Wicked in Chicago 8/3

[Annie Get Your Rose]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 4:23pm

Let me start by saying I know there are major flaws in the storyline and in the songs, but the Chicago cas of Wicked is just amazing. I have seen the show in NYC with Idina(sp?) Menzel and JLT and they were both extremely amazing. But back to the Chicago production. WOW Ana G is an amazing singer/actress. My family was split on who was the better Elphaba out of the two. They are both amazing. Kate Reinders is an amazing actress but cannot sing the part the way JLT did. Kate is extremely weak in the higher register. As for supporting cast of the Wizard, Madamme M and Boq were great but Fiyero had gayness pouring out of him. It was hard to get past how gay he was onstage. It's hard to say but I think Joey McEntire was better. Great sets. Great actors. Great show. Go see it if you are close! Chicago is lucky to have a gem of a cast as this one is. Hopefully for NYC sake Ana will come there!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 4:38pm

"Fiyero had gayness pouring out of him. It was hard to get past how gay he was onstage."

I must have missed this part when I saw the show? Did he tongue kiss Boq or was it the buttless chaps he wore in "Dancing Through Life" where instead of the Ozdust Ballroom, he took the gang to Manhole?

Could you please elaborate?
Updated On: 8/4/05 at 04:38 PM

[Annie Get Your Rose]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 4:51pm

Haha. I guess I should elaborate. It was just the way he sounds, acted, danced, sang. I don't know. At first I thought it was just me, but then consluted my family and heard others around at intermission comment on it. But he has a good voice. Thought it was goin to be weak at first but got better. Also I should state that in Act II he didn't seem as gay.( That sounds bad but I don't know another way to explain it) Ana was amazing though, did you not think?

[Devin]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 5:00pm

I loved the Chicago cast too! I didn't see Fiyero's "gayness" as much as you seemed to say but I was sitting in the back and the binoculars were hurting my eyes. I loved Ana G too, I thought she was amazing. I'm trying my luck at the lottery on Sunday so I can see it again!

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 5:06pm

Ana was pretty good, although I've only seen her on coughvideocough. Kate was funny, but I don't think she is up to par with the others. A great production though!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 5:51pm

I also thought it was great. I actually really liked Fieyro. I thought he fit the part perfectly. And he had a really good voice. I actually, dare i say it, preferred him over Norbert (who i adore). I thought Ana was good. Took some getting used to, compare to Idina. I also thought Kate was a little weak on the higher notes, but I thought her acting was suberb. And of course, my fav. part of the show was the amazing sets. In defying gravity, i could see the cherry picker lifting ana up, kinda ruined the moment, but its not like I didn't know how it was done.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 6:16pm

I didn't see gayness in Fiyero, but he sounded like a munchin with his voice lowered.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 8:12pm

Did you go to the matinee or the evening? I was at the 8/3 matinee LOTTERY but alas..did not win...

my record is now 2 W, 3 L...that sucks

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 8:24pm

I'm sorry, not meaning to threadjack, but i'm confused on the Wicked tour. Is Stephanie doing the rest of the tour or is Eden?

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 8:26pm

Eden is doing the San Fransisco leg. Stephanie will take over from then.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 9:28pm

ugh, thanks Aigoo. Whose Stephanie's understudy on the tour?

[sassypanz]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 9:35pm

I didnt know Kris Cusick was gay??

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 10:00pm

Stephanie's understudy is Jenna Leigh Green or Maria Eberline.

[SondhFan]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 10:01pm

I agree. In my opinion the entire Chicago cast was very good. Ana and Kate are a great team. I didn't see any problems with either of the performances I saw. My thinking is: If there is a better cast performance, it must really be out of this universe.

[SondhFan]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 10:11pm

How did you feel about Rondi Reed as Morrible? I thought she was very good. While I really like Kane, I can't imagine her not singing as Madam Morrible. And Weygandt the dancing and singing Wizard was really good.

[Annie Get Your Rose]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:07am

I felt Reed did an extremely admirable job. I agree, I think this cast could compete with any of the current casts and be the best.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:31am

Annie Get Your Rose wrote:

"...Fiyero had gayness pouring out of him. It was hard to get past how gay he was onstage."

I was at the 8/3 matinee performance of Wicked at the Oriental in Chicago.

I saw Kris Cusick as Fiyero in NYC with Idina and loved him. I was shocked, too, because I just didn't expect such a strong showing from an understudy in a relatively new show. I actually didn't miss seeing Norbert; that's how good Kris was.

He didn't seem "gay" then and he didn't seem "gay" yesterday. In fact, I find that statement rather offensive even though I am a straight woman. He was acting the part of an irresponsible, forever-young, devil-may-care, flirtatious college student. So if by "gay," you mean "gay" as in "happy-go-lucky" and "carefree," then perhaps you are right.

I think Kris Cusick is adorable, but I don't think he's "fey" if that's what you're saying. He's an actor, and a very good one. Whether in "real life" he's gay or not doesn't and shouldn't matter. Perhaps it's your perception of what "gay" "looks like" that is the issue, not Kris Cusick's performance.

(BTW, after reading this thread, I asked my husband about the "gayness pouring out of him" comment and he laughed and said, "No! I didn't see that at all." )

I am going to post my review of the 8/3 matinee performance shortly. None of the performers' sexual orientation will be discussed. Not even the monkeys.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:35am

YOU GO GIRL!

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:48am

I'm going to be in Chicago on a short business trip and got a ticket to 'Wicked' on 8/11 for the sole purpose of seeing Telly Leung. Call me a groupie, call me a decrepit old rice queen, but I find him extremely talented and absolutely adorable.

[Annie Get Your Rose]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 12:51am

Mmmm. I guess it is just opinion. Do I care if he is gay or not in real life? No, I do not. I am just stating that as he is playing a straight man he comes off as gay to me, and some others. He has a great voice but I just found the relationship between Elphaba and Fiyero to be lost.

[HeyYeah1988@comcast.]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 1:45am

I saw the Matinee 8/3 and i can hand on heart say i saw no "gayness" from Kristoffer Cusick as Fiyero. He does sounda bit pre-pubescent. He squeaked and crakced. He has a limited range and can't singing low to save is life but they is a "gay thing" it is a bad singer thing.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 2:17am

Kristoffer Cusick is amazing...nuff said...

Love him as Fiyero...he's the best!!

[theatreboi11]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 2:29am

Chicago Wicked is amazing! I didn't notice the gayness either but all together such a great show! Out of all the Wickeds I have seen I must say Chicago has the strongest chorus and strongest and most developed characters in the second act! Be jealous of us lol!

[Annie Get Your Rose]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 9:31am

I'm sorry it just must be the singing thing.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/5/05 at 10:19am

I wasn't going to respond further but I guess I must.

Of course, there is no word "Gayness." If you are being creative with language, well, good for you, but unless you mean he engaged in homosexual acts on stage during the show, I think you need a new word.

I assume you are saying he seemed "gay" to you: i.e. was effiminate or fey. All I can say is I sure didn't see it. I've seen this criticism leveled at other Fiyeros too and I guess it's because his is the "sexual" role in the show and some posters feel the need to stress "Haha, of course he would rather sleep with BOQ than either of the girls! Haha! Cause of course, all men in theatre are GAY!"

I'm sick of that. I guess I'm starting to understand why actors say stupid things like "What I do in my personal life is my business" because if they are honest they end up with people who say "I saw the GAYNESS all over him!" whne he's playing the role of a heterosexual.

In any case, Annie, sorry your evening was ruined by "the Gayness." I agree with Miss Pennywise, Heyyeah and the others: He did not seem effiminate to me and was quite convincing playing a heterosexual male.

I'm done now.