Wicked: mexican production
Wicked: mexican production
#1Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 6:38pm
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
#2Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 6:51pm
I'm anxious to hear the spanish lyrics, let's hope it doesn't go down the CATS road.
I loved the Glinda, not so sure about the Elphaba who sang for good, though.
Thanks for posting 
Visceral_Fella
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/18/12
#2Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 7:05pm
The young woman who sang The Wizard and I reminds me of Jemma Rix vocally.
Goodness gracious that Glinda is tall.
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#3Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:09pm
The actress who did The Wizard and I looks familiar... was she famous before getting this role??
Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#4Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:13pmThe Schwartz wig doesn't really photograph well from behind does it?
Visceral_Fella
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/18/12
#6Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:17pm
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!
#7Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:24pmRegarding the translation: I understand the broadway production's team has been supervising, and also, the direction of the mexican production will be in charge of someone from the Broadway production.
Visceral_Fella
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/18/12
#8Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:28pmWow, 18 that's quite impressive. She's the youngest Elphaba ever now. I feel like Teal Wicks was until this woman was cast.
#9Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:34pmQuestion, why are there two Elphaba's? Will they be rotating?
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#10Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:56pm
Because they are MEXICANS!
Sheeze....
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
#11Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 9:04pm
There are two Elphabas because the schedule in Mexico is a bit different: 1 show on thursday, 2 shows on friday, 2 on saturday, 2 on sunday and 1 on monday.
I suppose one Elphaba will do the matinees and the other the evening, since doing 6 shows in one weekend would be difficult.
(I know this triggers the old discussion about the difficulty of the role of Elphaba, but I suppose that is what producers thought).
#12Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 9:04pm
Double post.
Updated On: 7/18/13 at 09:04 PM
#13Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 9:44pm
Why is doing 6 shows a "weekend" a problem? The actresses on Broadway and the ones on tour do it 8 times a week without a problem. I have a feeling one Elphaba (the soap opera one) cannot handle the score to sing it 6 times a week, which I find odd. And the producers are already star casting? Wicked can stand by itself, the producers of the Broadway production figured that out a long time ago
Updated On: 7/18/13 at 09:44 PM
#14Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:07pm
"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.
#15Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:09pm
"Why is doing 6 shows a "weekend" a problem? The actresses on Broadway and the ones on tour do it 8 times a week without a problem..."
6 performances in 3 days (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) is not really the same as 8 performances in 6 days, as far as vocal rest and health go.
Updated On: 7/18/13 at 10:09 PM
evic
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
#16Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:14pmI 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!
#17Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:35pmJustincharacter, have you had vocal training? Singing all those shows back to back would wear on one's vocals. The chords need to rest. Elphaba's score is challenging. The production team probably wanted to ensure the safety of they actresses.
#18Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:41pm
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
#19Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:57pm
Last time I checked the facebook for WICKED MEXICO Glinda has been double-cast as well. Probably she hits some high soprano range notes.
Majo Perez is other Glinda. Edit: Scratch that from what I could tell Majo Perez is just performing as Glinda for one night only.
Updated On: 7/18/13 at 10:57 PM
#20Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:03pm
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
#21Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:03pm
"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."
You're fine, I didn't mean to come off aggressive if I seemd to be.
@it'sjustshowbiz Well, I actually do sing and have taken classes and will continue to this coming school year (no, I'm not one those people who go on American Idol claiming they can sing and sound downright terrible). I fully understand what a demanding role it is to play, but I thought it was a little odd that there were two different Elphaba's being casted.
So, I'm guessing that means there wouldn't be a understudy AND a standby.
#22Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:10pm
that's correct ! She did the voice of Rapunzel, how could I forget? Thanks.
@ justincharacter 
#23Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:28pmEh, from the sounds of it, she doesn't sound that strong. She sounds a lot like I feared she would, like a pop singer trying to sing a high belting musical theater song.
"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."
Starship
Broadway Star Joined: 7/29/12
#24Wicked: mexican production
Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:39pmI 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.
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