Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford? — Page 3

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#51

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:26pm

no but it is an understudy's...and annaleigh was kendra's understudy on the tour. now she is approaching the role herself...it does take time. im not saying she is great, but i do think she has potential.

#52

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:28pm

It is never the job of an understudy to copy a performance.

#53

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:57pm

Understudies do not copy performances. Yes, they are given certain bounderies sometimes to keep the show's energy at the same place (you don't want a different actor totally throwing off the show). However, they are given some freedom. I have never seen an understudy completely copy the first cast actor...not once.

How to properly use its/it's: Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...

#54

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 5:20pm

no i didnt mean completely. i said basically lol. just saying she didnt have a lot of freedom, not nearly as much as she has now...its probably a little overwhelming is all I'm saying.

#55

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 5:24pm

Yes, you are right...they are given boundaries.

How to properly use its/it's: Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...

#56

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 8:59pm

The best Glinda I have ever seen was Jennifer Laura Thompson.
Out of the four times I have seen the show: Three times on Broadway and once recently on a tour stop in Philadelphia.

Jennifer Laura Thompson had everything: She was bubbly and hysterical, but changed her stance and attitude for Act Two and was regal and warm and fading all at once as Glinda should be. Christina DeCiccio, was another fantastic Glinda, you really see the change in Glinda when watching Christina and seeing her go from innocent-bubbly-princess to a regal queen searching for more. JLT and Christina are my favorites.

That being said, I love Megan Hilty, but she is not the best Glinda. She can sing it fantasticly and is wonderfully hysterical, but she is not as great as JLT and Christina.

I love Annaleigh and hope to see her in Wicked very soon. I enjoy her and I'm sure she'll be getting better as the days go on.

"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.

Updated On: 10/22/07 at 08:59 PM

#57

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/22/07 at 9:31pm

I have only seen Chenoweth (Obc) and Kassebaum in the 1st National Tour. I think it is hard to match Chenoweth's performance and nobody should try. Kassebaum just kind of annoyed me. She had that jumpy jittery thing going on. I didn't feel the character grow at all. She did get laughs but her popular was just ok. I found her trying to match Chenoweth's popular when I saw her.

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

#58

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:05am

Just wondering, how was her voice in the role?

<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)

#59

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:13am

Her voice is fine. She's got a very pretty soprano. My friend (who is a classically trained singer) had some issues with her diction, but that's just minor nitpicking.

#60

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 12:25pm

In my opinion, no one has come close to Kristin. There was a whole thread on this a while back, but while it seems that Kristin is naturally such a manic personality, she played Glinda the most subtle of any of the other Glindas (besides perhaps JLT), and got the most laughs. In fact, every one of her lines got major audience laughs, while no one starts laughing at any of the other Glindas until Popular (at least at the times I have been to Wicked). The other Glindas try to match Kristin's natural stage presence by inflating all of their gestures and line deliveries and it just doesn't work.

Kristin created the character, and no one has had a true handle on it since her.

#61

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 7:35pm

Okay, I know a lot of people are saying bad things about Annaleigh. But seriously now. I think we all need to give her a chance. She's only been Glinda for two weeks or so. She's just getting started! And I mean, it IS kind of hard to make the transition from "OMIGOD" to "No one mourns the wicked". So obviously it IS going to take her some getting-used-to. And she's 22 years old for crying out loud! Just give her a chance. I think she will grow to be an amazing Glinda.

"That's a good point. Next time I pee on a Starbucks couch and throw straws and napkins at a barista, I'll just yell, "YOU DON'T KNOW ME OUTSIDE OF STARBUCKS! YOU DON'T KNOW ME AT ALL!" and that should do it. "-LizzieCurry

#62

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 10:28pm

^
But she is being paid to be an amazing Glinda now.

#63

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 10:35pm

I just started a new job and they're paying ME even though I have no idea what I'M doing...yet.

"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"

http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html

**********

"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"

~ Best12Bars

#64

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 10:38pm

I saw the show on her third night and the majority of the audience DID think she was amazing. For the average tourist/theatre person who sees Wicked, Annaleigh or anyone else who plays Glinda is amazing.

#65

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 10:45pm

I have to stick up for Annaleigh because shes an alumn of my school - LOVE the woman, no matter what she does!

Sunchips: Best Kept Secret in the chip aisle!!

#66

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:06pm

I saw the show tonight with Annaleigh, Caissie Levy and Michael Seelbach and a Boq understudy.

Caissie did her best, but I felt she wasn't as strong as she could've been. Her voice was a bit off and hoarse in Act I--maybe a little sick? She came back strong in As Long as you're mine and No Good Deed and finished beautifully with For Good.

Annaleigh -- not as bad as I thought she'd be. It seemed like she was playing the role as a drunk in Act I..always losing her step. Her Act II was not that great, but it wasn't terrible. From what I've read/heard.. it seems like she is getting better.

A couple technical glitches -- the microphone got real scratchy then turned off for a moment in Thank Goodness. And Caissie's hat looked like it was way too big for her-- sometimes, you couldn't even see her eyes. Maybe it was the lighting.

#67

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:26pm

EverythingIsRENT, you go to marymount??? me too! yeah, i feel the same way lol.

Updated On: 10/23/07 at 11:26 PM

#68

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/23/07 at 11:41pm

oh there are marymount people on here? i'm only a junior in hs now but researching schools & like MMC. what do you guys think of it, do you like it? Good Scheduling? etc.

#69

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/24/07 at 12:39am

while i dont want to change the subject lol, it is a very good school for artsy people (theatre, art, dance, etc)...its also a great school for education and psych majors. The dorms are great...almost feels like you're living in an apartment, only with 450 of your friends lol. It's getting better and better each year, especially its theatre dept. Message me if you want to know more

also, Annaleigh gave out $25 tickets to a huge group of Marymount students (including me) for either show on Halloween which I thought was very sweet of her. So, if you're reading - thanks!

Updated On: 10/24/07 at 12:39 AM

#70

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:23am

I go to Marymount too. Woot. Where did these $25 tickets come from? I didn't hear anything about them. You can PM me about it. /threadjack

"Wishes come true, not free..."

Updated On: 10/24/07 at 01:23 AM

#71

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/24/07 at 2:48am

Hmm, it'll be interesting to watch Annaleigh and see if she grows into the role. I think it might have a lot to do with the age/maturity thing or just time in the role. Megan Hilty made HUGE improvements in her portrayal from her Broadway run to her subsequent tour and LA run. I was left completely cold by her Broadway Glinda, but loved her when I saw her on tour. Was it because she was older or had time to step away and revisit the role? I don't know, but I noticed the same thing with Idina from Broadway to London. London Elphie kicked Broadway Elphie's butt...

#72

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/24/07 at 3:42am

I saw Wicked twice on Bway.

Jennifer Laura was a brilliant Glinda...and for me was almost a clone of Cheno.

My favorite though, hands down is Megan Hilty. I just love her voice and I personally think her comedic timing is dead on. She made me laugh a lot when I saw her.

Annaleigh was adorable in LB. I can't yet form an opinion about what she's like as Glinda but after reading these posts i'm sure damn interested now.

"We need people not to come to Broadway shows wearing shorts and flip-flops. We are working hard up here folks. Find a pair of socks."-Joanna Gleason "I hear L. Ron Hubbard is gonna blow the ladies...and all that jazz! C'mon babe! We're gonna unicorn hug, I bought some NyQuil down....at Wal-Mart?!"-Bebe Neuwirth singing ATJ to Musical Mad Libs at DQYNJ :)

#73

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/25/07 at 2:18pm

"Reindeers"

Sorry, but...hee!

And, IMO, it would be nice if we could discuss the performer instead of discussing each other. Just for a change of pace.

I'm HOPING to see Wicked in December--if there isn't a strike. I did enjoy Kendra, though I'd love to have seen JLT or Hilty. I'm reserving judgment on Annaleigh and hoping she settles in and feels more comfortable by the time I go.

And I'd love to hear more about the optional riffs in ALAYM, as I'd never heard of that before!

Updated On: 10/25/07 at 02:18 PM

#74

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:37am

Saw it tonight and I think Annaleigh is growing into the part just fine. "Popular" is still a bit over the top, but it's bearable.

Lisa was also fantastic! And Michael Seelbach certainly adds some nice riffs into "As Long As Your Mine". He was great.

"Wishes come true, not free..."

#75

re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?

Posted: 10/26/07 at 12:13pm

I would love to see Lisa Brescia and Ashford together. I loved Ms. Brescia as Amneris.

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