Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?- Page 2
Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
bwayguy22089
Broadway Star Joined: 12/16/06
#25re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:24pmI have seen Idina/Kristin, Idina/Jennifer, Shoshana/Jennifer, Shoshana/Megan, Eden/Kate, Eden/Megan and Stephanie/Annaleigh...for me, the perfect combo was Jennifer Laura Thompson and Idina Menzel. There was something about their performance together that was absolutely brilliant. Annaleigh is definitely growing into the role. Not bad, but not great. Beautiful voice though, and very nice chemistry with Steph (despite their age difference). It would be a dream come true though to see Steph and Jennifer perform together. I personally feel that that would be incredible!
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#26re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:31pm
Does the Wicked website not have a cast list up? If so, I sure as hell can't find it.
And IMO, they're on Broadway - they should be the best. She shouldn't have to "grow" into the role anymore. She should have done all her research and experimenting in rehearsals, and this should be her final product. Sure, she'll grow more comfortable and things will become second nature, but she should still be on her A game as of right now.
NJgirl
Broadway Star Joined: 10/13/04
#27re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:32pmJust popping in to comment on Michael Seelbach. I saw him go on about 9 months or so ago and he was FANTASTIC. That optional vocal stuff he did blew me away. Loved him.
#28re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:34pm
To the original poster... I've heard from someone who went on Sat. night as well, just the opposite thoughts.
He LOVED Annaleigh, but hated Lisa because of her acting (said her singing was fine). Also said Michael was kind of tame as Fiyero.
I'm not trying to cause a problem...just putting a different thought. Like I said though, I wasn't there.
#29re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:36pmWell, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I wouldn't trust anyone who hated Lisa Brescia.
#30re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:40pm
rentboy, I respectively have to disagree with you on your point.
Having not seen Ashford yet, I can't comment on her performance, but a lot of actors grow into the role because they use the audience to improve their performance. They see what lands laughs and what doesn't and use that to build on the character they created. If they were completely prepared to not stray from a set character, and weren't allowed to experiment with new ideas and line readings, each show would be the exact same and the beauty of live theatre is that it isn't.
I saw Ashford in Blonde in San Francisco and while she was good, she became GREAT in New York, using certain facial expresssions and body movements to bring that character to the level it needed to be at. Although some people say she is awful as Glinda, here's to hoping she can do that over at "Wicked" and she is just adjusting.
"Less Of A Marilyn, More Of A Jackie"
www.richardhblake.com
#31re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:42pmThere's a difference between room to improve and not getting the character.
#32re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:44pmYes, but some people thinks she gets the character just fine. I will wait to express an opinion until I get a chance to see her, so until the Wicked lotto gods smile on me, I am just saying that I hope she improves to please everyone because I adore her.
"Less Of A Marilyn, More Of A Jackie"
www.richardhblake.com
#33re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:46pm
Absolutely, if everyone here waited to see a performance before judging it, things would be MUCH better! 
Lotto was insane Saturday night, but that makes winning all the more fun.
#34re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:47pmI saw her as an understudy in Boston and she blew me away. She was a riot and the audience loved her and she made For Good even more sad than it is supposed to be. Her acting was excellent, her beautiful voice was there, and her comedic timing was great. I think she has been in Blonde for a while and is still having a hard time transfering from a sorority girl to Glinda.
#35re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:49pmTotal aside, this didn't bug me before I started writing lyrics for a living, but some of the images in "For Good" (about the distant wood, etc) are just, not good.
#36re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:51pm
I was there Thursday and, although I can't compare her to anyone except the "cd version" of Kristin, I thought Annaleigh did fine. Did she go overboard in a few scenes? Yes, but I felt overall she was great. I was also pleasantly surprised with her soprano since I hadn't heard it before.
I think she's still just experimenting with the role. I know she's done the tour before, but with a break from the show, she may have discovered some things and now wants to try new things out. I hope she just continues to grow into the character.
"Wishes come true, not free..."
sesboa
Chorus Member Joined: 9/30/07
#37re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:58pmI find it amusing that BreeDaniel, of all people, is suddenly speaking against bashing artists. In other threads he surely seemed to have no qualms about bashing Laura Bell Bundy every chance he got.
bwayguy22089
Broadway Star Joined: 12/16/06
#38re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:27pm
However, I do feel that one should grow into the part regarding the audience. She may have thought of Glinda one way that when presented totally fell flat (which sounds like it happened lol). Also, you should consider the fact that she only had like...3 weeks to leave LB and begin Wicked. That's not a lot of time at all. Just putting that out there, no disrespectation
#39re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:29pm
Three weeks isn't a long time to catch up on a role you've already played? Okay.
BreeDaniel
Broadway Star Joined: 1/25/04
#40re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:35pmsesboa dear, I never start thread after thread "bashing" Bundy. I can also say I am far from the only person to "bash" Bundy and have probably been kinder and more diplomatic in my "bashing" than most. I'm also not a widely known published critic, so they beat me to the punch at every turn. Are you going to slap them on the wrist as well? Brantley was particularly harsh, did you take him to task? Bundy and Ashford are apples and oranges in every way other than hair color.
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#41re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:51pmA friend of mine said Annaleigh was like "Margot on sedatives". I don't know whether that's good or bad.
sesboa
Chorus Member Joined: 9/30/07
#42re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:57pmBreeDaniel, I actually couldn't care less if people bash LBB. I just wanted to point out it is a little hypocritical for you to complain about other members (WithoutATrace in particular) bashing Annaleigh when you obviously have no problem bashing performers that you dislike.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#43re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:18pmcarymetorent2, I think you missed my point, or I didn't make my point clear. What I meant was, she should know who her character is or at least have a pretty good idea of who the character is. She shouldn't be making huge improvements. She should be pretty rooted in her character as it is now. Sure, she can try different line readings, but she should stay within a certain amount of lines when exploring new choices. But it seems like she hasn't quite figured out what those lines are, which is weird considering it's Broadway. I guess maybe I just hold Broadway on this big plateau.
#44re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:32pm
I find it "typically BWW" that Walt enjoyed Lisa and Michael a lot yet chose to focus her review on what she DIDN'T like. So much so that she titled her thread "who the heck hired...". Was it OK to say that she didn't enjoy Annaleigh? Absolutely! Was it necessary to post an obnoxious title and slam her with unkind words? That's obviously debatable on this board.
edited: oops, sorry. Walt's a she, who knew!
Updated On: 10/22/07 at 03:32 PM
#45re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:34pm
First of all, I'm not a he :)
Second of all, I didn't say anything unkind that wasn't true.
Third of all, it's my thread. As Taylor from Kid Nation would say, Deal with it.
#46re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:39pm
Walt - sorry, I changed my post to reflect your gender :)
You didn't write anything that wasn't true to YOU. Art is subjective... someone else might've seen something completely different and that would be their truth too.
I'm dealing with "it" just fine. I'm not personally offended at all. Trust me, on the scale of BWW bashing your post is pretty tame. You have a right to say what you want. I have a right to think that there may have been a nicer way to express your thoughts.
#47re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:41pmIf I thought she was merely fine, I would have been nicer. Especially because I think she is talented, and has a great voice. But I thought she was sorely miscast here.
bwayguy22089
Broadway Star Joined: 12/16/06
#48re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:11pm
three weeks isnt that long is my opinion, especially going from one huge broadway musical to another even bigger one. also, she only covered on the tour for a few months, and even then it was her job to bassically copy kendra. i'm not starting anything, just saying, everybody takes time to grow into their character...especially in Wicked.
#49re: Wicked Saturday night - who the heck hired Annaleigh Ashford?
Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:14pmI sincerely hope you were joking that you think it's ever an replacement's job to "copy" the performance of the person they are covering.
Videos