Wicked: mexican production

Hello.
Yesterday, the mexican cast for Wicked was announced. The show opens in Mexico City -the first production in spanish- on the tenth anniversary of the original broadway production. (oct 30 2013)

Here you can see a video with the leads rehearsing a couple of songs with Stephen Schwartz, and a brief interview with him. Also, the Mexican leads meet Lindsay Mendez and Katie Rose Clark.

Wicked will open after Mary Poppins (with Bianca Marroquin) closes this August.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kokdnHkKD8o&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The young woman who sang The Wizard and I reminds me of Jemma Rix vocally.

Goodness gracious that Glinda is tall.

The Schwartz wig doesn't really photograph well from behind does it?

The actress singing The wizard and I is Danna Paola, she is 18 (yep, really young) and is a famous mexican actress who started as a child actress in mexican soap operas. (In Mexico, soap operas usually have a musical band or singer asociated, Danna Paola being the main singer in most of her soaps)

The actress playing Glinda has a theater background, most recently she played Val in the mexican production of A Chorus Line.

The actress singing for Good (Elphaba) is Ana Cecilia Anzaldua, a famous theater actress here in Mexico. She has appeared in almost everything here, perhaps her biggest role recently was Belle in the mexican production of Beauty and the Beast.

México'S theater community is really small, and most musicals are produced by one big company (OCESA), so here its pretty common to see the same actors at least once every two seasons. Danna Paola's selection as the main Elphaba has been controversial among theater people due to her soap opera background (or lack of theater experience) and young age, however she is a great singer and I think she'll be great.

In Mexico, all productions are limited engagements, the most succesful productions last 18 months or so, so that the actors remain with the company from openning until closing night. Recently, both Mamma Mia and Beauty and the Beast almost hit 2 years, lets see how long Wicked runs in the 2100+ seats centro cultural Telmex . I hope very long!

Wow, 18 that's quite impressive. She's the youngest Elphaba ever now. I feel like Teal Wicks was until this woman was cast.

Because they are MEXICANS!


Sheeze....

---

Double post.

Updated On: 7/18/13 at 09:04 PM

"Wicked can stand by itself, the producers of the Broadway production figured that out a long time ago"

Sadly, in small theater communities that is not always the case.

I believe Ana Cecilia played Judy Turner in ACL and she is gorgeous. There are lots of vids on you tube of the Mexican production. The Cassie was phenomenal!

Yes, Ana Cecilia was in ACL and she was great.

About having two Elphabas: It was not my decision and I am not saying I support the idea of two actresses playing the role. I was just trying to explain (in response to a question) what I think might be the reason why the producers decided to cast 2 Elphabas... (6 shows in 3 days, sounds reasonable, I think).

About «star casting», Danna Paola is not that big of a star or draw in the box office, so I wouldn't say they are star or stunt casting. It'S just that there aren't as many actors in here as the are in Broadway. Hence, they found someone who -they think- fits the role and she was cast in the role. She just happens to come from the world of soap opera.

Musicals are a difficult enterprise here. Famous actors are no guarantee. Neither are good shows (Hairspray flopped after a week, for August Osage County they gave free tickets because there were some shows sith 3 people in the audience). I don't think the stunt casting logic is relevant here. The main reason is that tickets are expensive. Even at 50 usd top ticket price (the price for Wicked will be 55 I think), that's a lot here in Mexico. Also, we do't have many tourists in Mexico city, A show must survive from local audiences and maybe some national tourists on weekends (that's why there are 6 shows over the weekend). Hence, star casting is not relevant here. :)

Updated On: 7/18/13 at 10:41 PM

Sorry but I have to point out in Mexican dubbing of Disney's "Tangled" Danna Paola was the voice of Rapunzel. Here's the video of her singing "When Will My Life Begin" in Spanish
Danna Paola as Rapunzel

that's correct ! She did the voice of Rapunzel, how could I forget? Thanks.

@ justincharacter

I definitely see why there's an alternate. The 2 shows a day 3 days in a row can be tough. But, other productions of Wicked have had alternates and still have had Standbys/Understudies so I'm pretty sure there will still be a standby and understudies.