Caught "Wicked" in Cincy this afternoon and Maria Eberline went on for Julia Murney. Though I've seen Maria in the role before, I have to admit I was disappointed when I found out she would be going on for Julia. Though I know many in the audience were there to see the show and didn't necessarily care who was playing the role, having seen the show five times I really wanted to see Julia. Happily, my disappointment ended when Maria sang "The Wizard and I." She really is very good in the role. In fact, of all the performers I've seen (Stephanie, Ana, and Maria), I think Maria is the most convincing as the younger Elphaba. She also has a grasp on the arc of the character, as her Act II vocals show Elphaba's maturity. Her "No Good Deed" was very well done. I truly felt sorry for Maria since Julia has gotten so many raves this week on the board and in the press. The couple sitting next to me even commented on the fact that they would not be seeing the performer who had gotten such an excellent review in the Cincy press. It can't be easy to be an understudy. As Eve so aptly puts it in "All About Eve," the understudy is the "carbon copy when you can't find the original." Though I didn't get to see Julia, as far as I'm concernerd Maria stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park!
Edited for false information.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
Is the Elphaba Curse to blame?
Haha no the Elphaba curse is not to blame. Julia is a performer and has decided would not treat the audience to a performance that she can't give her 100%. She probably feels ill and is out.
Not a curse, just an EXTREMELY demanding role. I'm really sad she's out but glad she's resting up if that's indeed the case. If anything, maybe now that Julia "never misses a show" Murney has been out people will be less quick to criticize when her and other leads are out sometimes.
Updated On: 3/12/06 at 08:56 PM
Popular is all sported out with a Pirate Queen icon I see :)
Not THE show's icon, but sporting A pirate indeed! :)
Well, if she IS sick, I hope she gets well soon.
I lose for not seeing this. I hope she's better soon, if she is feeling under the weather!
It's not a curse. Well. Maybe it is. But shhh, don't think about it.
Maria is AMAZING! She is my favorite Elphaba of all time. I have seen Idina, Shoshana and Stephanie and Maria is just in a category by herself lol! I told her that and she gave me the biggest hug ever... She was in shock ha ha!
Swing Joined: 5/16/05
Not sure where you people are getting your info... but Julia was on for the evening show. And was great.
I just posted this elsewhere, but someone posted here today that he went to try the lottery for the evening performance, and that he lost, but the understudy board said Julia was out.
My assumption is that it wasn't changed yet to reflect the evening show cast, and that he just assumed it HAD been changed, that assumption causing him to report false information.
It's an honest mistake, I guess, but caused unnecessary confusion.
Either way, that's good news. I'm glad she's okay.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
its going to be very sad to see people getting witchy (no pun intended) because julia will miss some shows and she will probably miss some!
its a really hard role to sing and those who HAVE done 8 Elphaba shows a week, didn't necessarily do them all really well! SOME people don't want to go on unless they can give it 110%...EVERY SHOW..period.
kendra misses and people get upset..kendra goes on and doesn't feel well and she is accused of phoning it in.
if the people making those criticisms have DONE a national tour of a show for a year at a time...8 shows a week in a very demanding role..then ok, you MAY KNOW what its like. although, everyone is different... those of you who haven't..how can you possibly sit at your computer and just rag on them??? really..PLEASE...give them a break..you HAVE NO IDEA how demanding and grueling it is.
please be nice...
please be nice...
Haha. This is BWW.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
yeah i KNOW...come on...i said PLEASE! ahahah
Elphaba is not a demanding role... Momma Rose is a DEMANDING ROLE!
Elphaba is a demanding role. Not the MOST demanding. Not even close. But still, it is demanding.
We've been too conditioned by Shoshana and Stephanie, who seemed to be out a lot, to believe the role is easy.
OHMYGOD all of these threads are so confusing.
BSoBW3 - and you say that knowing ALL the circumstances behind each and every one of both Shoshana and Stephanie's absences?
I am basking in all this Julia love.
Like Donald Trump swims around in his billions!
::throws headshots of Julia into the air:: JULIA! JULIA! JULIAAAAAA!::/done::
LMAO.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
whats demanding to one's voice is different than what is demanding to another's. both elphaba and glinda are two of the most demanding roles to sing in the more recent shows. but don't take my word for it..do some searches on Kristin and Idina interviews....even THEY had some difficulties. ya know..it ain't easy bein green! sorry..i couldn't resist.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
I don't see how you can have a show that Belts F's (or mixes that sound like belts) and say that it's not demanding. Uhhmmm like hell it's not!
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
I don't see how you can have a show that Belts F's (or mixes that sound like belts) and say that it's not demanding. Uhhmmm like hell it's not! 8
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