Who's Your Favorite Elphaba?- Page 9

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 6:23pm

I have only seen Eden, and I thought she was amazing. She was also so sweet at stage door. But I would love to see Julia Murney - that would be awesome.

[defygravity2]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 10:53pm

Stephanie by a (green) nose
(I have seen 5 Elphabas...including Idina-she was my second favorite!)

[Anthony3]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 10:55pm

KRISTY CATES ,Eden Espinosa and Shoshana Bean
Updated On: 9/8/06 at 10:55 PM

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:22pm

By far Julia Murney. Her portrayal made me move the show from my "don't really care for it category" to my "it's good face-value entertainment".

[snl89]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:43pm

Idina, absolutely positively.

Because of her acting, moreso than anything else. Dont get me wrong, she has an unbelievable, amazingly gorgeous voice, but honestly she could be having the most OFF day ever vocally and STILL kick some major ass doing defying gravity, or anything else for that matter. I know lots of people prob will disagree with me, but I truly believe that. I mean come on, she made her fellow london castmates CRY on the first day of rehersals, doing wizard and I, which is actually one of the HAPPIER songs in the show! (it was posted on Martin Ball's, who plays Doctor Dillimond, rehersal blog for anyone who didnt know). And that has nothing at ALL to do with her singing, and COMPLETELY to do with that no matter what she jus makes you FEEL for her. Someone could be the best SINGER in the world, but if they dont have that ability to make an audience feel for them they will not be able to pull of Elphaba. I mean come on, even the Tony performance of DG, which i think most of us would agree was... NOT one of her best vocal performances, was STILL incredibly emotional. BEcause although the vocals may have been a bit off for some reason, the emtion and vulnerability was top notch- and thats really what counts. That performace was actually what got me interested in wicked in the first place :)

wow, sorry, huge ramble! I'm done now. haha


oh, and Eden is a darn close second, from everything i've heard and *seen* :) first of all, the girl has the most unfrigginbelievable belt I have EVER heard. But, more importantly, she actually brought back all that vulnerability idina had used in the role I think, and she does it really REEEALLY well it seems like

Updated On: 8/11/06 at 11:43 PM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 12:14am

Idina- She was the first person I heard do the role. Just hearing from her I can tell she has puts so much emotion in her voice. Whatever, Idina is given to work with she makes it so much more.

Sephanie- The first Elphaba I saw live. She has the best DG. She did the transition from Act 1 to 2 very well. She has a gorgeous voice. She is so versatile as an actress(C'mon Liza and Elphaba )

Eden- Haven't seen her live but, I love her voice. She has a really great belt(of couse eveyone knew that)!
Updated On: 8/11/06 at 12:14 AM

[vbplayer]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 12:17am

Ana....without question.

[aspen]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 12:18am

For the most part I agree with snl89. Idina has this special quality in her acting... you don't know where Idina ends and Elphaba begins, because she just embodies the role so fully. For that, I can easily overlook her (plentiful) technical faults.

But, why isn't Kristy Cates getting any love here? I think she's got an astounding voice and she puts passion behind every word she sings. Also, she and Ana make the strongest acting choices. She's my fave.

As far as Stephanie, she rocked The Boy From Oz and I think she's gonna rock Pirate Queen, but the accent she affected in Wicked bothered me. I also haven't seen Julia, but I bet she's amazing.

[renthead333]

Posted: 8/11/06 at 1:17am

i would definatly say Kristy Cates! She is beyond amazing! And I have seen Sho and Steph...

[Elphie_Fae]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:16pm

Stephanie J. rocks my socks.

She just IS Elphaba. But I don't feel quite right saying that she's my favorite Elphie seeing as I never actually got to see her perform the role...I saw Victoria Matlock. Victoria Matlock was AMAZING and I'd rave about her anytime, but...Stephanie was better. <3

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:20pm

The one with the green skin.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:24pm

So, I guess it's tasteless to say

Carol Channing

[Peronista]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:27pm

Gotta say Anna Gasteyer was spectacular. From an emotional place it was breathtaking. Comical of course, but heartbreaking. She is a consumate actress - few know that because of her SNL days, but she's in line for a major B'way career beyond comedy roles.

[AshleyBrownFan123]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:33pm

Eden

[Horton]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:47pm

I have three and all for very different resaons and i often swich between them.

1. Eden Espinosa- because of her strong belt and how she can blow off the roof, and then be so quiet and just as amazing

2. Julia Murney- because she is not an actress painted green playing Elphaba. She IS Elphaba.

3. Stephanie J. Block- because she knew the part so well, but never let it get stale she was always able to be fresh and wonderful.

[chelle08]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:16pm

Julia Murney.

For many, many, many reasons, but I guess I can try to keep it short.

Julia has the most truthful portrayal of Elphaba. In so many of the casts, it almost seems as if Elphaba is "glammed up" and made into what I've read described as a "Disney princess" character. Julia, however, keeps it real and keeps it Elphaba. She keeps the sarcasm, the complete awkwardness, and plays up the nerdiness that is essential in Elphaba's character right down to the way she WALKS. Some people call her style "book-verse" -- keeping that Gregory Maguire attitude about Elphaba. But I like to think that it's just that Julia remembers she's not just portraying some doe-eyed green girl who's in the wrong place at the wrong time -- she's the young Wicked Witch of the West. And even if she's not really wicked in Wicked, she's still completely awkward. But the point is that we love her anyway! :)

Plus, just to throw this in here, her voice is beyond amazing and she sings as Elphaba, and while she doesn't riff, her voice alone gets the "oomph" across.
Updated On: 8/19/06 at 03:16 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 4:49pm

SJB

[americanboy99]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 4:49pm

SJB

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:06pm

The drunk college guy on You-tube.


He's AWESOME! F'ing AWESOME!

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:39pm

I've only seen 3 Elphies - Idina, S Bean, and the current US tour understudy. I still prefer the OBC Elphie and Glinda. But, Hilty and Bean come a very close second.

I saw the show during previews. Idina was a powerhouse. Although Bean was a better actor, Menzel has the X factor. Idina's notorious gasping wasn't very evident back then. I'm curious to see how she has developed the character in the London production. But, I do miss Chenoweth and Hilty's Glinda. Well, maybe there would be an anniversary show where Chenoweth and Menzel would perform the roles again here in the US.

Updated On: 9/8/06 at 05:39 PM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:53pm

I've only seen one full Elphaba performance. And that is the great Idina Menzel. She was amazing.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 9:29pm

Margaret Hamilton

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 9:30pm

BWW's very own

Followed by Idina - had to say her as I have only seen it once

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 9:38pm

Definitely Idina, because basically, she just blows my mind in every way possible.

SJB get 2nd, though, because I love her too, and she just was great, great casting as far as looks.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 10:13pm

Any besides Krsity Cates, she sounds so strange when sings Defying Gravity.

I'd say the best, Shoshana Bean. She'll have a special place (lol) for me because I saw her as my first Elphaba