Wicked tour

[THEATRICAL100]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 8:50am

I'm seeing wicked in Chicago which will be my sEcond time seein it after seeing it years ago-what changes will the tour Have from the broadway production? (ie trapdoors and tracks and sets)
Thanks!

Posted: 12/14/10 at 10:01am

HAVE THEY CHANGED THE SHOW CURTAIN?????

[THEATRICAL100]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 10:02am

I know they haven't changed that.

[WickedAwakening2]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 11:16am

I heard rumors that they changed the tracks entirely.
That was quickly proven wrong through extensive research.
I saw it just recently in Texas and everything was the same (seemingly)
I honestly don't see why they would have a reason to change /anything/.
It's an adored show. It's been on top for nearly a decade now.
If they were going to change anything it would barely be anything noticeable.

Posted: 12/14/10 at 12:11pm

CAN SOMEONE TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SHOW CURTAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE?

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:17pm

Depends on which National Touring Company you see.

There are currently 2 touring companies of Wicked. The older of the two companies is closest to the Broadway production with few notable exceptions.

Neither tour uses traps, as on Broadway. They also both use slide on staircases on the sides for the announcements (Madame Morrible "Wiiiiicked Wiiitch" and Tin Man's "It's because of her I'm made of tin...")

The newer of the two tours, however, has what I consider, significant changes to the set. Those changes are:

Flats used for the proscenium framing, instead of the actual physical gear/cog scaffolding. The set peices do not track on from the sides, rather are pushed on and off by the actors. (The Wizard head does track downstage by automation.) The dragon is significantly smaller, and there is no "bridge" for the actors to stand on for the scenes such as "I'm not that girl" and "Thank Goodness."

The show curtain for both tours is just as it is on Broadway... a map of Oz.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:23pm

I'll actually answer your question instead of offering some smart ass remarks.
The tour is pretty identical to the Broadway/Sit Down productions.
Here are a list of differences in set
The balconies (i.e. Morribles's Speech, Tin Man's speech) are not extended out to the house...instead they are brought out onto the stage (automation) on both SR and SL

In "No Good Deed" there is no elevator lift that brings her up through the floor...instead she runs on from SL while a small bookstand rises up from the floor at the front of the stage with the book on it and she runs to it.

The Broadway production has 4 large clock towers that move on and off...the tour has only 2 large towers and during "Defying Gravity" two small ones come on with the larger ones.

The accent in "Defying Gravity" is much faster then Broadway

Depending on the theater,(SPOILER)The effect of Elphaba coming up through the trap door at the end of the show is different. In theaters with a trap door...its the same as Broadway, in theaters without a trap door, they bring on a prop that looks like a well...with a false trap door by it...Fiyero opens it, and she ducks from behind the well to make it look like she came up through the floor.

And thats really it...the set is pretty much the same, the automation (On the first tour) is the same (the second tour has automation just not as much as the others) the tracks are much different but thats not going to disturb the look of the show...hope ya enjoy

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:25pm

Goodoneinlou2, the second tour has more automation then just the wizards head. The back walls, the towers, and various other pieces are still automated. The beds, chalk board, school benches and a few other minor pieces are pushed on.

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:33pm

Finger Lakes, I think you owe goodoneinlou2 an apology! His remarks weren't "smart-ass."

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:36pm

Come now, surely you don't really think I was talking about him Joe haha

[THEATRICAL100]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 1:36pm

Thank you all...so I just learned i am seein the second tour...what aRe your opinions? Which one is better?

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 2:32pm

after seeing both from 1st row and 2nd row...I can honestly say that either way your in for the same show.
The 2nd tour is a little scaled back...not down...but back (there is a difference, down is where they cut a lot of things in terms of set, back is where they have pretty much all the same stuff just on a smaller scale or done a different way.)

The biggest difference you will see is that the overall set is a TINY bit smaller then others, but thats pretty much it. As I said in the other post, a few things are pushed on by the cast themselves (the beds in "Popular", the classroom benches have students sitting on them and guiding them along a track, and a few minor set pieces like Nessa's table and armoir in "Wicked Witch of the East")
One thing that might shock you the most is that Elphaba actually holds the book during "No Good Deed" rather then have it on a book stand..and when she slams it shut she holds it for a sec and on "I dont even know what trick I ought to try" she hands it to Chistery who is on SL and he leaves.

One other thing is that Madame Morrible's speech in "Defying Gravity" now takes place offstage. You hear her voice but she does not enter. They originally had her come on with the balcony that moves on and off (like in the First Tour) but cut it after the 2nd or 3rd stop on the tour.

Updated On: 12/14/10 at 02:32 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 4:14pm

The tour in Chicago is the First National.

[musical_ash_09]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 4:26pm

I'm taking my 8 year old niece to see it in September when it makes it to Pittsburgh. She's already talking about it. Hopefully, I can start her theater addiction early hahaha.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 4:43pm

Apparently Jackie, who's great, has been out a lot during the Chicago run, so you'll probably see Mariand Torres, her standby, who's great as well.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 4:45pm

musica_ash
WICKED is a great musical to take your niece to. A land she is familiar with (OZ) with lots of eye candy and a great score and book for you to enjoy too. It's def. a show to get kids into theater.

[musical_ash_09]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 4:48pm

WICKED is a great musical to take your niece to. A land she is familiar with (OZ) with lots of eye candy and a great score and book for you to enjoy too. It's def. a show to get kids into theater.

Definitely. I saw it for the first time when I was 19 in NYC and seriously was like 10 years old all over again. I can't wait to see the look on her face!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 11:52pm

"The dragon is significantly smaller, and there is no "bridge" for the actors to stand on for the scenes such as "I'm not that girl" and "Thank Goodness."

The second national tour has a smaller set because it plays smaller venues. I did not know that they took the bridge out too though.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 11:54pm

There is a bridge, however the actors cannot stand on it.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/14/10 at 11:56pm

^ Sorry, I read your post wrong! That's good because the stage would like pretty bare in some scenes without it.