WIZARD swap!

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:13am

Interesting. Apparently the wizards are totally interchangeable.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0508220111aug22,1,1659031.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:21am

The Chicago guy must be stoked!

[ItsCalledHistory]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:24am

I think this is great. The producers could very well have given Gene the week off in Chicago and put the NY understudy on, instead they are paying for him to fly out to New York and put him up someplace for a week.

Not all producers would do that. Good for them.

Gene is a wonderful wizard -- the New York audience (and cast) are going to get a special treat that week.

As is those in Chicago - I've only heard wonderful things about Ben.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:47am

This is great news for Gene! Congratulations!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:55am

"I think this is great. The producers could very well have given Gene the week off in Chicago and put the NY understudy on, instead they are paying for him to fly out to New York and put him up someplace for a week."

Yes and no. Don't forget, performers have a contract. He still would have needed to be paid for that week, though it would have been cheaper to let him go on vacation and let Vereen's undertudy go on, since they have to now cover the costs of travel.

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:58am

Perhaps they're trying to show NY that the Chicago cast is as strong.... a forshaddowing of sending a certain green someone else off to B-way? hmmm.....

[elphieisperky]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:03am

Wow, that's interesting. Cool for Gene!

Edit: Luckily Ben will be back by the time I see it. I'm sure Gene is amazing, but I had my heart set on Ben. Oh, and very nice theory QueenAnne...

Updated On: 8/22/05 at 10:03 AM

[wickedobsessed]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:04am

Wow! I hope he has a great time in the Gershwin!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:40am

grrrr now i have to try to get a single ticket when ben is here...for cheap!

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:43am

I heard the complete trade was:

Chicago gets:
Ben Vereen

New York gets:
Gene Wygandt
Cash Consideration
And a munchkin to be named later

Man, Steinbrenner made a good deal here!

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:55am

Why does the Chicago Tribune article say it's at the Cadillac Palace Theatre? That's where the tour of the Lion King is currently performing. Wicked is at the Ford Center.

[xxnewgirlxx]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:14am

Very cool...Gene is a fabulous Wizard. What a great break for him!

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:30am

I really loved Gene as the Wizard, but Im totally going back to see Ben Vereen!:)

Signed,
One stoked Ben Vereen junkie in Chicago.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:34am

This is a Weissler thing - they always do it. But it dosen't get posted on every Broadway site.

But I agree - they could've just put a Wizard understudy on, it's good for Gene.

[AllNite429]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 12:03pm

Of course this has to happen when I am going to Chicago to see Wicked. I've already seen Ben as the wizard so I was looking forward to (hopefully) seeing the original Chicago cast. Oh well...

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 12:04pm

GEh! Jkasidlkfjamwef.amsd,cmas.


Bad..timing. I would give a leg to see Ben Vereen in ANYTHING, but that's EXACTLY the week my schedule's just filled up. Poop.

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 1:55pm

Holy s***! That's gonna be weird but cool! The cast better get used to the new Wizards for a while.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:02pm

Sorry - off topic, i Know, but is the Mamma Mia sitdown production closed? Or is it not playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre like i thought it was.

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:02pm

yep- all gone.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:06pm

how long did it run for? did it make a profit?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:32pm

Chicago never had a Mamma Mia sit down. The last time the tour was there it played the Oriental.

[djjd007]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:38pm

OK, I just saw Ben and, as good as he is, the whole point of my trip to Chicago on 9/3 was to see the *CHICAGO CAST*, especially the actors who have been receiving raves. If I didn't already have made all the arrangements, I would just sell my tickets and go back in November. Ergh.

In any case, I sincerely hope that Ben's friend/family/etc. is going to get better.

And, one more thing, I highly doubt this is any sort of indicator that the producers are going to start bringing more folks from Chicago to NYC. Especially the green cast members.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:55pm

Oh my bad, is Wicked the first "sit down" in chicago?

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/22/05 at 2:58pm

Actually I think it's the first official sit down since joseph with donny osmond.

And can I add that NY is getting a treat too!

Updated On: 8/22/05 at 02:58 PM

[AllNite429]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 9:56am

djjd007... I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm also seeing Wicked on 9/3 and wanted to see the Chicago cast... oh well...