Wicked in Chicago
Wicked in Chicago
diva007
Stand-by Joined: 10/22/04
#0Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 10:31am
This was such a grwat show! For those of you who missed the OCB-Ana Gasteyer is as good if not better than Idina(no disrespect intended). Ana's acting is by far better and she had many different levels to Elphaba that Idina never did. I enjoyed her thoroughly.
Ben Vereen was excellent, he made actually like the Wizard instead of being bored whenever he came on.
Kate Reindeers(sp?) was okay, I think she had alot of missed opportunities.
Overall it was a great show, I went into it with no expectations being fairly dissapointed with the tour cast. And now I am a major Ana Gasteyer fan!
YankeesFan175
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/8/05
#1re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 11:58amglad you enjoyed yourself! if i may ask, why were you so disappointed with the tour cast?
Bob: "there is a chance, albeit a microscopic one, that our baby at some point in his or her formative years will get lodged in a tree"
~Related~
#2re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:02pm
I personally like the tour cast the best, if I could just do some sprinkling of the Chicago cast...
but that's just me...
and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...
#3re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:04pm
I enjoyed the tour cast and from what I have seen from clips and snippets they seemed to be one of the better companies minus Fiyero. I really didn't care for Derrick Williams at all.
YankeesFan175
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/8/05
#4re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:11pmi agree with patronus. i thought the tour cast was amazing, but i didnt care for derrick. stephanie blew me away, so did kendra. jenna was amazing, and logan was adorable as boq. david garrison and carol kane were great as the wizard and madame morrible. but i guess to each his/her own.
Bob: "there is a chance, albeit a microscopic one, that our baby at some point in his or her formative years will get lodged in a tree"
~Related~
#5re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:15pmI should also add that I didn't actually see Kendra. I saw Katie Adams go on and she was really quite amazing.
#6re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:18pm
I also preferred the Chicago cast. Ana and Kate were fantastic. Gene and Telly were the best I've seen in the roles of the Wizard and Boq. Everyone else was at least not terrible.
The touring cast was fine, but I didn't enjoy Derrick or Logan in the least.
Jilani
Broadway Star Joined: 6/30/05
#7re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:23pmI thought the Chicago cast was very talented. And even if the rest of them weren't as good as they are, it would still be worth seeing that production just to see Ana Gasteyer's interpretation of Elphaba - powerful vocals, great acting, and terrific comic timing (when appropriate). I won't get to see the touring cast until the spring, but I look forward to seeing their take on the show as well.
#8re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:31pm
My favorite thing about the Chicago cast I believe is the ensemble, and Kris!! lol the ensemble has the BEST blending and dynamics, and there harmonies just lock into place so wonderfully, I get chills everytime they sing!!
Kris is the best Fiyero, but Derrick is nicer at the stage door 
he knows my name...Hotness....
Kate is amazing, but I like Kendra too, I think Kate is just seconds ahead of Kendra...
The tour has Jenna though, and Steph, who are two of my most favoritist people in the world! lol..
Jenna should come to Chicago..adn stay...I love her...she rocks hardcore
and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#9re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:51pmI thought Gene Weygandt is the Wizard in Chicago, and Ben Vereen is in New York.
coloratura
Chorus Member Joined: 9/17/04
#10re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 12:52pm
I have seen Wicked 9 times -- 7 in NYC, 1 in Toronto and once (this past weekend) in Chicago. The Chicago production is fabulous!!! I, of course, loved the OBC but this is a really, really close second. I did not care for the touring cast even Stephanie was good enough but Derrick was terrible and Kendra was mediocre.
I was really impressed with the interpretations the actors brought to their characters in Chicago. Kate and Ana are a great team. Just my 2 cents. And it was a treat to see Ben Vereen, too.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#11re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 1:10pmBen Vereen was in Chicago last week, and Gene was in New York. As of this evening, Ben should be back in New York and Gene back in Chicago.
#12re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 1:10pmtrpguyy, they temporarily switched companies recently so Ben Vereen could be closer to his family. I believe someone in his family is ill.
#13re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 2:27pm
Here's my lengthy review on last Saturday night's show...
* * *
On Saturday, September 3, I had the privilege of seeing “Wicked” in Chicago. It truly was a magical evening and I firmly believe that anyone who has seen this company has witnessed a piece of theatrical history. I have seen many a sitdown production and none have come close to surpassing its’ Broadway counterpart. But this “Wicked” is, if not as good, better than its’ New York sister.
First, let’s start with the reason I made the trek to Chicago in the first place: Ana Gasteyer. She made every penny spent on the trip worth it by the time she wrapped “The Wizard & I.” From her entrance through the absolutely chilling “No Good Deed,” she had the extremely large (and sold out) venue in the palm of her green hand. Although it was evident from numerous moments on Saturday Night Live that she was a major talent on the rise, with this role she exhibits more star power than many other green girls. Not to knock the talents of her predecessors (and future Elphies), but Ana gave Elphaba the dramatic arc she has been lacking. Her work truly displays a character change that is crystal clear and very moving. By creating a true outsider from the get-go (no doubt assisted by her unique physical characteristics), her defining “I’m Not That Girl” and “Defying Gravity” moments had a special resonance that was underplayed in previous versions. While her performance was so momentuous that the production nearly rested on her shoulders, she certainly had good assistance from her fellow actors.
While I was initially gravely disappointed by the absence of two actors (Kate Reinders – G(a)linda and Gene Weygandt – the Wizard), I was thankfully rewarded with the performances of two more than worthy replacements (Sarah Jane Everman and the incomparable Ben Vereen). Sarah, while not as strong as the best G(a)linda to date (Megan Hilty, IMHO), certainly held her own. Whether hitting the rafters with her soaring soprano or serving up a slice of popularity, she certainly held her own against her very strong co-stars. A small line flub late in the performance didn’t even take her off-track and for that I commend her immensely. I do not know if this was her first time in the role, but should Kate depart in the near future, I would recommend the producers look no further than Ms. Everman, who certainly mastered the facets of a rather difficult character at a moment’s notice.
Ben of course was his usual self – with remarkable flair he brings great delight to a rather thankless role. However, his two numbers still seem out of place and his character in general is just poorly written. How I wish he had better source material to work with. I sincerely hope we see him treading the boards next time in a role giving him the opportunity to shine as brightly as he can – one in which he is given a great deal more stage time than the hand puppet (aka – the lion cub).
Completing the supporting cast were a group of exceptional folk. Rondi Reed, who for one reason or another, has never been on my radar before, was amazing. Easily the best Morrible since Carole - She, much like Ben, has taken a small thankless role and made it seem as though it were written for her. Much like Carole (and unlike Rue), she has balanced singing and speak-singing in her portrayal in the most appropriate places – and it works like a charm. Why Rue is having so much trouble doing the same is beyond me. Perhaps the producers could do the companies a favor and swap Morribles for a while. Rue would be bound to bring an audience in the Midwest – and Rondi certainly deserves a spot in the flagship company.
Same goes for Telly Leung who has created a delicious interpretation of Boq. Finally the character actually makes sense. Whereas previous Boqs have illicited no empathy from me when enslaved by the Wicked Witch of the East, Telly’s portrayal actually made sense. When witch-hunting as the Tin Man, he brought a sensibility to the production that was lacking before. And “Dancing Through Life,” he actually seemed to have heart, and isn’t that what his character is all about anyway?
Ms. Heidi Kettenring, while not as strong as Jenna, was excellent. I don’t remember whom had such a problem with her portrayal, but I would have to disagree with them. While she was rather annoying and generally whiny, I felt it served her character well. She is the undeserving sister who abuses her authority over the munchkins. Yes, she is confined to a chair, but in the end I feel the audience should not really be emotionally involved with her. The story is Elphaba’s and Glinda’s, not Nessa’s or even Fiyero’s.
This brings me to Kristoffer Cusick. Here is where I will venture off my path of character analysis for a bit. The man is hot. My binoculars had a hard time focusing on anything else whenever he took the stage. He exuded the sort of personality Fiyero must and, while not as fully developed as Norbert, he executed his role quite nicely. Norbert brought a depth to the role that I felt was too much. While Kristoffer exhibited a good character shift after the lion cub fiasco, it was not a distraction to Elphaba’s shift. The balance between the two is important. Norbert was such a force to be reckoned with that when his character changed, it became a main plot point. Again, my feeling is that the piece needs to be focused on the two ladies at all times and never stray, otherwise it loses its’ impact and becomes a lot for the audience to digest, especially in a region where theatre is not such a regular activity.
As for the rest of the show, Mantello’s direction stands up nicely and I’d be very interested to hear how his approach to the Chicago version differed from his work with other productions. Clearly, the characters are developed differently and I feel more refined than the Broadway companies. Even the ensemble seemed to have a more firm grasp on their characters and how they should behave – whether munchkins or the denizens of the Emerald City. While Cilento’s choreography is not that innovative or especially breathtaking, I feel his work with this ensemble to refine the details and really create ensemble members with distinctive personalities was especially excellent here. Perhaps he learned from the lack of this in “Sweet Charity.”
All in all, the production was amazingly different from previous incarnations and I recommend it to all, even if you were disappointed with the Broadway companies or have been trying to steer clear of “Wicked”-mania altogether. The Chicago company has most definitely created a work to stand independent of others, which is a true rarity and a huge delight. Here’s hoping it enjoys a long and successful run in Chicago!
#14re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 2:53pm
"Ana's acting is by far better and she had many different levels to Elphaba that Idina never did."
I disagree. I liked Ana, but her acting needs some work and depth. She's great at comedy, for which she has a huge stock of expressions and movements to call on, but she tries to pull all emotions out the same way, using a stock of movements and expressions. For example, whenever Elphaba was anxious, Ana does the same stammering jaw-jiggling thing every time. It's a really immature and ingenuous choice that you would see in cartoons rather than on actual people. She does this repeatedly throughout the show and it gets annoying very quickly. Her singing and comedy are great, and I love to see her working in a field that we do not associate her with, but she has a ways to go. When I saw Idina, she performed Elphaba beautifully and was quite natural in the role. Ana still does not seem too comfortable in the part. Reinders was a pretty good Glinda, but often did not take advantage of the dialogue, often dropping off the ends of sentences, which should have been stressed, in order to pull off the comedic moments. It was evident there were many fans of the show there as they were the only ones laughing. But I did like her better than the touring Glinda, who came across as a cross between Clara from Piazza and Shirley Temple on speed.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#15re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 3:01pm
YAY for Chicago! I love them. I love Ana... I think you either really like her style or you don't as it's so different from the others.
Yes. She plays young elphie very jittery, and awkward. I personally found this interested, endearing and very creative. In a way... she almost needs the Galinda/Popular makeover... to give her self esteem a boost. And then by the end of act I... we see the powerful soceress emerge. Then in act II we see her power, yet traces of the lost little girl. (like in the scene with Nessa).
I agree with the reviewers on here who say Ana builds wonderfully. She adds depth, arc, making the character have many levels and development.
And Kate is cute... channels Kristen, but she's adorable.
LOVE our Chicago cast.
Everything in this room is *eat*able. Even I'm *eat*able. But that is called cannibalism, my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies. ~Willy Wonka
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I love Ana Gasteyer and Chicago Theater!!!
Updated On: 9/6/05 at 03:01 PM
It's TRUE! GET A FREE IPOD!!! It's really easy http://premiumipods.freepay.com/?r=15232098 Ask me any questions about it.
I love Ana Gasteyer and Chicago Theater!!!
theatreboi11
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/05
#16re: Wicked in Chicago
Posted: 9/6/05 at 3:28pmTotally agree that the Chicago cast is amazing! BUY YOUR PLANE TICKET AND COME SEE THE CHICAGO CAST!
(Martha Graham from a letter to Agnes de Mille) "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time, This expression is unique. If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium And be lost. The world will never have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, Nor how valuable it is, Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, To keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware Directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, A blessed unrest that keeps us marching And makes us more alive than others."
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