Yes HBG, but it is also known that Stephen Oremus HATED Shoshana's vocal techniques and riffing, to the point where she would tone it down DRASTICALLY if she knew he was in the audience.
The problem with this three stop thing is that Julia's contract ends August 20th in Costa Mesa. Kendra's contract ends September 3rd in Tempe. If the Shoshana/Megan deal didn't become effective until Portland (September 6th-17th,) who would be Elphaba for Tempe?, because Julia will have already left.
And being a friend of Saycon's, I can tell you.... she loves playing this role, and it has been an incredible journey for her, but she is ready to explore new things. I am not saying she is leaving, because I don't know anything about that (although I think she is set to be there through the summer and into the fall at least,) but I am not so sure if she WANTS to play it full time. And how do any of you know that Stephen Schwartz doesn't like her? If he didn't like her that much, she wouldn't have gotten cast as standby.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.