Wicked to lauch second tour.- Page 3

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 1:33pm

Does this downscaling include finally removing the dragon? What about the flying?

[cello_dude]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 1:37pm

SNAFU, we brought in a different dragon after the 1st one kept loosing its claws and horns. This one is a bit smaller because it was originally made for the touring cast when they were in canada

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 2:17pm

"SNAFU, we brought in a different dragon after the 1st one kept loosing its claws and horns. This one is a bit smaller because it was originally made for the touring cast when they were in canada"

Anyone who is familiar with the Broadway production and Chicago production will notice the difference. It looks a little weird.

[Ivan2]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 2:31pm

As fun as the dragon is, it wouldn't be such a crime to just dispose of the whole thing. It's only ever used about three times and when it's not in use it just looks tacky. The tour should especially just pitch the whole idea, as the mechanized Dragon is no fun at all. The trapdoor for Dorothy I don't care for either. I love the show, but a lot of the effects could be easily replaced with just as spectacular ones that are easier to produce.

[Milk4Me]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 5:54pm

It is coming to Salt Lake City in April 09

[winston89]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 6:26pm

Ivan, as much as I hate to say it I don't think they are going to get rid of that dragon anytime soon. Despite the fact that it is only used about three times in the entire show. And I think most if not all of those times are in the first act.

That being said, I think the reason for them to include the dragon was to connect the musical with the book. In the beginning of the novel it talks about how Elphaba's father has to deal with the evil time dragon clock that has robots coming out of it. Pretty much acting out sex scenes and thus freaking out the locals when it comes to town.

I think the idea with the clock was to treat the show as if it was one of the shows in the time dragon clock. Thus the whole clock and gear theme through out the set of the show.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 6:32pm

Yep Winston that was Eugene Lee's concept. The gears, the proscenium all the workings being seen was an homage to the Time Dragon Clock in the book Even the clock face in the portal. We (the audience) are the citizens of Oz watching a presentation in the Time Dragon Clock.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 6:56pm

Wow, I never knew that there was anything involved that could be considered artistic involved with the show. I literally came up with that one on my own. Only because they never say anything in the show about why the dragon is there in the first place. And, after reading as much of the book as I could (tough tough read) that was what I came up with.

I must say thought that it seems that the dragon really is the only connection that the show has with the book.

[rewritemystory]

Posted: 4/1/08 at 9:36pm

Well, in Glinda's first lines include "according to the Time Dragon Clock..."
*SPECIFIC novel references end there*

You can't say the TDC is the only connection to the book though. That's not true at all, because the whole play is still based around one of the novel's central plots:
Glinda the Good and Elphaba the Witch of the West met in college and developed a friendship that lasted their whole lives.



And then:
*novel spoilers*
Act II: Galinda, Fiyero, Boq, Elphaba, and Nessaros attend Shiz University, headed in part by an evil Headmistress who has a hand in evil workings. A Goat named Dillamond also teaches there. Galinda and he do not get along, she doesn't like him being a Goat. He hates that Animals are treated like 2nd class citizens and mispronounces Galinda's name. Morrible tricks her students and dislikes Galinda. Galinda is a selfish, spoiled brat. She is also BLONDE in both, unlike the original Baum book and the 1939 movie, where she had red hair. Elphaba is smart and passionate and green. Her father hates her for it and favors Nessarose, giving her the silver slipper. Glinda changes her name in Dr. Dillamond's honor. After going to the Emerald City and meeting the Wizard, she finds out he is actually quite a despot, and deserts Glinda to do secret pro-Animal work against the Wizard.

Act II: Nessarose because a tyrant and abuses Munchkins. She is responible for the Tin Man's creation. She gets a house dropped on her, of course. Elphaba and Glinda have a private confrontation on the Yellow Brick Road. Elphaba and Fiyero develop an unlikely friendship, and it becomes a secret love affair. Fiyero is killed violently. (well, sort of) Boq turns on Elphaba near the end. The Cowardly Lion is known by Elphaba from her Shiz days. Elphaba thinks Fiyero is the Scarecrow. It is revealed that the Wizard is Elphaba's father and that he knows this because of a green bottle that was in Elphaba's possession when she melted.



Yes, I wish Winnie Holzman would have exercised some restraint in turning a beautiful novel into a Hallmark style one-liner fest. But the seeds of the novel are there, and the author has approved over and over again of the musical. (In fact, I think the musical has inflated his ego) Updated On: 4/1/08 at 09:36 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/2/08 at 12:07pm

I believe I read somewhere that Eugene Lee had actually started designing the set based on the book, because the book of the musical had not yet been written.

[pattilupuppy]

Posted: 4/2/08 at 12:11pm

Producers did the same thing,

Rent did the same thing

this is something that the shows that are household names usually do, run 2 tours at once in order to reach more markets... while they are hot... whereas, i doubt wicked will be "cool" anytime soon

[TJwicked]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 6:38pm

"2009 San Francisco production
An open-ended San Francisco run of Wicked is scheduled to open in January of 2009 at the Orpheum Theatre. No dates have been set.[67]

2010 Toronto production
It has been long rumored that the Chicago production will close in 2009 or 2010 and transfer to a sit down production in Toronto, the first stop of the national tour." This is from Wikipedia.com. I had no clue but it is pretty cool. Also the tour is set to come to SLC, UT, and Birmingham, Alabama at the same time. I was a little confused at first but I guess those are the two touring shows. Kinda cool :)