Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

#1

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 1:51pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/168719-Louise-Dearman-a-Former-Glinda-Will-Be-Elphaba-in-Londons-Wicked

Apparently, Louise Dearman, an English actress, will become the first actress to play both leads when she takes over the role of Elphaba in the West End production.

Can anyone think of any Broadway actresses who might be able to pull this off?

I thought Annaleigh Ashford might be able to
Allie Mauzey might be an interesting one as well

I think it's a lot harder for me to envision a lot of the past Elphabas as Glinda, to be honest.

#2

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 1:55pm

Christina DeCicco could probably pull off Elphaba.

#3

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 1:57pm

Louise Dearman has a killer voice - I was always surprised she was Glinda (sans the blonde part).

I agree though about Christina DeCicco - Louise Dearman actually was Eva on the UK revival tour as well.

#4

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 1:58pm

Wasn't there a rumour a few years back Kendra was to play Elphaba at some point?

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#5

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:00pm

Megan Hilty could sing the heck out of Elphaba! Rachel Potter too...

Updated On: 8/3/12 at 02:00 PM

#6

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:03pm

I'm thinking Rachel Potter should play Elphaba. She'd be amazing.

I strongly disagree that Alli Mauzey could play Elphaba though. I don't even like her as Glinda very much, and I really can't see her as Elphaba.

#7

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:05pm

Beyonce thinks she could play both roles.

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#8

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:15pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbhgqgGKyY&feature=related

#9

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:18pm

I've done both. My vocal chords are still in tact. Whatev.

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"These rabid fans...possess the acting talent to portray the hooker...Linda Eder..." -The New York Times

#10

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:23pm

Have to disagree about Megan Hilty. She is struggling in that video to sing the song. I love her voice but it would be ruined if she tried screaming Elphaba. She has a great belt but the E's and F's that Elphaba has to sing would not sit well on her voice. In Thank Goodness she sings in her head voice in a lot of places because it sounds better in her head voice rather than her belt which is very strong but sometimes can sound abrasive. I love love love me some Megan Hilty but she could not do the role 8 times a week.

#11

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:25pm

TheLadyOfTheWood: SHE WAS IN TECH. Tech is exhausting and we're lucky that she even had the strength to perform this since tech is so draining. LEEVE IVY ALONEEE.

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"These rabid fans...possess the acting talent to portray the hooker...Linda Eder..." -The New York Times

#12

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:30pm

I heard that somehow there were peanuts found in her salad that night? I think it was Shoshana! She knows Ivy has a peanut allergy!

#13

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:35pm

Carmen Cusack has played Christine in Phantom, so she can probably pull off Glinda.

#14

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 2:39pm

I believe Kristy Cates stood by or understudied G(a)linda at a point during the Chicago engagement of Wicked before she took over as the green girl - not sure if she ever went on as the 'good' witch.

Damn, she was a great Elphaba.

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"...ah, gays and their wit. Hell must be a laugh a minute!" -Evie Harris

#15

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 3:08pm

Slighty off-topic but Shoshana sounds great in that video.

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#16

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 3:13pm

"I believe Kristy Cates stood by or understudied G(a)linda at a point during the Chicago engagement of Wicked before she took over as the green girl - not sure if she ever went on as the 'good' witch."

Kristy never covered Glinda in Chicago. She was the original Elphaba understudy on Broadway, stood by and played Elphaba in Chicago and briefly filled in on tour, but never covered Glinda.

#17

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 3:35pm

My mistake - I could have sworn there was a lead who understudied the opposite role prior to taking over. It may have been the other way around: actress covered both but later played Glinda.

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"...ah, gays and their wit. Hell must be a laugh a minute!" -Evie Harris

#18

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 3:35pm

Louise sings a bit of Elphaba's part in Defying Gravity here with Rachel Tucker. Its from Jest End in London.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLXgryHYg0k


And for those who haven't seen it yet, Rachel Potter singing Defying Gravity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgUurEJ2oYY

#19

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 3:52pm

I think Teal Wicks might be a candidate.

#20

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 4:22pm

Shoshana sounds more like she could play both roles than Megan does. I'll bet that Eden could also handle Glinda as well.

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#21

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 5:02pm

This doesn't surprise me. Louise Dearman is one of those people who can sing almost anything. Shoshana is like that too in her own way. Her Glinda sounds better than some of the women who play the role full time. I believe that Chelsea Krombach was almost offered to understudy both Glinda, and Elphaba. She ended up only covering Elphaba though.

I hope this does not start a trend with this show. I could see Jeanna de Waal, and Christina Decicco as Elphaba and Donna Vivino, and Vicki Noon as Glinda

#22

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 5:23pm

Megan Hilty and Shoshana Bean once did a concert where they sung the songs from the show but swapped parts -- they were both fantastic in the opposite parts, and I think they could both pull off the other character.

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#23

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/3/12 at 5:33pm

Quiche, the link to that video is above.

#24

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/4/12 at 1:34am

I think Jackie Burns could possibly play Glinda. I remember in an interview (toward the beginning of her Broadway run as Elphaba) her and Chandra were saying that Jackie had some Glinda-like qualities in real life.

#25

Playing Both Glinda and Elphaba

Posted: 8/4/12 at 3:43am

Actually @Gothampc, Kanye thinks Beyonce could play both roles....