I actually went to see this production last week, and was pleasantly surprised at the casting, with the exception of Derrick Williams as Fiyero. Erin Mackey is possibly my second favorite Glinda I've seen (Cheno being the perfect Glinda).
I know the show is passe, but it was enjoyable to revisit it nearly 2 years later. And my friend who had never seen it loved it. And we're in our thirties! Ha.
(During the aforementioned arduous negotiations, I have consented to an escort, limits on photos and a story that won't reveal "trade secrets," such as how Elphaba flies.)
Wasn't it the Chicago production that gave it away? Or rather the video that was made of the tour stop in Chicago? The one that demonstrated how the effect is achieved? Did they forget about that?
Jack: For your information, most people who meet me do not know that I am gay.
Will: Jack, blind and deaf people know you're gay. Dead people know you're gay.
Jack: Grace, when you first met me, did you know I was gay?
Grace: My dog knew.
I personaly enjoyed Derick Williams performance as Fyero when I went to the Chicago Wicked in March. Very strong performances all around. What shocked me the most is that when my group had our Q and A after the show, both Derick and the Wizard came out to talk with us. I think that says so much for them.
I know that Derrick Williams is widely hated on this board for his portrayal of Fyero. I respectfully disagree. I enjoyed the colorblind casting and thought he was a superb matchup for both Kendra Kesselbaum and Stephanie J. Block. However, that was just my opinion.
I saw Derrick on tour and hated him too, not because of the colour thing, but his vioce just didnt work for me, and he had trouble harmonizing with stephanie in "As long as youre mine" so vocally i dont think he is a good Fyero.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
I thought Derrick was pretty good when I saw him on Broadway. His voice is definitely different, but I don't think it's necessarily worse... I love Erin and strongly dislike Dee. Both articles were nice though, and good for the show.
"And while I know that supposedly Chicago critics love everything"
According to whom? I've seen shows get savaged by Chicago critics. Have we forgotten the Movin' Out controversy already? Hedy Weiss's nonsensical review of Wicked and Miss Saigon? In fact, I don't know about now, but many shows, back in the 80s and 90s always feared what Chicago critics had to say. Andrew Lloyd Webber didn't want to open the Phantom tour in Chicago because of his fear of the reviews, and it was Cameron Macintosh who insisted.
(For those who don't recall, it was obliterated in the press, and the producers were angry that a New York paper printed one of the Chicago reviews, claiming that it would harm the show and that the point of a tryout was to fix a show's problems without interference from the press. They then claimed that no show would ever have an out of town tryout in Chicago ever again)
I should have labeled it "Sarcasm" Fosse! Another poster made that remark, despite Chicago's reputation as being brutal to previewing shows (PQ, Bounce, Visit...) and of course, Hedy Weiss's bizarre savage anti-Wicked rant when it opened here.
Ugh. I haven't seen this the show in a while and have an itch to try and win the lottery, but I just don't know if I can stand seeing Derrick Williams again. I've seen the show several times in two different cities and he was Fiyero in each one. I think he's terrible and his melisma made me seasick after a while.
"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey
I don't mind him! I'm going back (AGAIN) for the BF's birthday and doing the "Dinner with the cast" thing in September! Who knows who'll be there then!?
That behind the scene thing was really cool. I didn't know the Ford Center/Oriental had its own rehearsing space. Do all road houses have rehearsal halls?
Oh, I didn't like Derrick either. He just didn't fit the mold of the usual Fiyero, and didn't do much to make it his own either.
"That behind the scene thing was really cool. I didn't know the Ford Center/Oriental had its own rehearsing space. Do all road houses have rehearsal halls?"
No, they don't. They were added when Livent renovated the theatre. In fact, that's where the national tour of Fosse rehearsed before its launch. If I recall, there are (r where) three rehearsal halls, one with the dimensions of the stage (the full stage) and two which are the dimensions of the visible performing space.
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