Wicked 1-5-05- Page 2
Wicked 1-5-05
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#25re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 3:21pm
I am missing exactly how Joel Grey acted the Wizard better than Hearn...Just because he doesn't dance? What? What Mr. Hearn does in that role is far more important...think of the "Sentimental Man" into "Defying Gravity" scene. The second Glinda and Elphaba leave the stage, there is a transformation of his character. He does a perfect job of playing the charming side of the Wizard in the appropriate scenes, but in the aforementioned scene, he very clearly brings out the other side of the Wizard, which Joel Grey did not do. It makes the character far more realistic, and I just think it works better. Joel Grey can dance. *applauds* Well, that's just fantastic, but nothing about that dance was important in telling the story.I think it's more important to have a better actor in the role, or at least a more interesting interpretation of the role.
In fact, one thing I really like about George's performance is that his "charming" side of the Wizard very much reminds me of the Wizard in WoZ. I think it works perfectly.
And Jennifer Laura "doing" Kristin?...Kristin was doing Kristin. Jennifer is doing Glinda and she is spectacular. I always felt Kristin's choices went more for audience reaction instead of some real character development. On the other hand, Jennifer really nails the characterization and she let's that work for the audience's laughs. She doesn't go fetching them.
#26re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 3:30pm
I saw Hearn again in the role Tuesday. And I really enjoyed him, much more than the first time I saw him in the summer. My dad and I agreed, he was much better Tuesday, and was very charming. "A Sentimental Man" into "Defying Gravity", that whole scene, with Elphie & the Monkeys is my favorite part of the first act, and Hearn was just great in it.
I feel honored to have seen such a legend on stage twice.
TheGaIsSilent
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/25/04
#27re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 3:31pm
Re: George
I thought he was one-note. Maybe I'm missing the transformation (I've only seen him twice, third'll be on Sunday). Joel was effective, I thought, at being a Wizard who had absolutely no confidence, and absolutely no way to show it. You could see him getting hooked into being somewhat evil by the people of Oz's expectations. Sean is the showman of the group. He REALLY sells the evil.
In complete agreement with you re: JLT!
JOHN LITHGOW
I just realized, your last name is Butz! Both "Norbert" AND "Butz" are in your name! You must have gotten picked on a lot as a child!
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#28re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 3:44pm
TheGaIsSilent, the way you explained Joel's performance in a way explains why I'm not much of a fan of his interpretation. I think the Wizard is supposed to be the truly "wicked" one in the story, not someone lost on a lack of confidence. I think the confidence issues are handled in Glinda and Elphaba.
But I think the Wizard is evil. It's not just about attention, but it's about power at anyone's expense. I think that's what George works for. He's confident and charming to everyone around him, but behind closed doors, he's all about himself and his own intentions...and George let's that come across very clearly (considering what material he's given, of course...he barely gets the chance to play with both sides of the character).
Updated On: 1/6/05 at 03:44 PM
TheGaIsSilent
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/25/04
#29re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 3:54pm
BroadwayGirl,
Yep, I get what you're saying. But because the part is so small, we barely ever get to see him "behind closed doors". I'm not sure why they changed "Wonderful"; the new ending and two lines in the middle don't do a whole lot. If they were going to edit, I could have used a scene between the Wizard and Morrible.
JOHN LITHGOW
I just realized, your last name is Butz! Both "Norbert" AND "Butz" are in your name! You must have gotten picked on a lot as a child!
#30re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 6:15pmI was there last night too. For anyone else who was there, did you think it was a little strange that the curtain call was so short? It went down and never came back up again!
I recognize the addiction to being alive.
#31re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 6:17pmwhat do you mean?
"It's a great feeling of power to be naked in front of people. We're happy to watch actual incredible graphic violence and gore, but as soon as somebody's naked it seems like the public goes a bit bananas about the whole thing."
#32re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 6:22pmFor the bows, the ensemble came out, and everyone else in order through Idina and Jen. The two of them were standing in the front as everyone else was on the sides. There was a standing ovation. The curtain went down and that was it. Usually, it comes back up at least one more time.
I recognize the addiction to being alive.
Updated On: 1/6/05 at 06:22 PM
#33re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 6:34pmoh ok
"It's a great feeling of power to be naked in front of people. We're happy to watch actual incredible graphic violence and gore, but as soon as somebody's naked it seems like the public goes a bit bananas about the whole thing."
TheGaIsSilent
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/25/04
#34re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 6:43pmI've seen the show more times than I would ever admit, and the curtain has never "come up" after it goes down.
JOHN LITHGOW
I just realized, your last name is Butz! Both "Norbert" AND "Butz" are in your name! You must have gotten picked on a lot as a child!
LilElphaba
Broadway Star Joined: 10/20/04
#35re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 8:06pm
You were there on the 5th?? (yesterday?) cause if you were, i was too!! in Wonderful, Idina went to fix her hat and she accidently hit the microphone on it and it made a loud noise. the she tapped her hat in a weird way and gave thumbs up to the audience and was like im good, im good! and popular was hilarius! JLT made Idina laugh so hard that she fell back on the bed twice!!! also-while were on the topic
I had my head poked in the stage door before the show and Heather (idinas biggest fan) was with me and all of a sudden someone taps me on my shoulder and says "Excuse me" i turn around and its JLT and heather is like SAY SOMETHING!! so i screm I LOVE YOU! and JLT said "Aww i love you too!" and she remembered me after the show and gave me and heathers hugs and took a picture with us!
I LOVE SHOSHANA BEAN.
#36re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 8:13pmI have not seen Hearn in Wicked so I cannot comment on his performance, but all I have to say is that every other actor in the show is damn lucky to be working with a man of such calibre, talent and class.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#37re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/6/05 at 9:48pmive seen it come back up but that was like after the music stopped and everyone was offstage. that was when i was at the dec.30th matinee. I'm not sure what you mean.
A dancer might dream to see her name in lights and mean it,
but all she really dreams is to make someone
else feel the way she did when she first saw a dancer.
And that is so beautiful-Anonymous
angelrock25222
Stand-by Joined: 11/8/04
#38re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/7/05 at 12:12amI like george but what made joel "better" was the fact that it was hysterical to hear that big "scary" wizard voice with the machine thing and then out pops little old joel grey sounding all innocent with his cute little voice, whereas george has a commanding voice anyway. To me it has nothing to do with their voices/acting.. they are both legends in their own respect. Updated On: 1/7/05 at 12:12 AM
#39re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/7/05 at 12:15amgood point angelrock
"It's a great feeling of power to be naked in front of people. We're happy to watch actual incredible graphic violence and gore, but as soon as somebody's naked it seems like the public goes a bit bananas about the whole thing."
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
jezzebelle
Featured Actor Joined: 4/19/04
#41re: Wicked 1-5-05
Posted: 1/7/05 at 12:56am
I have not gotten to see Mr. Hearn go on for the Wizard, but I have seen Joel Grey and Sean Mcourt and I must say, I thought Sean's portrayal was much more interesting, perhaps because he played up the evil factor, as someone already pointed out. As written in the show, the Wizard isn't a well-developed character, but with Sean's portryal, I felt I could understand the reasons for his actions, more so than Joel's.
As for Kristin playing Kristin, I couldn't agree more. She was charming in her own right, but JLT has clearly made deliberate choices in how she plays G(a)linda and shows more vunerbility in the role than Kristin did, at least in my opinion.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
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