Did Wicked go through alot of Problems before it opened?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 8:27am

Just wondering. I was watching Smash and one of the characters said something along the lines of "Look at all the problems wicked had and look at how that turned out" or something like that.

Just curious.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 8:33am

Not necessarily before it opened, but it did have some problems. It wasn't really a big hit with the critics. The only reason it is still running is because of teenage fangirls and word of mouth. The public liked it a lot more than critics.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 9:11am

I don't think teenage girls have that much to do with it. Families really eat this show up.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 9:24am

Back in the day, this was me:

OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!!

For any fans of Doug Walker, that was a little Chester A. Bum for ya.

Now I fully acknowledge that it does not hold up as well as it did and that some of my friends hate the living **** out of it but I still enjoy it. And I'm a 24 year old male for the record.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 9:31am

A few years ago there was a benefit performance of the original Act One - and there were indeed major differences. If you ever get a chance to hear the show as it opened in San Francisco, you will also immediately see what was working and what wasn't. And keep in mind, the role of the Wizard was recast before reaching Broadway.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 10:05am

A friend participated in the second or third workshop, and I remember reading the script. It was VASTLY different. Much closer to the book, much longer and much darker. The only thing that didn't really change was the ending, if I recall correctly. For example, act one had a plot thread about Fiyero and Elphaba helping Dillamond with his experiments and a "rain in spain"-esque song when they succeeded.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 10:20am

A few songs were cut and replaced, Dancing through Life replaced a song called Which Way to the Party? I wonder why Robert Morse was replaced?

Most shows got through problems before they open, its part of the process, Les Mis was four hours long when it opened.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 10:40am

I just found a video of the music changes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9DOHRz8260

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 4/14/13 at 10:42am

The entire Wicked process is explained in Schwartzes book "Defying Gravity" He explains, that there were many arguments between the producers and Holtzman.

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:06am

...and Schwartz and Joe Mantello. And Kristin and Idina (icluding one screaming match which ended with the curtain going up late, Kristin going on with no makeup, and Idina having a flat green face with no contouring.)

Truth.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:11am

Oooh, elphaba.scares.me, sounds juicy. Never heard that.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:13am

Seriously...what in the blue hell happened with that screaming match? I've heard about it for years but no one ever seems to know anything about it except they had a huge fight haha

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:27am

Honestly, Kristin was the most conflicting here. It was Chenoweth vs. the production team all the way through awards season.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:37am

Due to being outshined by Idina or what?

[Wildcard]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 2:58am

Robert Morse was terrible as the wizard. He played the part as someone so frail. I was at the second preview and it ran so long too

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 4:01am

Due to being outshined by Idina or what?

No, I was very close with people who worked with the production when it played in San Francisco, then Broadway.

The Kristin vs Idina thing is really interpreted in a much more dramatic way than it really happened. The truth is that their personalities are very different; but in such show it was perceived as a feud. For the amount of time they spent together, I can say the actual fights between the two were insignificant, they could care less about each other to have a cat fight.

The truth is that Chenoweth was never happy with the terms of her contract and other production decisions. It was not a surprise she didn't extend her run and never looked back. There is an interview out there where she admits she has moved on from Wicked for good (pun intended). The rumor that the production promoted Menzel's nomination over Chenoweth has a lot of truth behind it. On Tony night, it was obvious that only Menzel had a chance over Pinkins.

Would she be back for an anniversary reunion? Unlikely. Maybe if the years have changed her mind about the experience, who knows if she's really moved on. It was just not the best experience neither for her not for the production team.

It truly wasn't until Chenoweth and Bundy were gone that the Wicked team finally didn't have Galinda headaches.

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 04:01 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 4:26am

And to answer the OP's question, the production had a lot of skepticism against it when it was ready to move to Broadway.

It was also going into the biggest Broadway barn, with a curse to host flop after flop. No one expected Wicked to be the exception, even less the mega hit it now is.

San Francisco was never exactly a popular place to try out a musical of this magnitude, either. Having to go through book re-writes just gave "journalists" such as Riedel a new show they thought could bully for the new Broadway season.

The tension between the creative team pre-Broadway is a true story.
Being around at the time, this is the show most thought would not last very long. I really think that knowing they had a lot more people in New York going against them than rooting for them, made the creative team prepared to at least give audiences what they paid for and they truly (and I mean TRULY) ignored the negativity around them.

Wicked just happened to be at the right place and time. It opened a new door for the "cheer for the young underdog" market, that has been so popular for the last few years. The rest is history.

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 04:26 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 7:25am

I daresay, there isn't a single production that has made it to b'way that didn't have "problems" along the way.

Smash is simply going to use titles and names that they perceive as being well known enough to move their stories along. Truth does not matter. (Like: B'way Word, Lea Michele, etc.)

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:50am

The screaming fight was apparently because Idina went to Kristin's room at half hour-ish to give her a heads up that she had done an interview (broadway.com?) that could be misread...they asked her if her attendance record (flawless) should be a factor in determining who won the Tony, and she said something like "I hope so." Which is harmless in itself, but could be interpreted as a slam against Kristin, who had missed many shows.

Kristin supposedly interpreted it exactly that way and was not happy.

In fairness to Chenoweth, she did have a lot of injury/health issues during the run--not to mention having to perform sick when one understudy was recovering from a stroke and her standby, Laura Bell, jetted off to LA for an audition without telling anyone. Plus, the vehicle had been created for her, and as they shaped the story, they learned that Elphaba was the more interesting character and Glinda faded a little (I thought both were terrific).

So I guess I can understand why she's be good with putting this one in true rear view mirror....especially since at this point, she's made (and continues to make) a STAGGERING amount of money from having done it. Not to mention that it rocketed her to a new place in terms of what other projects came her way. "Wicked" did far more for her career than winning the Tony did a few years earlier, IMHO.

[Tag]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:11am

^There were rumours on this board a few years back that Kristin makes 2% from all Wicked productions. Which if true, is a staggering amount.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:35am

Rather funny, if true, that Chenoweth has no affection for Wicked, as it's the only really successful project in which she's ever had a major role (including TV and film).

[alex2155]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:40am

"It truly wasn't until Chenoweth and Bundy were gone that the Wicked team finally didn't have Galinda headaches."

What was the drama with Bundy that caused headaches with the team?

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:40am

Both Idina and Kristin (from what I know; I haven't read their contracts) negotiated a cut of box office and merchandise. It wouldn't surprise me if the merch deal, at least, was only while they were in the show....but either way, it's gigantic for a Broadway show with no movie stars.

It always surprised me more that Idina was able to get those terms; Kristin was the "name" back then. Idina had to audition, IIRC, alongside people like Julia Murney. They must have REALLY wanted her for Broadway. The Glinda character was sort of built around Kristin, so I can see why she'd have some leverage.

Only other juicy bit I'm sure of is that the producers were pissed off at Bundy after the LA stunt, but she had a guarantee to take over. They offered her minimum and she turned it down. So they got Jennifer Laura Thompson, who by all accounts was lovely to work with and the only "non-Glinda" Glinda to play the role (tall, more mature, not really an ingenue, etc). By all accounts, she was terrific. I think Hilty took over after JLT, right? There have been so many it's hard to keep track.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:52am

Here are a few issues that I had heard about:

The San Fran Wizard had to be recast also for being too flirty with the leading ladies. There was a flash-in-the-pan backstage sexual harassment story I remember reading about on these boards (I think).

I also heard that the role of Elphaba was written for Stephanie J. Block, by she was replaced by Idina Menzel because of Idina's RENT "fame."

I don't know that either are true...

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 09:52 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 9:53am

La Jolla and San Francisco are not the same thing.