Topic Wicked discussion continued from the Theatre Chat forum.
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/21/2003 at 12:50:24 AM ET
Jean wrote:
"I hadn't heard any of Schwartz' work before."
You sure? Godspell,Pippin? He wrote the score to The Prince of Egypt (the Dreamworks animated movie) and the lyrics to Disney's Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The Baker's Wife is lovely-do you know the song "Meadowlark"? Patti LuPone was in the original production (if you get her live concert CD,she tells a very funny story about the production),and it's been recorded several times-Sarah Brightman, Liz Callaway,and Susan Egan have recorded it (she's on The Stephen Schwartz Album-Laura Benanti sings a Beautiful City/Day By Day melody from Godspell on it).
Jenn
|  Jean
Registered User
Registered:
6/7/2003 | posted: 10/21/2003 at 7:37:28 PM ET
Amazingly enough, considering my love of musicals, I've never seen Pippin, etc. I think I heard Day By Day somewhere but I can't really remember it. Nor have I seen The Baker's Wife, but I did see Patti L. in concert, maybe early 1990's, but other than THAT song from Evita  I can't remember what she sang.
I rarely watch animated movies-probably Lion King and Anastasia are the last I've seen in ages.
Generally speaking I don't buy "pop" music (except of course for Bernadette's and a few -well, most- of Sondheim).
I shall go off to the library in a few days to see what they have in the way of videos.
|  Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 11/1/2003 at 9:14:59 PM ET
OK, so I went to the opening night of Wicked on Thursday, and I have to say that it is one of the greatest musicals I have ever seen! I was captivated the entire time.
Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel are phenominal. I think both women have an excellent chance at winning the Tony; and I think it may be Idina that walks away with it. She can really belt, and she puts such feeling into the character of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West). It makes me look at "The Wizard of Oz" in a whole new way.
Everything about the show was so amazing: The costumes, the set, the songs, the choreography, the talent of the actors themselves.
Kristen is great. She has such a beautiful voice, and where some might take the character of Glinda and make her annoyingly sweet and obnoxious, Kristen gives her a real personality. She's funny, witty, and yes self-centered; but that does change.
What can I say about Joel Grey but WOW! I mean, he's up there in age, but he dances and jumps around that stage like a chorus boy in his first show. You just love to hate him (yet can't hate him because he's Joel Grey lol) as the Wizard.
I had never heard or seen Idina Menzel in anything before this, but I must say I am now a fan. As I said before, she just puts such feeling into the character of Elphaba that you become so sympathetic for the Wicked Witch. She is the underdog in this, and everyone is routing for her.
I won't go into detail about every character because there are so many more. The entire cast has such great chemistry togeher.
Just, go see Wicked. Believe me, you won't regret it.
http://www.wickedthemusical.com/
<3CMH<3
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 11/2/2003 at 1:18:55 AM ET
If you've ever listened to the OCR of Rent,then you've heard Idina. She originated the role of Maureen (and was nominated for a Tony). She's also on the Aida OCR (she played Amneris-I don't have the CD but I know she's on it) and The Wild Party (the Andrew Lippa version-his was the off-Broadway Wild Party-LaChiusa's was on Broadway.) OCR-right now,her character's name escapes me,because I haven't listened to The Wild Party in ages. She also has an original CD called Still I Can't Be Still.
Jenn (who now has "welcome to my party" running through her head,and yes,I realize that's LaChiusa,and that might not even be the right lyric. I can't remember anything from Lippa's right now. What a weird season that was.)
|  MollyEliz
Registered User
Registered:
6/13/2002
From:
Fla | posted: 11/2/2003 at 1:34:03 AM ET
Just a correction- she's not on the original cast recording of Aida. That's Sherie Rene Scott, who actually played Maureen in Rent after Idina. But she was in Aida a while after Sherie left- I actually saw her in it and she was fabulous.
I saw Wicked tonight- it was SOO good. I think I can safely say it was the best show I've ever seen. Such talent in it, SUCH a great, thoughtful, creative, and powerful book. I'd definitely recommend it!
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 11/2/2003 at 1:38:47 AM ET
Folks,there you see the importance of checking your information before you post it. I thought she was on the Aida CD,and I stand corrected. I don't have the CD,and don't have any plans to buy it,unless someone can convince me to buy it,and as much as I like SRS,it's not in my plans anytime soon.
I'm glad you two enjoyed the show. If this show is still around by the time I make interview trips in and around the NE,I may see it (but I really would be surprised if it isn't,since this seems like a critic-proof show).
Anyone know what Gregory Maguire thinks of the show-has he said anything?
Jenn
| Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 11/2/2003 at 10:50:12 AM ET
Yeah, lol, I will never own any RENT recording because I really hated that show when I saw it (and Idina wasn't in it when I saw it). 
<3CMH<3
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 11/2/2003 at 12:24:57 PM ET
Christine-
I bought the Rent CD several years ago,and I can't remember the last time I listened to it. But it's hard to forget a name like Idina Menzel,so that's why I remember reading her name when I bought it.
Jenn
|  UCFGuardgirl
Registered User
Registered:
6/15/2003
From:
New York City | posted: 11/2/2003 at 3:59:30 PM ET
FYI on the AIDA CD: Unless there is a second recording of it out there (no idea if the actual cast recording is or is not available to buy) the singers on the CD are pop singers, not the cast. I know because I have the CD. But I could be wrong. I might have a different (specially recorded) version of AIDA. I've never actually seen the show.
As far as WICKED is concerned... I saw it on friday (Halloween) and it was FANTASTIC. There were, of course, points where I had to divorce myself completely from the book (which I have in fact read) in order to not feel as if "this isn't right," or "this isn't how it's supposed to happen." Mainly, the book and musical are entirely seperate entities. The book is a lot darker, and in it, Glinda is only in the first quarter-half or so, and then again only in the final few pages. Also, there are a lot more characters, and the ending is totally differnt. But truthfully, once I was able to set the book and musical apart, I found that I really loved the musical a lot. I perhaps loved it more than the book. I thought a lot of re-worked plot elements (from the book) really worked much better than the actual storyline from the original narrative, and the punched-up humor worked for me as well. The POPULAR song had me laughing so hard I was almost in tears, and I KNOW I haven't laughed so hard at anything as I did at the scene between the witch and Glinda, when they attempted to kick the crap out of one another.
Also, I loved both the leads, of course. And while I adored Idina, and thought her the perfect "Elphie," I have to say, I thought Kristen Chenoweth stole the show. Her voice was just stunning, absolutely pre-possessing. Anyone who sung next to her really had a LOT to live up to, because her range, control, and pitch were nearly flawless. ARE nearly flawless. Besides that, her comedic timing is exquisite, and her facial expressions priceless. And her boundless energy sort of whisks you away with her. If you ask me, THIS is the next Bernadette Peters.
Speaking of which, after looking up some of Kristen's past roles, I found that she and Bernadette have a few things in common. Both played Ruby Keeler in DAMES AT SEA, and both played Lily St. Regis in ANNIE -- Bernadette in the original movie, Kristen in the remake. Of course, I haven't seen the remake, but now I may have to. 
Also, more funny stuff: Lots of people came to the show on Halloween dressed as either Glinda or the wicked witch. After the show, someone gave Kristen a wand (you should have seen the size of the crowd waiting for her; it rivavled the crowd at the Shubert Theatre every night) and she was waving it around for everyone, and playing with it. Very funny. She also stayed out for over an hour just talking to everyone and laughing and making jokes. She's just too cute. She makes you want to fold her up and put her in your pocket.
***************
Rose: Mr. Weber, you left me right in the middle of a sentence.
Weber: Madam Rose, you're always in the middle of a sentence.
---- GYPSY
| Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 11/2/2003 at 4:21:04 PM ET
"If you ask me, THIS is the next Bernadette Peters."
Yes, I've thought for some time now (actually since I saw Kristen perform at the Tony's in 1999) that she and Bernadette are rather similar. They don't sing alike, and they have completely different personalities and features, but there is something about Kristen that puts me in mind of Bernadette when she was younger.
I would love to see them do something together.
<3CMH<3
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