Wicked in SF - changes

[ghostlight]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 9:14am

Forgive me if this has been discussed earlier... Who has seen both the San Francisco and Broadway productions of Wicked? I'd love to hear what changes were made in the show/story/characters/songs etc? We saw Wicked Saturday night and loved every minute. Just curious as to the differences in SF. Thanks.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 9:21am

I believe they cut out a few reprises, and a bit of dialoufe in "One Short Day" and "Defying Gravity". Not to mention they changed Kristin's hairstyles and the color of some of her costumes. They took off the tatoos on Fiyero's face. They made Madame Morrible more balding (if notice when shes with Kristin and Kristin's explaining "Need they have a point", she has more hair then she does in any other pictures, which were taken on Bway and not in San Fransisco). As for sets, nothing comes to mind. Oh yes, and those head popping things from 'wizomania". There were four, now there are three. There weren't any major changes, like scenes cut out or characters dropped.

[ghostlight]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 9:26am

I thought I heard something about Dancing Through Life being added/changed?? How about the differences between Robert Morse and Joel Grey? I am a big fan of his, but felt his character came across as a big weenie. I thought he needed to be a bit more menacing.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 9:29am

I thought that was odd too. especially since Robert Morse had gotten huge raves in SF.

[DefyingGravity2]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 10:12am

Dancing through life was WHICH WAY TO THE PARTY... ithink was the title

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 11:13am

I could have sworn that I saw a picture of Fiyero in a black leather jacket, with green skin!!

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 11:49am

Dancing through Life use to be this ridiculous number called Where's the Party which basically stopped the story and talked about Fiyero being a rebel and not following authority. Now, DTL at least progresses the story along through a few different scenes.

The script is much tighter than it was in San Fran. It use to be very unclear that the Wizard and Madame Morrible tricked Elphie into transforming the monkeys. Also, the speech that the Tin Man sings during the March of the Witch Hunters didn't include the reference to the Cowardly Lion. In fact, in San Fran, there was never any reference that the lion Elphie sets free in Act I ended up being the Cowardly Lion.

Nessa use to have a small song similar to No Good Deed that she sang after Boq (as the Tin Man) leaves her, but again, it stopped the story and didnt really make any sense so now its gone.

The show use to run near 3 1/2 hours when it first opened in San Fran so you do the math at how much as been cut down.

The show is much more tight and the story a lot easier to follow than it was in San Fran. Overall, its a much stronger show now.

[jesseeinstein]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 12:41pm

In No Good Deed there was an added part in SF that was cut.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 3:39pm

I saw the original script for auction on ebay once. It was advertised as the first produced version in San Fran prior to any changes or alterations. The bid was up to $250, a little too high for my fan budget...but I'd been curious to read it.

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 3:56pm

I'm sure you can get a copy somewhere else without having to pay $250.

[mtboi77]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 4:24pm

I heard from a friend who saw both productions that there was a huge dance number cut from the SF production. He said he hated the sond thought loved the choreography. Does anyone else know if this is true????

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 4:26pm

The dance number was WHERE'S THE PARTY which was Fiyero's opening song.. it was replaced with Dancing Through Life...

"Nessa, I have something to confessa..." has always been there :)

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 4:29pm

:)

[BillFinn2]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 6:39pm

"Dear Old Shiz Reprise" was cut. I think because they changed Dr. Dillamond's fate.

"We Deserve Each Other Reprise" was changed to "The Wicked Witch of the East". They no longer mention Elphaba's time at the Badlands.

Some of the reprises are still in the show, they just aren't listed. Like "The Wizard and I Reprise" is currently more like "The Wizard and I/Something Bad Reprise". "A Sentimental Man" has a reprise in the show still.

"No One Mourns the Wicked Reprise" was added before "Thank Goodness" in the current version. They changed some dialogue in "Thank Goodness" between Glinda and Fiyero.

"No Good Deed" had a section taken out. The part where Elphaba belts "Unlimited..."

I think in "For Good" , the lyric used to be "Like a ship blown from its course" but now it's "Like a ship blown from its mooring".

"Which Way's the Party" is exactly like "Dancing Through Life" in terms of trying to get across what Fiyero's character's beliefs are including the dialogue, what happens, "We Deserve Each Other" sequence. I think the only reason they changed the song's theme was so the horrible twirling made sense.

"The Wizard and I" - "But I'll be too busy to think about that as my Wizardly duties pile high..." was changed to " And this gift or this curse I have inside, maybe at last I'll know why..."

[Shawk]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 8:55pm

I haven't seen it on B'Way, but Which Way to the Party didn't really make sense in SF. The choreography was amusing, but the song didn't really fit the character, which I think Dancing Through Life does better, while keeping the same dialogue that moves the plot.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 10:04am

Wow Bill- either you are in the show or took notes or have the most amazing memory ever.. those are quite the details on all the intricate revisions made to the show since san fran...