"Wicked" Downsizes?- Page 2

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:16am

CUTS AND CHANGES!!!!!!

They cut the big hat because it was pointless. It wasnt downsizing, it was originally cut for the tour, and when chicago, london, and LA came around, they decided it was unnecessary, and they should continue not using it. It just took longer for this change to happen on broadway- a change for the better

Other changes- Wayne Cilento re-choreographed the ENTIRE dancing through life, and made major changes. These changes are reflected in every single company of the show. Also, they cut the song wonderful in half- elphaba and the wizard do NOT do the dance break("one, two, THREE" where he flips the switch on the back of the head and turns on all the fancy lights?? yea, that was all cut) and they also added the small scene where fiyero crashes into Elphaba when he first arrives.

not downsizes... improvements!

EDIT: Julia was not the first Elphaba on broadway with the changes, Ana was... I saw the show the second week of December on broadway, and all the changes were already in place
Updated On: 4/18/07 at 12:16 AM

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 5:09am

And since when does a London production set the precedent for the Broadway show?

This happens fairly often, with the first big production outside of the original becoming an opportunity for the creative team to reevaluate and rework things they believe can be improved. When Miss Saigon, Les Mis, Cats and Phantom all opened on Broadway a number of changes were made to each, many of which were then filtered back into the respective London (and worldwide) productions.

[mateo]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 5:20am

Seaweed J Stubbs, your icon is in fact not Elijah Kelley - who plays Seaweed.

That is Jade Anderson who plays Stooie.

[Mart isn't easy]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 5:39am

Sweeney and Winston, thank you so much! If you're ever in Auld Reekie, claim a haggis from me.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:26am

Does anyone still wear a hat?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:35am

Do baseball hats count?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 7:52am

"This happens fairly often, with the first big production outside of the original becoming an opportunity for the creative team to reevaluate and rework things they believe can be improved. When Miss Saigon, Les Mis, Cats and Phantom all opened on Broadway a number of changes were made to each, many of which were then filtered back into the respective London (and worldwide) productions"

Exactly--Evita can be added to the list and I'm sure others too...

Interesting Wayne did a lot of re-choreographing though--i didn't think his Wicked choreography was that bad--compared to much of his stuff (from what I've seen the only show I thought he did a great, appropriate job for was The Who's Tommy--is he still riding on that reputation? I know he's a great dancer but come on...)

E

[Shakespearean]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 8:45am

I got the reference Tazber. Thanks :) I do that often enough to wonder if anyone gets them...

[Mart isn't easy]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 9:28am

'Does anyone still wear a hat?'


Ooh, I'm hearing Elaine Stritch - Broadway baby, maybe?

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 9:54am

I'll drink to that.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 11:11am

I loved the hat at the beginning (pointless or not, it was a great visual effect), and was disappointed to hear it was cut.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:20pm

"Glinda does mention the clock-dragon, but it's very quick and not elaborated upon. I've always thought that the show was supposed to be one of the clock's puppet-shows; the actors being its puppets. Maybe I'm looking too far into it..."

I think you are exactly right, and if you understand this aspect of the show from reading the book, it makes it way cooler. I love the idea that this story is being revealed by the CLock of the Time Dragon (in the book, the Time Dragon cart thing has little puppets that act out scandalous scenes of things that are really happening between people in the audience...usually involving sex)

And I think that opening the show with a sillouette of Elphaba melting is much more effective than the hat (though I haven't seen it). It also makes it completely clear to people of where we are in terms of the Wizard of Oz...sometimes when I watch the opening scene, I forgot that this is after the Wicked Witch of the WEST has died, not EAST, because it is obviously similar to that scene in the Wizard of Oz.

[Ivan2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:15am

I know I'm posting on a long closed topic, but I just wanted to let people know that in the opening scene of Wicked, the projection of the witch isn't actually of her melting. It's a projection of the witch, yes, but she actually get's bigger until she covers the whole screen. I went to see it in NYC in August 2007 and I do have to admit, I was slightly disappointed that the hat was missing because it was kind of fun knowing that only in NYC do they do it, but I survived. I had Kendra and Julia and that's enough to make any show great.

The reason the Time Dragon is there is: 1) It's from the book
2) It adds decoration. They wanted something to add character to the auditorium before the show started. It's effective and simple.

And as for the dancing, I don't care for it. I enjoyed the original choreography of DTL much better. He was just more natural, now it looks so practiced. But what can you do? The first time I saw the show on tour I just remember different lighting effects and dances and the second time I saw it on tour, it was just different. I don't know. I do enjoy changing things for the better, but at the same time the originals were just fine. It's kind of like the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it." Either way, the show in it's entirety can make up for these changes!

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:26am

It wasnt the best of scenic effects if you try and remember it. I've a few different DVDs of the show and it really does look a bit silly compared to the rest of the set pieces.

Updated On: 10/25/07 at 09:26 AM

[Janki]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:36am

"And since when does a London production set the precedent for the Broadway show? Broadway's production was the original... so shouldn't they be making London's show exactly like the NY show rather than the NY shoe just like London's? Lacks logic to me!"

What's not logical? It sounds like a good idea to me, they wanted to change some stuff they weren't that pleased with, ergo now was the right moment! It's that easy!

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:54am

The London production is a lot tighter and faster paced than the Broadway one. A lot of shows have been adjusted on Broadway AFTER opening in London! Whats the problem? If its thought by the production team to better the production so be it. its not a bad thing!

Updated On: 10/25/07 at 09:54 AM

[landryjames2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 11:50am

Pointless or not, the Hat at the beginning was a great visual effect, and I too am not happy it is gone.

The other changes sound fine and good (the dance between Elphaba and the Wizard is gone? Thank God).

[dshnookie]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 1:25pm

Can someone explain this 'hat' effect. I've only just seen Wicked recently - as in two days ago - while it's here in Boston on tour with the use of a green projection on a map of Oz. Thanks.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 1:50pm

You can see it on the Show Business DVD. Basically it was just a giant witches hat formed from a large silk like sheet that the ensemble spun around and then it disappeared through a trap door. Maybe someone who saw it live can explain it better.

[Bruce Memblagh!]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 3:04pm

"And since when does a London production set the precedent for the Broadway show? Broadway's production was the original... so shouldn't they be making London's show exactly like the NY show rather than the NY shoe just like London's? Lacks logic to me!"


Was Broadway's the original? Didn't it try out in SF first? ie) not Broadway.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 3:55pm

Pretty much what was just said. the hat was where the ensamble came out of during the beginning of the show. It spun around and then went through a trap door. I am sure that there are clips of it on Youtube or somewhere online if you look for clips that are a few years old.


I liked that effect. Needed or not it did look cool. I have yet to see it now that they got rid of it.

But, If you listen to the OLC of Les Miserables and the OBC of Les Miserables they sound differet. The tempos and some of the orchestrations have changed. They used the transfer as a way to make some changes that they needed. A lot of shows do that.

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 4:10pm

"...sometimes when I watch the opening scene, I forgot that this is after the Wicked Witch of the WEST has died, not EAST, because it is obviously similar to that scene in the Wizard of Oz."

The Ensemble sings right at the beginning of No One Mourns the Wicked: "Good news! She's dead! The WITCH OF THE WEST is dead!" So that clarifies it. But, I do like the idea of the green projection. When I saw the show back in February 2006 (the tour in Pittsburgh), there was nothing - no hat, no projection. The Ensemble was just gathered in a circle and then "exploded" out and began singing.
Updated On: 10/25/07 at 04:10 PM

[Bruce Memblagh!]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 4:41pm

In a similar vein, why does Glinda NOT have the Grimmerie in that first bubble scene, yet at the end of the show she is given it as she goes into the bubble with the echoes of "No one mourns the wicked" outside?

[munkustrap926]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 5:04pm

that sucks. i liked the hat effect.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 6:58pm

i didn't like the hat..it looked cheesy to me, and it was even more pointless than the dragon and clock. At least the dragon and clock tied the show back to the book and gave it a deeper meaning, in my opinion.