What do you think of Shoshana?

I'll tell you here.

If you want okay singing and less than community theatre standards of acting, go see Shoshana in WICKED.

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Updated On: 3/3/05 at 09:17 PM

Really? Because it sounds like she's reading her lines from cue cards and learned to act from the Carrot Top school of over the top acting.

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Updated On: 3/3/05 at 09:23 PM

As much as I joke sometimes about Idina, she has an incredible stage presence and really made that role her own.

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Joshua you crack me up

and not just in this post...all posts!

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i love shoshana's voice

i haven't seen her in the role, so i can't comment on her acting

however, when you are replacing a star like idina, who really HAS made that role her own, they are of course going to replace her with someone with tons of talent..singing and acting wise. Wicked is one of the most popular shows on broadway right now...they wouldn't fill those shoes with some mediocre talent.

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Can we put Shoshana on tour and send Stephanie Block over to the Gershwin?

I saw Wicked during Ms. Bean’s first week of performances, so she may have improved since I saw her (she may have attended a few acting classes, or been told what keys her songs were in). I have been cautious about posting my feelings about her performance, mostly out of a need to not be berated by teenagers. But regardless…here goes… I found her performance to be an embarrassment. The more I think about it, the worse she comes off. Her singing was mediocre, showy at some points and off-key for most of the night. Most painful was her ending to I’m not that girl, which caused a full body shiver (not the good kind!). If her singing was mediocre, her acting was just plain dreadful. She was off-key for most of her performance, and had no idea what her character was about. Most of the new cast in fact, brought out the many flaws of this show, whether it be the pandering pop-score, or the impressive, but difficult book, that in retrospect, never fully captures the political themes of the novel. When I saw Wicked with it’s original cast, I was impressed, finding the cast to be solid, the score to be serviceable, and the book to be tight. Wicked does not hold up with it’s replacements, and often falls flat in many parts. David Ayers gave a horrible performance (worse than Bean’s) that was completely off-key and confused. His singing during “As Long as You’re Mine” was the worst I have heard on a Broadway stage. Jeffrey Kuhn was completely forgettable as Boq, and worst of the lot was the talented Jennifer Laura-Thompson (great in Urinetown) who did a bad Kristin Chenoweth imitation for her entire performance. The reliable George Hearn seemed lost out there, giving not signature to the Wizard. But back to Bean-she is overrated, in my opinion. A community theatre worthy performance indeed, and someone who will not be remembered in 10 years, at least not in a positive light.

I just posted this on a different thread but here it goes: I do not like Shoshana's vocals in this show at all. I cannot comment on her acting, as I have not seen her live, but I've heard recordings and the Broadway.com backstage video and I still do not like her in this role. She has a good voice, she just needs to fine a role better suited for it.

And I hope Eden comes back after Shoshana leaves. I doubt she will though. I've heard a few sound clips of her and she sounds fantastic compared to nasal-Bean.

I would see Stephanie Block in anything. If she took over the lead in "Brooklyn", I would see it again. That's how good she is.

Stephanie Block should be on Broadway-period. She is talented, and has potential to have a colorful and fruitful career. Shoshanna Bean is a fad.

MEF, please let we poor folks who can't make it to NY keep SOMETHING ;P You can have Steph when her tour contract ends, but don't take away the reason I bought my ticket!

PJ-I agree. Bean is perfect for a generation raised to believe that an appearance equals talent.