Why did Wicked keep “above the title” billing for so long?

I recently learned that Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were both billed above the title for Wicked, which is shocking for various reasons, but is explained in this TikTok video. Basically it’s unheard of for star vehicle shows to outlast their star performers being in the show. 

My main question is, why did they keep the above the title billing post Idina and Kristin? I searched through countless pairs of actresses who played the witches and the first one that came below the title wasn’t until 2009 with Erin Mackey and Dee Roscioli. Why did they wait five+ years to move the stars below the title and was there any pushback against this at the time? Its just fascinating that so many “unknown” performers, at least at the time, were all above the title. Like Annaleigh Ashford, Kate Reinders, Shoshana Bean, etc…

Why would Kristin and Idina being above the title be shocking? They were the selling points when Wicked first opened, so naturally the producers wanted to highlight them (I'm actually slightly surprised they didn't put Joel Grey above the title as well, although it should also be noted that this was back when they were making far less changes to Tony eligibility and instead basing it on billing (hence Grey being considered leading for Amos in Chicago a handful of years earlier), so to ensure Kristin and Idina were leading they were above the title and to ensure Grey was featured he was below).

As for the replacements, it's a little surprising it took them so long, but some of those names had at least a bit of a following at the time (Reinders had just done the Gypsy revival, Stephanie J. Block had done a few shows where she had gotten quite a bit of acclaim, etc.). So I can sort of understand still highlighting them above the title.

HogansHero said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Basically it’s unheard of for star vehicle shows to outlast their star performers being in the show."

Huh? You've got to be joking.”

Is there another show that had above the title billing that has lasted longer than Wicked? Or ended up making the show the star? I don’t recall any.

I find that Kristin and Idina being above the title, at that point in their careers, shocking because I connect the usage of it with bigger stars like Jackman, Midler, or Metcalf. I would’ve thought the selling point of Wicked was the attachment of the Wizard of Oz story, not the performers.

Updated On: 1/6/23 at 11:40 AM

Is there another show that had above the title billing that has lasted longer than Wicked? Or ended up making the show the star? I don’t recall any.

Hello Dolly! would like to have a word.

The first part of your question is difficult as there are only 4 shows that have ever lasted longer than Wicked, and none were above-the-title kinda shows. Dolly tho was certainly attached to Carol Channing for a long time, but the movie, the color-blind revival with Pearl Bailey, and the Midler revival definitely got out from under Channing’s shadow to varying degrees. 

jpbran said: "Is there another show that had above the title billing that has lasted longer than Wicked? Or ended up making the show the star? I don’t recall any.

Hello Dolly! would like to have a word.

The first part of your question is difficult as there are only 4 shows that have ever lasted longer than Wicked, and none were above-the-title kinda shows. Dolly tho was certainly attached to Carol Channing for a long time, but the movie, the color-blind revival with Pearl Bailey, and the Midler revival definitely got out from under Channing’s shadow to varying degrees."

I think i misused my words. I of course know many people came after Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly, but the difference between the two is that Dolly was a star vehicle that was still a Star vehicle for other performers after Channing, the show is still not the star. People weren’t going to see Hello, Dolly starring Bette Midler they were going to see Bette Midler starring in Hello, Dolly! Where as, wicked started as a star vehicle, but has since become the star itself. People are seeing Wicked starring so and so actress.

I don’t think either of them were ‘STARS’ before Wicked, although more people in the audience knew who Chenoweth was because of all her TV appearances.  Wicked made them stars.  Re above the title, maybe the producers anticipated that they would be stars because of Wicked.  Who knows?

The original title page for the Chicago revival doesn’t show anyone above the title, but that may be different for signage on the theatre. Title page in the playbill

Updated On: 1/6/23 at 05:47 PM

Call_me_jorge said: "Is there another show that had above the title billing that has lasted longer than Wicked? Or ended up making the show the star? I don’t recall any."

Two things. 

1. That was not what your first post on this topic asserted. You are now talking about shows running longer than Wicked, but what you said (to which I responded) was: "Basically it’s unheard of for star vehicle shows to outlast their star performers being in the show." I can't fathom what running longer than Wicked has to do with this but manifestly there are lots of shows that have long runs after the OBC star leaves the show. It is inconceivable to me that you don't know this. Why would anyone care if long-running shows like Dolly (Fiddler also comes quickly to mind) closed sooner than Wicked. They were long runs in which a show did not wait for building foundation to collapse before closing.

2. For whatever reason, you and just about everyone else ignored the other part of the response I gave you. All of this chatter is fine, but the bottom line is, this decision is NOT driven by any of that. As I said, it is a function of contracts and marketing. 
 

 

jpbran said: "Where as, wicked started as a star vehicle, but has since become the star itself. People are seeing Wicked starring so and so actress."

"Wicked" did not start as a "star vehicle".