Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Wicked is officially opening in Brazil. I believe they are opening on March 4th. Here are some videos from their press event.
Cast Announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5L3T7-_ImQ
One Short Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISgRFX_A-8o
Cast Interviews:
It's going be one crazy 2016 for Brazil. First wicked and then the Olympics. Will it be the same set from the Mexico City production?
Swing Joined: 12/19/15
Was the Mexican set not a carbon copy o the Broadway set? For some reason I thought they were more or less the same design.
They are the same design, but I think jorge meant the physical set from the Mexico City production.
Stand-by Joined: 12/12/15
Can you believe I was almost starting a new thread to ask if we'll be receiving the mexican set. Glad you did it first! I'm worried we'll get a scaled-down version, just like the US tours, without the lift for No Good Deed and etc - the company followed the pattern of the tour ones, without a Glinda stand-by, just one for Elphaba.
Anyway, is anyone interested in a translated back version of One Short Day? I could do that in my spare time.
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
I watch many youtube videos of international productions of American musicals. The Brazilians do it as well as Broadway. The talent is amazing, they spend money on sets and costumes and their passion and love for the art is really heartwarming how they have embraced it. The girl playing Elphaba was recently in their production of "Nine" as Saraghina. She is gorgeous and sexy- unlike other women cast in that role who are usually robust. They did a production of "Drowsey Chaperone" that was FREE admission. I imagine the gov't. gave them a subsidy. Their production of "Fiddler"- "Um VIolinista No Teljado" was absolutely stunning. Check out Cena Musicals on YT if you want to see clips of the shows. You will be impressed.
Stand-by Joined: 12/12/15
Yes! That Drowsy Chaperone was subsidied by the "union" of the industries of Sao Paulo - intending to create public interested in musicals. It was directed and adapted by Miguel Falabella, a theatre genius.
After that there was also a production of Man of la Mancha, also with free admission, who played for something like nine months, also directed by Miguel Falabella and it was even more gorgeous. I saw it like 24 times. It also had a truly talented cast (Fabi Bang, who will play Glinda was part of the ensemble and understudy for Aldonza. Sara Sarres, who was just playing Christine in the Phantom world tour was Aldonza, Kiara Sasso, who previously did Belle was Antonia, and so on).
Such a shame they scrapped the project after Man of la Mancha. Annie was supposed to get a run as well.
Updated On: 1/18/16 at 04:02 PMBroadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
Hey Rodrigo......that other Rodrigo-(Negrini)...in the chorus of many shows is one of the most handsome men I have ever seen. And super talented. And I adore Claudia Raia. And Alonso's choreography- brings the old grand choreography from the old genuises back to life. He knows his stuff! And Falabella is a genius- I love seeing him in clips....esp The Producers. he seems like a great guy and he looks like he has a lot of fun on stage. I wish i could see these productions live. Hope to visit after the Olympics. Maybe some good shows will be playing.
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
Forgot to mention that the cast of Book Of Mormon was BRILLIANT!
The Mexican set was not a carbon copy of the Broadway set but closer to the traveling set. Yes, it is the same set that was used in Mexico.
^it still had elphaba come out of the floor for no good deed so I bet it was more of a carbon copy of the west end production.
Stand-by Joined: 12/12/15
Call_me_jorge said: "^it still had elphaba come out of the floor for no good deed so I bet it was more of a carbon copy of the west end production."
Even so I strongly believe that Elphaba will not come out of the floor for NGD, as Renault Theatre is a "difficult" theatre. Even though it was completely rebuild inside in the begining of the 2000's, I have yet to see an elevator on the floor. They did Mamma Mia and The Lion King in there without it, so I bet Elphaba will just run across the stae, but I wanted to see a proper
melting
oh well. Can someone tell me the more proeminent changes between the scenery in Broadway vs West End. Was the West End scenery based on the 1st NT?
Basically the only difference between the Broadway and west end sets are that there aren't any stairs for defying gravity on the west end. And basically every sit down production and tours, including the Mexico City production, have not included those stairs. Also to be more exact I should've said the Mexico City production was a carbon copy of the Chicago production, because that was the first ever sit down production and has set the precedent for wicked sit downs.
^ Just because I'm curious/haven't seen Wicked on a stage that isn't Broadway... How do Elphaba and Glinda enter for "Defying Gravity" in these other productions if not from up a below-stage staircase? From the wings?
BroadwayConcierge said: "^ Just because I'm curious/haven't seen Wicked on a stage that isn't Broadway... How do Elphaba and Glinda enter for "Defying Gravity" in these other productions if not from up a below-stage staircase? From the wings? "
From the wings
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
What would a trap door have to do with "properly" 'melting' an Elphaba?
An Elphaba has not melted through trap door in the better part of a decade. It is a projected effect.
Do you mean when she reappears? Because well (pun chosen), that is a different matter entirely.
Stand-by Joined: 1/26/16
I'm still a little bit skeptical about this production, tbh. Didn't like the casting of Fiyero at all (2 actors because one of them is a soap opera """"""""star""""""" who can barely remember the lyrics on a video) and I just can't be sure of a musical adaptation quality in Brazil unless it's directed by Moeller & Botelho (Kiss Me Kate, Spring Awakening, Fiddler on the Roof among others). Don't really care about Miguel Falabella and Claudia Raia.
I think our original productions are better than Broadway adaptations, but it's quite exciting to see the book adaptations, I must say.
As opening day approaches, everything seems all set at the theatre...
Here's a picture of the actors playing Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero during rehearsals
That Fiyero is dreamy
The Brazilian production has just released 4 promotional pictures from the cast as their characters...
- Myra Ruiz as Elphaba (Myra was last seen on stage in the musical NINE)
- Fabi Bang as Glinda (Fabi was last seen on stage in the musical KISS ME KATE)
Jonatas Faro as Fiyero (Jonatas was last seen on stage in the musical HAIRSPRAY)
André Loddi as Fiyero [Alt.] (André was last seen on stage in the musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING)
What about Fiyero that requires it to have 2 people alternate in the role? It's not really demanding.
Call_Me_Jorge, I don't know really. Faro is a popular tv actor and singer and Loddi is mostly a musical theater actor... I guess they wanted a a name in the cast since their 2 leads are "unknown" theater actresses, I just don't get it why they would need an alternate. The only reason I can think of is if Faro has some other tv commitment that would prevent him from doing all performances and they didn't want to lose him.
Stand-by Joined: 12/12/15
They said they couldn't choose between one and the other, so they decided to hire both for the part.
I really hope some original musicals from Brazil can transfer to Broadway (at Brazilian themed ones). It hasn't really been done before. The closest thing is a parody of "Girl from Ipanema" that Sondheim wrote under a false name
Saudações do Estados Unidos!
Updated On: 2/18/16 at 08:48 PMStand-by Joined: 12/12/15
Today, they revealed more photos and very short clips from the brazilian cast:
http://globoplay.globo.com/v/4824203/
The most interesting part of the Estadao article states that this is going to be the biggest set ever of Wicked, due to the size of the theatre. Can't wait!
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