My First Time Seeing Wicked (NY)

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 11:46pm

I know, I know, most people are like, "Nooo, not another Wicked thread!" Well, if you don't want to read it, don't.

Okay, so I go into the matinee today, and I noticed that I had two understudies:
Adinah Alexander for Madame Morrible and
Megan Sikora for Nessarose

At first, I was a little upset not to see Rue and Michelle, but I had heard mixed things about Rue and Michelle's been in it for so long I thought it would be nice to see another take on the role.

Instead of being incredibly long winded and doing it song by song, which I know most people wouldn't really want to read that, so I'll just do it part my part.

Megan Hilty - She was absolutely hilarious. She milked every line for all it was worth, and did it with such skill. Her entire 'Popular' scene was hilarious. And I love how she changed the way Popular is normally sung, like instead of 'Don't make me laugh,*giggle* they were popular, pleassseee!' She went, 'Don't make me laugh, DON'T. They were popular, PLEASE.' It was greattt. I absolutely adored her.

Shoshana Bean - I was REALLY worried about what I was going to think. I knew I would like her 'Defying Gravity', but I wasn't sure about everything else. I did like her line delivery alot, she was funny at the right times and had a serious tone when needed. I did love her voice, though. The only thing I didn't like is that on certain notes, she seemed to hold them out in a weird way, like when they had an 'e' sound. JMO. Also, she started 'The Wizard and I' out holding back quite a bit, but at the end, completely loosened up. I actually did like her.

Ben Vereen - Well, he's Ben. He's got such a presence, and is so captivating on stage. He made the role completely his own, and made you feel different things towards the Wizard. His voice is phenomenal, and is so unbelievably comfortable on stage, he looks like he could stand up there all the time and be entirely happy. I loved it.

David Ayers - Well, he is pretty, haha. He doesn't have much to work with, being that Fiyero isn't a meaty part whatsoever, but he did what he could. He had a good voice, and worked the role well.

Adinah Alexander - I really enjoyed her. She didn't talk-sing at all, and transformed the character really well. I was really glad I saw her.

Megan Sikora - I liked her. Her voice was really nice, but didn't have the rawness that Michelle has during Wicked Witch of the East. She was very good though, and I enjoyed her.

Jeffrey Kuhn - He was the only one that didn't thrill me. He did seem too old for the part, and his singing voice was not impressive to me. His acting was good, though.


All in all, I did like the show, alot. The people I was with who didn't know as much about the show as I did really enjoyed it, which I was happy about. So ... I did like it.

And that's all from me. Hope that wasn't too long.

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 8:52am

Awwww! Yay for you! I understand that people around here (peeking around) are extra sensitive to Wicked threads... but I know it's so exciting when you see it for the first time. I am a Chicagoan, who was seen Wicked 2 times and plans on seeing it 2 more before Ana and Kate leave. Welcome to the world of Wicked! Now you can join the perpetual Idina/Eden/Ana/Stephanie/Shoshanna/etc debate with knowledge!

[DefyingPopular]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:07am

I know what you mean about the 'wiz & i' holding back thing, it's like she's tentative... I've seen her rip the whole thing out before tho, and i much prefer it that way. Glad you enjoyed the show!

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:12am

I'm so glad you enjoyed the show! I've only seen it once in New York with the original cast and, as much as I hate to admit it, I freaked out because I loved it. I cried and laughed through the whole thing. Yay for you!

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:20am

While I think Ben would be good as the Wizard, I REALLY hated him in Fosse. He seemed to be doing everything EXPECTING a response. And he even motioned to the audience several times in Fosse trying to FORCE out a response.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:04pm

Thanks guys, *notices no one has begun stoning her yet* Ah, okay.

I did really like Ben. His delivery with the lines was just great. The audience was pretty funny though, it's like they weren't sure if Megan and Shoshana should get entry applause, and then they waited like 2 seconds for Shoshana ... I started clapping and I was like..."What? No?"

Well, the original cast really is always a timeless cast, no matter what show it is. But I think the show's in good form right now.

Megan really stood out to me, because she in no way tried to be Kristin, and made the character entirely her own. She was just hilarious.

[elphieisperky]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:09pm

Glad you enjoyed the show! I can't wait to see it in October with the new cast!

[forget regret <3]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:15pm

i agree with everything you said about megan. popular was hysterical wasn't it?! i absolutely love the DON'T NO THEY WERE POPULAR PLEASE! i was cracking up so much during that part!

i love shoshana too. he voice is unbelievable.

you're lucky to have seen the understudy and not rue... i hate the talk-singing and weird squeaking she does.

jeffrey is too old and his singing isn't amazing, i agree.

that's pretty cool that you saw someone other than michelle... i liked her but she's been there way too long.

and i agree with you about ben and david.

i love that show

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:17pm

"She went, 'Don't make me laugh, DON'T. They were popular, PLEASE.' It was greattt."

An Jen lives on!!! Woohoo!!! Does Megen to the stalker whisper of "I know" too?!

I *cough*heard*cough* Sho singing DG and one thing that REEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY annoyed me was her lack of pronunciation. Like turning "wanT iT" into "wannit". Does she still do that?


edit -- Oops, forgot to mention: Glad you had a great time. That's what theatre's all about now, isn't it?

Updated On: 8/18/05 at 12:17 PM

[kasim]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:22pm

Congrats :)

I love shoshana's voice as well, but whats up with her facial expressions? She has got some weird ass faces when singing some of those songs:)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:23pm

Wow, too bad you had to start the review with a bash about another Wicked thread.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 12:36pm

Well, some posters on here have a tendency to go, "*sigh" ANOTHHHERRRR Wicked thread?!" And if you don't want to read it, don't.

Adinah was absolutely wonderful, and truly was a singer, and it came through in the character.

Sho doesn't enunciate incredibly well, but she did good. It was just her 'e' notes that really irked me.

freeadmission, where is the 'I know' part? I'm still running on not much sleep, except a very uncomfortably positioned sleep on the bus.

Megan's line delivery was so, not that of a person making a Broadway debut, if that makes any sense. She knew exactly what to do to make the audience laugh.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 5:02pm

The first I saw Sho she seemed a bit reserved during the first half of The Wizard and I. She ended it great, though. But then I saw her a second time and she completely blew the roof off the place. It was incredible.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 5:05pm

Megan

[marvin2]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 5:08pm

Yes, I like Megan Hilty's "Don't make me laugh. I'm serious, DON'T." as well.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 6:14pm

The "I know" part. "I know -- I KNOW -- exactly what they need". Kristin just emphasized it while Jen pointed her finger at the audience, kind of got a scary look on her face and whispered it menacingly. I've heard it referred to as both "stalkerish" and "I-see-dead-people-like". Either way, I LOVE it. But I'm biased.

Just remembered that I saw it with Adinah. I thought she was marvelous. I almost forgot I wasn't watching Carole Shelley. Then again, I never saw it with Carol, but when I met her backstage I reeeeeeeeeeeeeally wished I had. *sigh*

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 6:21pm

No, I don't THINK Megan did it like that, I think she kind of yelled it matter-of-factly. It was funny though.

I was getting irritated with Sho, I was ready to jump up and be like, "BELT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, BELT!!!"

Adinah was really great. I'm kind of glad I didn't see Rue, because .. she's too cool for me not to like her, haha.

Jeffrey just irked me really bad.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 6:36pm

is it just me or is rue missing alot? it seems that in the last few reviews that have been posted on here they've all listed an understudy for morrible

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 6:46pm

Perhaps. With the reviews she's been getting from the public, they should chuck her and make Adinah the replacement. LOL

[PJ]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 7:54pm

I sincerely doubt Rue would be fired because of remarks on a message board. I actually enjoyed her performance much, much more the second time around. I suppose I warmed up to her after the first viewing. But I will admit to really disliking her characterizations the first time.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 7:56pm

'Twas a semi-joke implying a bad choice in casting while looking over an excellent standby. I wasn't ACTUALLY suggesting they should chuck her because of what people are saying on message boards.

[forget regret <3]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:37pm

i actually think sho has wonderful enunciation... better than idina... at least she did when i saw her. "live recordings" can be quite decieving.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:56pm

It's hard to mistake what I heard. It was nasty. *shudders*


But that's why I asked if she improved.

Updated On: 8/18/05 at 09:56 PM

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 9:58pm

She did improve. Now don't hurt me for this, but at least she doesn't do what Steph does with her d's. It irritates me to almost the point of no return.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 10:04pm

*confused* What does she do with her "d"s. They sound fine to me. *shrug*