What is going on with LA "WICKED" Leads? — Page 2

Kendras voice is realy good, but the only thing i don't like about her is she plays like a dumb blonde throughout the entire show. Katie plays a kind of ditzy Glinda during the first act but during the second act she's a little more serious and mature.

I don't understand. I am sure that there is someone out there who is a top notch singer AND comedic actress. There are so many beautiful and talented women out there... why on earth do they settle so often??

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Well having seen the original cast last year in New York, I have decided not to worry about who will be in or out of the show when it gets to Denver. The good thing is that the 19 people who are going with me the night I see it have never seen the show. So eveyone will be new to them. Only some have heard the music.

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I saw Emily go on as G(a)linda and I thought she was great --- not as good as Jennifer Laura Thompson or Kristen Chenoweth -- but still really good. Stephanie was very strong, but I thought she rushed through the lyrics of Wizard and I and did not hold the end notes in Defying Gravity like Idina. Stephanie's No Good Deed was amaxing. Her acting was also great.

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Updated On: 7/5/05 at 03:03 PM

Dame, after reading all these posts, this really seems outrageous. How often are the two leads actually performing TOGETHER? Does anyone know?

When the tour was in Chicago I saw Kendra 3 times and Emily once. I MUCH MUCH MUCH prefer Kendra. Emily was a little...restrained and did not have as good of a voice. I know the one time that we saw Emily (which was a week before they left for LA), someone asked why Kendra wasn't there and someone said that something was going on with her throat...I don't know if that has anything to do with her missing a lot in LA.

In Theory, the understudies go on less on a tour than Broadway, cause there is nothing to do in a "tour" city, but we Are talkin Chicago and LA, right?
These two roles are difficult, but so are Dolly Levi and Edna Turnball, and Carol never missed and Harve missed, One and a Half during the run? (and they were both several years older than any Elphie or Galinda
Stephenie must have really been hurt in Toronto, but if she can't do 8 a week, get someone who can(sorry if that is harsh)
and the fact that the producers allowed her to continue on a 6 show week must be insulting to Kendra, who is now missing alot.
This is not mean't to be mean, just facts.
and the fact that Eden E is doing the SF leg should tell you something, I know actreeses are fragile creatures but there are People out there who would die for these roless 8 times a week'
That said Jenna Leigh is Terrific and u are not missing anything if you see her, I can't talk about the other understudies.
Again I don't mean to be mean or Green, just state what i think.
Feel free to argue my thoughts or my syntax and speeling

Updated On: 7/6/05 at 12:15 AM

I love how some people assume they know exactly what's going on with the performers and can judge if their absence is "acceptable" or not. Give them a break! You don't know what is REALLY going on, do you? This is what they have worked all their lives to do, don't you think they'd do it if they could? There is obviously some really good reason for them to be missing when they do - and the understudies are great - so why complain?

While I'm sure the understudies are fine, it is naturally disappointing to spend hundreds of dollars on tickets knowing that performer x is going to be in the show and you show up and there's an understudy; yes of course it HAPPENS, but especially with someone like Stephanie who is somewhat of a name, people could definitely feel cheated.

(on a sidenote, I do think it's very odd that Kendra would be out as least as much as Stephanie...in reality Glinda is a less demanding role, and she has not reported any injury. But hey, whatev. I didn't buy 100 dollar seats.)

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I understand that performers may have problems/commitments which prevent them from appearing, but Kendra Kassebaum got the role of a lifetime (at least so far) as Glinda, and I'd like to know why she's missed so much. Is a replacement on the horizon? And what's with Eden playing Elphaba in SF? Did I miss something?

So Stephanie is leaving the tour?

I don't know if that's been announced officially yet...