#2
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:05pm
An amazing performer who deserves tons of credit. 
CCM '10!
#3
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:06pm
More info.....How is she connected to WIcked? Is she as good as Idina?
#4
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:06pm
original Elphaba in wicked, original liza minelli in boy from oz, elphaba on the wicked tour!
www.stephaniejblock.com ..listen to some of her songs. shes amazing
www.stephaniejblock.com ..listen to some of her songs. shes amazing
#5
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:07pm
She's a person.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
#6
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:09pm
She does not get enough credit for her work. She was the original elphaba in LA i think, and liza in the boy from oz. She deserves so much credit for her work. She should have been nominated for a tony when she was in the boy from oz. She is a great singer! And she is so sweet!
"You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the Music of the Night!!!!!"
#8
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:11pm
Shes one of the most talented and nicest person on broadway (well WAS on broadway). and I do believe that she will be comparable or even better than idina. Just listen to her on the boy from oz recording or her on Cast Party with Jim caruso. she has a knockout voice!
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
#9
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:12pm
no, steph was the orig, then the brought in idina, and steph became understudy and in the ensemble, but then she left after the tryout in SF to be Liza (wicked teen fan crazy girls- is this correct!?!)
#10
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:14pm
Stephanie is an amazing singer/performer and will be a fantastic Elphaba. She's also a total sweetheart.
I believe she did the original reading as Elphaba, then somehow became Idinas standby or understudy or something, and then left the cast of Wicked to do "The Boy from Oz." She will be the touring Elphaba, and Im more excited to see her do the role than anything else coming up soon - except Raul in Chitty, of course.
Listen to Steph singing "Never Never Land." Its insanely good.
I believe she did the original reading as Elphaba, then somehow became Idinas standby or understudy or something, and then left the cast of Wicked to do "The Boy from Oz." She will be the touring Elphaba, and Im more excited to see her do the role than anything else coming up soon - except Raul in Chitty, of course.
Listen to Steph singing "Never Never Land." Its insanely good.
There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.
#11
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:17pm
How come the pictures have Idina and Kristen from Sanfransisco then? So the show was written fro Stephanie?
#12
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:19pm
no, it wasn't written FOR stephanie, she was just the original, and then i guess the creative team decided they wanted a name. But i do not believe that the part of elphie was written for steph as the part of glinda was written for kristen.
#13
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:47pm
Wow she sounds fab-Barbie Commercians and all!-I definitely have to see her! Hope the tour comes close enough so I wont have to drive hours to see it! I can see her in this part-how exciting!?
#14
Posted: 12/1/04 at 9:55pm
Truly one of the best voices I have heard.
CCM '10!
#15
Posted: 12/1/04 at 10:01pm
Does anyone know of any pics of Stephanie in the Elphaba costume and makeup??? I read in a onlnie chat transcript on Stephanie's website that she said she had one, and it would be posted in her photo gallery soon, but nothing has appeared yet.
#16
Posted: 12/1/04 at 10:05pm
Okay, Stephanie was in Boy From Oz. You can go listen to it at http://www.hjackman.com/main.shtml (Go under Sounds... song bytes)... but you might need to unzip the files.
She is an amazing singer, but Idina was the original Elphaba. I personally think Idina is better... but I'm sure whoever the next one is will be good enough to (hopefully) keep the Broadway grosses for that production up.
She is an amazing singer, but Idina was the original Elphaba. I personally think Idina is better... but I'm sure whoever the next one is will be good enough to (hopefully) keep the Broadway grosses for that production up.
NIL MAGNUM NISI BONUM "No greatness without goodness."
RENThead, enLIGHist, Ozalot, Grobanite, Ringer, Pickwick LW, Wicked, Lost, American Dreams, West Wing
Lea S. Hugh J. Adam P. Idina M. Matt M. Taye D.
#17
Posted: 12/1/04 at 10:08pm
Idina was the original Elphaba on Broadway, not for the show itself.
CCM '10!
#18
Posted: 12/2/04 at 8:56am
The truth:
Stephanie was not the original Elphaba for WICKED. She did the role in several readings, but it was always up in the air whether or not she would originate the role in San Fran or Broadway. Apparently, she was wonderful in the readings, but according to Stephanie, they wanted someone with experience originating a role (Hence, Idina). She decided to stay on as the standby for the San Fran run (going on once opposite Cheno) and got the call for BFO. She decided to do that. Reportedly, she understood about Idina, etc. She is a KNOCKOUT talent.
Doing a role in a reading does not constitute originating it. When I was in a private Middle School, the composers of that city center flop "Abby's Song" starring Paul Sorvino came and "workshopped" it with a bunch of students in a public reading. I played a small role w/ about 9 other students doing the show. I do not consider that I originated the role. I suppose if you wanted to say steph was Idina's orig. standby, that would be accurate. She was NOT the orig. Elphaba
Doug
Stephanie was not the original Elphaba for WICKED. She did the role in several readings, but it was always up in the air whether or not she would originate the role in San Fran or Broadway. Apparently, she was wonderful in the readings, but according to Stephanie, they wanted someone with experience originating a role (Hence, Idina). She decided to stay on as the standby for the San Fran run (going on once opposite Cheno) and got the call for BFO. She decided to do that. Reportedly, she understood about Idina, etc. She is a KNOCKOUT talent.
Doing a role in a reading does not constitute originating it. When I was in a private Middle School, the composers of that city center flop "Abby's Song" starring Paul Sorvino came and "workshopped" it with a bunch of students in a public reading. I played a small role w/ about 9 other students doing the show. I do not consider that I originated the role. I suppose if you wanted to say steph was Idina's orig. standby, that would be accurate. She was NOT the orig. Elphaba
Doug
#19
Posted: 12/2/04 at 9:55am
Stephanie should have been nominated for her Liza in the Boy From Oz.
#20
Posted: 12/2/04 at 1:32pm
stephanie did the reading for elphaba and went on once in san fransisco. but the producers didn't want to take the chance with a "nobody" when bringing it to broadway. so they cast idina menzel. while doing that she got offered to audition for boy from oz as liza. how i know this? i have seth rudetsky's broadway chatterbox with the leading ladies of BFO and she says all this during her portion of the interview.
"You can't stop someone who wants to be an artist. If they're going to do it, they're going to do it... Work as hard as you can on the things you can work on. Until it seems like there is no possible chance you're going to succeed, don't give up." ~ANDREW ASNES
avatar: me and jason gillman... in the pouring rain.
#21
Posted: 12/2/04 at 2:36pm
My idol! 
Seriously, she just played Liza Minelli in "The Boy From Oz". She's an amazing talent and an even more amazing person! She is going to be a fabulous Elphaba!
Seriously, she just played Liza Minelli in "The Boy From Oz". She's an amazing talent and an even more amazing person! She is going to be a fabulous Elphaba!
#22
Posted: 12/2/04 at 3:22pm
She was wonderful in THE BOY FROM OZ! On the closing show, the stage practically vibrated with her rendition of I LOVE TO HEAR THE MUSIC and the standing ovation was so long one could almost think the show belonged to her and not to Hugh
I hope she comes back to Broadway after her tour stint with WICKED...maybe even in the same show. Or maybe in a revival of FUNNY GIRL?
I hope she comes back to Broadway after her tour stint with WICKED...maybe even in the same show. Or maybe in a revival of FUNNY GIRL?
#23
Posted: 12/2/04 at 10:26pm
I'm a big fan of Ms. Block, and here's why:
When I first saw BOY FROM OZ, she was weak. It was shortly after the show opened, and she hadn't found the character yet.
Flash forward nine months: I went to see the show again. Ms. Block was walking away with the show. The rest of the cast was doing the same show, but she had grown by leaps and bounds, and was utterly sensational.
I really respect that she used the opportunity of a long run in the show to grow, and not just phone in the same performance night after night, as many other people in that cast did.
When I first saw BOY FROM OZ, she was weak. It was shortly after the show opened, and she hadn't found the character yet.
Flash forward nine months: I went to see the show again. Ms. Block was walking away with the show. The rest of the cast was doing the same show, but she had grown by leaps and bounds, and was utterly sensational.
I really respect that she used the opportunity of a long run in the show to grow, and not just phone in the same performance night after night, as many other people in that cast did.
#24
Posted: 12/2/04 at 10:43pm
and not just phone in the same performance night after night, as many other people in that cast did.
Maybe I didn't see what you saw, but I thought a nice aspect of that production a few months in was that the leads weren't phoning in their performances.
Maybe I didn't see what you saw, but I thought a nice aspect of that production a few months in was that the leads weren't phoning in their performances.
#25
Posted: 12/2/04 at 10:46pm
Of course you're right, Plum. It's all situational, when you see a show. Maybe someone is sick, or maybe they're having a really, really bad day. As an audience member, you never know.
I wasn't really suggesting that the cast of BOY FROM OZ was bad when I saw the show the second time, it was just that Ms. Block had improved so much that it made a strong impression on me.
I wasn't really suggesting that the cast of BOY FROM OZ was bad when I saw the show the second time, it was just that Ms. Block had improved so much that it made a strong impression on me.
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