Wicked to lauch second tour. — Page 2

"I think it's mainly the proscenium and the dragon that are smaller."

What is the proscenium? (sorry for sounding stupid)

okay
thanks!!

I thought that the LA production was also another one that was created by the creative team and not a branch off of any of the tours.

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And the big revival of the season would be...?

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Your right, I just misread it.

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I have mixed feelings about this. I love the Chicago sit-down here in Chicago. We have always had an awesome cast, and it has brought much attention to our theatre district. But It would be nice if something would close so we could get more shows, because the three theatres Broadway In Chicago has exclusive rights to will be taken up by sit-downs of Wicked, Jersey Boys, and Marry Poppins. And all of the other theatres that BIC leases are really not that great, ith the exception of the Drury Lane.

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On second thought, where was this rumor heard?
I can find no other source, other than what might have been heard from a cast member, and that's only from here.
There have been slews of rumors from cast members that have turned out to be incorrect or outdated.

It is very possible, of course.

On second thought, where was this rumor heard?

You actually expect phantomo88 to cite his sources?!

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Ok, I work for Wicked in Chicago so I'll try and help the best I can.
So far as we know there is still no closing date. The theatre has been leased until January 9th so far. By November or December we should have an answer however, the show has been picking up recently (the last few weeks have been 100% capacity) so I think it is likely to renew its lease.

The set is slightly different (not smaller) but different. We do have a smaller dragon that is 80% the size of broadway's. The dragon was put in after the first one kept dropping its claws and horns into the pit. There are only 2 pillars with gears (instead of 4 on broadway) and the staircase at the end of act 2 comes of of stage left not stage right. The broom floats on a wire to elphaba during "defying gravity." And when elphaba yells to Dorothy in act 2. She yells through a trap door down stage left (not into the wings).

Updated On: 4/1/08 at 02:03 AM

Thanks, I wasn't sure about the trap door thing since I haven't seen it on broadway since they made the changes

"The Chicago production was never a tour company. It was created as a Chicago company at a cost of $10 million by the original creative team. What happens to it if and when it closes no one knows."

The physical production WAS part of the tour, and its first siz weeks in Chicago WAS the National tour. The Chicago cast started after the touring cast left. The physical design is slightly smaller, especially the the false proscenium. (I am not talking about the width, which is smaller than on Broadway). On Broadway, the set extends into the house (the side stairs. It doesn't in Chicago. The "gears" are also bigger on Broadway. As for costumes, When I saw the Chicago production, they looked pretty much the same as the Broadway production.

As for it closing in January 2009, that came from David Stone himself. That doesn't mean it won't extend again. However, once the show closes it will tour.

"Sit-down can become a tour, can't they? The 1NT of Phantom, Les Mis, etc played at major cities for a couple of years until the business slowed down and then moved to another city."

Generally, but Phantom didn't. The Phantom L.A. production was never a tour (it was designated 1st National Company). After it played L.A. it moved to San Francisco, and when it closed there it was done.

The Second National Company (which was the first national tour) opened in Chicago for about a year and then toured the country, playing several month long engagements.

"Everything about the Chicago dragon is the same as the one in the Gershwin except that the smallest neck ring is gone."

I haven't seen the show in Chicago for about a year, but the wings were definitely smaller than on Broadway.