Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

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Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:13am

I searched and couldn't find anything...

I've seen several pictures of a giant black hat in Wicked, I've assumed it was the beginning of the show. Just so the tour--no black hat, and my girfriend saw the show in New York this summer and said there was no hat.

What was this and why did they get rid of it?

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:14am

When I saw the show in April in NYC the hat was there...hmmm...

"You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you." - Maya Angelou

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:14am

It was cut from the tour for some reason. It's still in the New York production.

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:16am

What scene is this? I only saw the pre-Broadway production.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:16am

It's cut from the tour because of the trap door, right? Same reason why Elphaba doesn't rise from the trap door for "No Good Deed"?

"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:19am

Its on the tour, Just depends if the stage is equipped with a trap door or not for the hat to go through it. And if it isn't, no hat.

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:20am

The hat is still on Broadway.

I like the hat.

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:28am

I thought the hat was the first thing on the stage after the curtains are opened?

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:15am

Does anyone else think that the only reason the hat exists is because after Seussical closed, Eugene Lee was left with that huge vortex from the opening, and decided to paint it black and recycle it?

#10

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:27am

I'm lead to believ that there's not hat at all. I saw Wicked at the Pantages in LA, which has housed Lion King and Phantom, and has more than ample trap door space, and still no hat.

Sad times, I always thought the hat was cool.

#11

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:31pm

Theres no giant black hat in the Chicago production:)

There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.

#12

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:35pm

The hat is kinda silly. So. I think that's a good thing. But there was no hat in Chicago... and I have not heard anyone else say they say the hat on tour. Why would they spend money to make a big ugly hat that had no bearing on the plot that they would then procede to NOT use at the majority of stops on the tour?

kc

Jesus saves. I spend.

#13

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:36pm

I don't understand why they cut the hat, trap door or no trap door. It's cloth, and can easily be tossed aside (if not down a hole in the stage). And the "point" is suspended from the fly space, just like any set piece would be.

It makes for a big visual impact at the beginning of the show, and I can't imagine it being that much trouble to take on the road.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#14

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:41pm

I agree...I think it has HUGE visual impact, it definitely makes you go "wow" from the very beginning.

#15

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:54pm

No it doesn't. It just serves as a reminder that this story is about the wicked witch of the west. It is still in the Broadway production, they haven't removed it.

#16

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 12:55pm

There is usually a nice round of applause right at the beginning when the lights go up, the curtain "map" is lifted, and the giant hat is seen.

It helps the audience know, in an "iconic" way, that she has already met her demise, before the chorus starts singing "Good news, she's dead!"

It's actually a very BIG difference without it.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#17

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:00pm

It didn't make a difference for me. I didn't realize that it wasn't there when I saw WICKED in Dallas last week. I forgot about it until I read this thread, and I saw it twice in NYC!

"I am open, and I am willing, For to be hopeless would seem so strange. It dishonors those who go before us, So lift me up to the light of change." Holly Near

#18

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:05pm

I'm not saying it ruins the show, by any means. It's just better with the surreal visual image at the beginning. It's a nice anchor.

If you don't know it's coming, I'm sure you'll "live" without it.

I'm just surprised that they cut it, since I think it's fairly easy to tour. It's not like trying to fly the monkeys out over the audience. That's not practical to tour, obviously.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 10/12/05 at 01:05 PM

#19

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:24pm

I had to weigh in on this one. I've seen "Wicked" three times in Chicago (never in NYC) and would like to have seen the hat. Just from looking at the picture in the souvenir program, I can't believe that it couldn't be "adapted" for the tour. I would think lugging that time clock dragon from city to city would be a much bigger issue than an oversized witch's hat.

#20

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:34pm

When I saw the hat last year, I thought ooooooh, that would be fun to play with! I thought is was a nice visual. The second time I saw the show the hat made me sad. I loved it.

Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel like you're less than f**ckin' perfect!

#21

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:49pm

Well, my girlfriend said it wasn't in the New York production either, so I guess it doesn't leave a very big impression on everyone.

Could someone explain exactly what it does and how it is used and when?

#22

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:53pm

Did she come in late?

It's the first thing you see when the curtain goes up at the beginning of the show.

In her defense, though, it is dimly lit, and has fog all around it. It's a very cold, lonely image. It usually gets applause when the audience recognizes it. The chorus members are all under the rim of the hat, rotating it around slowly, until they pull it down (quickly) and it is pulled through a trap door in the floor as they run out from under it, with an abrupt lighting change, singing, "Good news, she's dead!" etc.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#23

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 2:02pm

The hat is not in the touring show at all due to the trap door thing. The Buell in Denver, where it just played, is more than equipped for the hat but since they removed it from the touring show...no hat.

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

#24

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 2:04pm

The hat isn't really a hat. It's a piece of black fabric, that is folded to make the brim, it is then collected and rolled into a ball. After that, idk where it goes. Trap door sounds good.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

#25

re: Where's the Giant Black hat in Wicked?

Posted: 10/12/05 at 2:13pm

Does this help?

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

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