Technical Wicked question- Page 2

[mule]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 6:53am

I noted that the singing (for the actors who "fly") was still quite good in Dracula. I think you have clarified how they do it. My wife and I actually discussed the harnesses they use and wondered if there was one that did not depress the diaphram.

Thanks for the info.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 11:26am

a little more of a despcription...

ZFX harnesses are made from a more lightweight flexible material and the shoulder straps are postitioned more toward the side of teh torso than other harnesses and the belt is lower... both attach at the hip, rather than directly in front of the body... so teh pressure of the lift is placed on the thighs and tehs traps avoid pressing the chest.. it allows for more movement and better breathing.
Foy harnesses are heavy leather and stiffer.. the strap placements and heavier fabric tend to restrict movement and make singing harder.

If you are curious, You can find photos of the ZFX harness out there on the web.. usually search "Peter Pan zfx"..

I HIGHLY reecommend ZFX to anyone doing a show requiring flying

[Phantom487]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 11:28am

Yea thats true... I read an online interview with Cathy Rigby and she had that ZFX harness was much more comfortable and smooth and Foy's... and alot less noisy too.

[StrStruckDreamr9]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:23pm

So, uh, thibodeaux , do you still have this tape?

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:27pm

Technically, it's not a bubble. It's the clock pendulum, but acts like a bubble. But it should get close enough so she can take like half a foot step down, with help.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:31pm

'the contraption in Chicago broke and Pascal and Headley fell out of it onto the stage--luckily, Pascal, being the hero that he is, broke her fall.'

NO!!! ADAM!!!!! omg! were they alright?

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:34pm

when i hard the ocr before seeing the show, i saw elphaba flying "peter pan" sytle on a broom instead of raised up like that not even on her broom, but holding it around. i didn't like it too much....got kind of disappointed.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:39pm

yep... and harzard pay can be a good thing!

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:39pm

Unless we ask the creative team we will really never know why they use a cherry picker. I heard that Idina is simply afraid of heights and wanted her feet to be on something. And i BELIEVE, cant remember exactly, that in San Fran, she didnt even fly, she just kind of dissapeared and ran up to a higher platform and reappeared, singing, its me, its me, its me, up her its me, then finally a light hits her, its meeeeeeeee so if you care to find me....etc. So there was no lifting or flying at that point. But I could be totally wrong, or maybe the 1st preview didnt have the picker yet. So who knows, buts thats my 2 cents

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:50pm

LIKE OMG.....get a grip dude. so what if we're wrong....it doesn't matter, does it?

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:50pm

Um it is a varietion of a cherry picker, thats the brace that holds the "box" she stands in. She walks behind the little set pieces surrounding it. Steps in, and closes the bar around her front side. That front bar is what creates the lower half of her body, so you cant see her feet standing on the platform. If you watch closely there are times where her stomach isnt connected to her waste so think about it. Shes not harnessed or clipped, sorry, but thanks for calling us dumb.

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:57pm

If you want to call the bar around her waste a harnass, fine. Im just saying there are no wires involed, and she certainly isnt hanging from a beam that shes hooked to. Just look at the show, her dress is level with the ground if not ankle level at that point at the end of act 1. When shes flying her feet are no where to be seen. My only point, shes in a cherry picker, standing on something, and the bottom half of her body isnt her.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:58pm

Ragtime, what crawled up your booty and died a horrible rotten death? People are allowed to be inquisitive and speculate about things they dont' know; no need to try and make people feel inferior for not knowing something...

And may I ask how you know what's stated in her contract? I'm just curious.

Posted: 8/11/04 at 3:59pm

that part's obvious....she doesn't suddenly grow twenty feet tall...

but damn...is that her real hair cause it is awesome.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:01pm

LOL, yes, that is her real hair. It kind of works as her trademark...(for me, at least.)

If you look at pictures of her playing Maureen--it's gorgeous!!

And funny, but how come since Idina left RENT, there haven't been any other Maureen's cast like her? They all have short blonde hair, now...

At least all the ones I've seen.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:03pm

If you mean in the show, I don't believe that's her real hair. In every backstage picture you'll see a line across her forehead it's where the wig is attached. Idina has awesome hair, I must admit. But it's not her REAL hair in WICKED.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:28pm

thibodeaux: "LOL, yes, that is her real hair. It kind of works as her trademark...(for me, at least.)"

Not sure what you're talking about, but Idina wears three wigs in WICKED.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:47pm

Wigs or none, her hair is her trademark thing for me. Like Bernadette. That long, long beautiful hair.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 5:38pm

no dark haired Maureens?? where have YOU been?? Tamara Podemski?? She is a brunette..

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 6:43pm

oh i loved tamara podemski. she was awesome. hysterical. also kristen lee kelly who took over for idina had long dark hair and carla bianco had short-ish dark hair who came in after. the last 3 or so maureens over the past 2 or 3 years have had blonde hair though.

i remember that thing with adam and heather and the hydraulic (sp) lift. i remember reading an article saying they were in the hospital and that they both fell on the stage and were in the fetal position and weren't moving. scared the hell out of me.

also when i was at caroline or change there was a huge issue with the noah's bed when he and caroline talk to each other. for some reason the bed wouldn't extend horizontally so they had the kid bring out a pillow and lie on it on the ground. it didn't seem to phase him except he kept peeking around the corner and sang his first few lines offstage. then for the next 20 minutes of the show there was a lot of loud hammering and power tools and by the time they needed the bed again it was working. i wish they had just kept the convention of him lying with his pillow on the ground and i could have enjoyed the show without the power tools.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 7:00pm

Okay, so maybe there were more than just Idina in the same look, but CURRENTLY... the Maureen's are all short blonde haired ladies :)