Wicked in Chicago 8/3

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!

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?

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!

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

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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?

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

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

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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 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.

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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.

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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.

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!

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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.