414 replies to this topic

[TR252]

Yeah, I was going to say, Glinda's and Elphaba's are swapped around each production all the time.

If you read the description box on this youtube video :



The same names crop up over and over again.

[ajkb7926]

Just to add my penny's worth I think you will find both kerry and dianne had it written in their contracts to become leads after, di was just filling in as analene (can NEVER spell her name right) left and kerry was meant to open the show but they brought idina over for a west end record fee. wasnt it something like 30,000 dollars a week/month?

[Man in Chair]

 ajkb7926, on 19 March 2013 - 08:48 PM, said:

Just to add my penny's worth I think you will find both kerry and dianne had it written in their contracts to become leads after, di was just filling in as analene (can NEVER spell her name right) left and kerry was meant to open the show but they brought idina over for a west end record fee. wasnt it something like 30,000 dollars a week/month?

Yes, that's why I said they were exceptional.  Apart from those two, London has only seen actresses go from understudy to standby (and I think we're going to have chorus straight to standby soon) etc. but never to lead.

[Jordosaur!]

 harveyjnr, on 19 March 2013 - 07:50 PM, said:

not true. every elphaba has been new! and every glinda! literally. there's never been someone in the ensemble/ on tour/ swing/ covering who's then played the role. get it right!

Sorry, I thought the the plural 'productions' made it quite clear I was talking about the US given that here in the UK we only have the West End production. As the others have given evidence of, in the US the leads are frequently recycled. Megan Hilty was on Broadway, the first national tour and was in the original and final Los Angeles cast. Eden Espinosa has done Broadway, the national tour, Los Angeles and San Fran too! That was what I was getting at, over here in the UK we've done a good job in casting new faces (or familiar faces in the other lead role, Lou says hi!).

Like I said, I'd be happy if we got Christine, even if it's only for a short run of 2 months or something. I'd love to see her perform live. Failing that, a newcomer. I wanted Rachel to return for a little while, but touring would hardly be fair on her new family and I got to see her more than once anyway.

[MS1995]

No actress has played the role twice on broadway though, so what it does mean that the whole of the US who can't get to see the broadway production gets to see the actresses who have played it, but if you watch one production a lot, you don't see the same actress over and over!

[tsxmitw]

So...

Do you think/know if they're producing a touring set from scratch, or are they recycling from elsewhere?

Because I wouldn't be surprised if they used the touring set from Australia/Asia, since that production has recently ended.

[TR252]

I think there is a new tour starting to New Zealand and heading back to Australia?

Though I could be completely wrong!

[tsxmitw]

 TR252, on 21 March 2013 - 10:53 PM, said:

I think there is a new tour starting to New Zealand and heading back to Australia?

Though I could be completely wrong!

No, i think you're right - completely forgot that!

[TR252]

So it looks like it could be a new set?

How many productions of Wicked are there in the world?

[tsxmitw]

 TR252, on 21 March 2013 - 11:00 PM, said:

So it looks like it could be a new set?

How many productions of Wicked are there in the world?

I think so. Let's see...

Broadway
1NT USA
2NT USA
London
Netherlands
Asia/Australasia Tour

I think Japan closed?

So there are no free sets, will have to be a new one! Although as far as I'm aware the old Chicago and SF sets are kept somewhere...