closer.....

#6

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:42pm

I've always thought her upper "belt" range (and I use that term loosely with her) was rather weak. Another example would be the recent Manilla 3-song CD of her in BABY. She's a great voice, but she reaches like crazy and really backs off from the higher, belty stuff in "Our Story Goes On." I just don't see how she could ever hope to hit Elphaba's notes.

#7

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:42pm

I also think she would be a great Elphaba and bring a lot of needed vulnerability to the role. She has a sweetness to her voice that would make the character's songs suit her more. I am all in favour of it.

Akiva

#8

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:44pm

She is fabulous as Eponine.


She also mentioned that she wanted to play Kate Monster in Ave Q. THAT I could see her in, and I'd love to see her do it.

I have a policy that I want to hear how they sound and perform it before I make any judgments. She might be really good, you never know.

#9

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:45pm

I completely agree she wouldn't really fit the role to well. But I would still like to see her back on broadway.

---

CAGES OR WINGS? WHICH DO YOU PREFER? ASK THE BIRDS. FEAR OR LOVE, BABY? DON'T SAY THE ANSWER, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

#10

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:49pm

Well, she's always been one of my least favorite Eponine's...so I guess maybe that's the deciding factor.

If you bought her Eponine, you can buy her as Elphaba.

#11

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:52pm

There is this studio version of The King and I, and she is Tuptim, and she did a great job on what I heard of My Lord and Master, and that song gets really high, so I'm sure she could do Elphaba. Also, I had no idea she wanted to do Kate Monster, I thought that someone just said that she would be great for the part, at any rate if she wants that role, I bet she could easily get it.

#12

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:55pm

Plus, and I hate to say it, but in these two roles, race is not a factor. Something, I think might have kept her from other roles.

#13

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 6:56pm

On the Miss Saigon OLC, she belts like crazy, but since she's matured, it seems like she backs off on the notes. Even when she returned to Broadway in Miss Saigon, she put more vibrato and sang the notes softer, rather than belting like she did originally.

#14

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 7:01pm

But normal belting is very different from the rock-ruin-your-voice belt that Elphaba needs, I just can't see her singing it. I see her as more of a Glinda, but I think she's wrong for both.

---

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#15

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 7:07pm

^^ MTVMANN, her role as Tuptim in The King & I was a soprano role, and she sounded terrific. Why she keeps getting thrown into these belter roles (like Eponine in Les Miz and Lizzie in Baby) is beyond me.

#16

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 8:17pm

Well to be fair I haven't heard her sing since the Les Miz 10th Ann. concert, so I don't know how she sounds now.

I really just want to see her as Kate Monster

#17

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 8:21pm

She would never do Kate Monster, because it would take away from the whole racist part of the show. Then there would be two asians. Maybe as Christmas Eve, though - it would make more sense.

---

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#18

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 8:48pm

I think she sings like an angel ! I love her voice to bits ! I don't care what role she plays, bring this girl back to Broadway !!!

Take care

#19

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:01pm

Just to reiterate what's already been said: I think she's a wonderful singer and would love to see her back on Broadway but I just don't see her as either Elphaba or Kate Monster.

However I AM in the agreeance that she would be better than Kelly O in Hairspray...then again just about ANYONE would be better than Kelly

#20

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:18pm

I personally think she'd be fine for the role... more of a traditional approach to it. Even though she may not have the belt, she has an incredible tone.. and a classical take on the role may be very refreshing. May not be an Idina or Shoshana type of performance, but it would indeed be something to see and more than likely very pleasant to the ear.

#21

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:25pm

I don't believe the woman has the belt for the role.
She would be a good NessaRose though.

Love to see her in Cinderella or even Music Man.
or maybe Singing in the Rain...

---

And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before... After the Sky. -Into the Woods (Jack)

#22

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:29pm

there isn't enough space on her forehead for all the mics that it'd require for her to be in this show

#23

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:32pm

I think she'd make an awesome Elphaba.

#24

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:38pm

She did post on her newsgroup that she was working on belting those high notes. She admitted she was not quite there yet. I do have a feeling she really wants this role and will work for it. I hope she sings something from the show in her concert tour.

#25

re: Lea Salonga as Elphaba?

Posted: 2/3/05 at 9:57pm

I think she'd be awesome. Very different though, since she has more of that traditional "Broadway" sound to her voice. But I think given the chance she'd be fabulous.

To whoever (I can't remember) said that she was their least favorite Eponine, it's funny - I'm just the opposite. Despite liking "Little Fall of Rain" and "On My Own" as songs, I can't stand the character of Eponine, but I liked Lea Salonga.