The Wicked Stage?

[StephanieJBlockFan]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:14pm

Ok I know the Wicked Broadway stage is a raked stage but do the touring and other productions of Wicked use the "raked" stage? I've never seen the touring stage slant like the Broadway one. :P

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:19pm

It all depends on the theater. It just happened that they chose a raked stage on broadway and some touring theaters don't have raked stages. It really doesn't affect the show. It would take a lot of unnecessary work to rake each touring thrater's stage.

[Tag]

Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:46pm

The Wicked tour, as well as most tours, travel with their own show deck. The surface & rake of the actual theatre stage have nothing to do with what you see once a show like Wicked loads in. They lay their deck over what preexists in the theatre they are stopping at. The First National Tour of Wicked is not raked.
Updated On: 10/8/09 at 11:46 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 11:21am

"It all depends on the theater. It just happened that they chose a raked stage on broadway and some touring theaters don't have raked stages."

No, it has nothing to do with the theater. All theaters have a flat "base" stage. Most shows put a "deck" above it, which often contains the mechanisms to move set pieces on and off the stage. Very few shows tour with a raked stage, but a few have (Ragtime and Miss Saigon come to mind). But as I said above, it has nothing to do with the theater's stage.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 11:29am

I am finishing an article on the touring show and that was a question I asked the Company Manager. Will post the link when the article goes up. I saw the show yesterday afternoon. We have the cast with Donna Vivno. Her standby, Meredith Kaye Clark, was on and was very good.

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 11:37am

Neither touring company of Wicked uses a raked stage.

As a matter of fact, the 2nd National Tour has actually eliminated the automation from the right and left wings. Automation still exists for the Wizard's head, but that's it. Also, the 2nd National Tour eliminated the functional bridge that flys in from flyspace as well as the "grandstand" on which Morrible declares Elphaba a "Wiiickeeed Wiiiitch!" She's not even on stage for that part in the 2nd Nat. You simply hear her pre-recorded speech.

Rumor has it that those elements were cut because show "deals" with the theatres and booking groups changed and they Producers found it necessary to cut trucks in order to continue to pad their pockets. I don't agree with removing scenic elements for such reason and feel it DOES impede the show.

Another show that did travel with a raked stage was Lion King. However, the show has eliminated the use of said hydraulic deck.

[Justin D]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 4:00pm

I always thought Lion King uses a flat stage with a lift to rake it for certain scenes. I cant imagine watching it with out that raised platform. One of the designers commented that with out this raised section (they were calling it the mountain) pride rock just does not look right.

as for Wicked, I never liked the 2 sections that slide on to act as platforms for Morrible. I guess if I had not seen the Broadway version they would be ok. To me those 2 units just come accross as unnessessary, either put in the balconies or block the scenes differently. Mind you there usualy is plenty of room between the prescenium, the geers and the speakers that they could have integrated some sort of balcony, but i guess it woulf cost more. Overall I dont mind cutting Morrible out and just using her vioce, and I would cut boq and the lion all together.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 5:23pm

All I know is that life upon it ain't ever what a girl supposes.

Posted: 10/9/09 at 5:35pm

Was the Chicago Production on a raked stage?

[Tag]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 7:43pm

Chicago became the 2nd National so I'd say no.

[Oldschool]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 7:49pm

Actually Fosse, not all theatres have natively flat stages. Ford's Theatre in Washington (yes, Lincoln's) has a natively raked stage.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 10:03pm

"All I know is that life upon it ain't ever what a girl supposes."

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this when I saw the name of this thread!

[broadwayboy522]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 10:36pm

I'm pretty sure the Broadway production is the only with the raked stage. They opened with the raked stage but after they found out all the things it does to the actor's they decided it wasn't neccessary and so none of the other productions have a rake.

[StephanieJBlockFan]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 10:41pm

Wait but the 2nd National Tour show looks different than the Chicago Wicked Stage
!

[StephanieJBlockFan]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 10:41pm

Oh that's so stupid! X(

[outdamnwench]

Posted: 10/9/09 at 11:02pm

"I'm pretty sure the Broadway production is the only with the raked stage. They opened with the raked stage but after they found out all the things it does to the actor's they decided it wasn't neccessary and so none of the other productions have a rake."

The effects of a rake on the body are well known throughout the industry. I'm sure they've got it there due to the fact that the Gershwin is a beast of a theatre and requires a few adjustments for sightlines.