These are wonderful photos of a show I love. I've always wanted to produce the 1998 revision, and Tams-Witmark has licensed the script a few times, but they lost their stash of orchestrations in a flood, so they don't give out the score.
I don't think you'll ever see a black Glinda, because in Wicked that character typifies white, straight, commercial mediocrity. This contrasts her with Elphaba, whose birth defect of green skin, combined with her revolutionary politics, makes her a stand-in for racial, gender and sexual minorities at large.
Some comedian, I forget who, described frequent collaborators James Taylor and Carole King as "either the mellowest crazy people, or the craziest mellow people, in rock and roll history." I agree- King probably looks at this part of her life as glad it's over, not something she wants to step back into.
He also sings in the "Game of Thrones: The Coldplay Musical" video.
Comedians you'd like to see take the broadway stage? May 6
2018, 03:37:48 PM
I've always been intrigued by the possibility of Jack Black as Hedwig- he doesn't look like a former twink, but I assume not every German gay boy in the Cold War did. His smaller scale "character study" films like Bernie make me think he could handle the delicate tragicomedy of the part, and some of those songs seem custom-made for his voice. If nothing else, I'd like to hear him do "Origin of Love" and "Midnight Radio" in a concert.
Kanye West absolutely is, or was, an A-lister until recently; a rap superstar for two decades in spite of his eccentric and unpredictable behavior, he was a frequent contender for the title of "best rapper of his era." Granted, his decline into paranoid narcissism and recent foot-in-mouth statements may tarnish that in the future, but you can't say he wasn't an A-list star beforehand.
Lea Michele Back To Broadway? May 3
2018, 07:52:36 PM
Putting aside the issue of whether or not she can act or whether or not she's funny, I can't help but think that you can be credible as a homely plain-Jane, or you can be credible as a men's magazine pinup girl.
And I DEFINITELY remember a few sexy Lea Michele photoshoots. Barbra's looks were an acquired taste, maybe, but they weren't "get asked to do Maxim" looks. This era being what it is, somebody would complain about a conventionally attractive sometimes-hottie playing a role that s
Sara Bareilles Wicked? Apr 28
2018, 05:42:38 PM
A major pop star and singer songwriter who acts and has written the score for an acclaimed musical, in which she won great praise taking the lead role for a while, will not do a role that’s routinely filled with fresh from clllege jobbers unless it’s a movie or a live TV version.
Do you want to see Lin-Manuel Miranda play Amos Hart too?
To some extent, but all English performance artists and rock stars explicitly wanted to be Crowley.
I was never a fan of Throbbing Gristle, but I know P-Orridge mostly through the delightfully macabre story surrounding their/his wife's funeral. Allegedly, P-Orridge said that the two of them remained one single person, now operating both in the living and spiritual world, making the P-Orridge Pandrogyne Project the first conceptual art project existing in both this world and th
It's All Coming Back was eventually covered by Meat Loaf (in a cool duet arrangement with Marion Raven). I believe this show is exclusively songs that he has sung.
Newintown, your "gender rebels" post made me think of the curious case of Genesis P-Orridge, former leader of music project Throbbing Gristle. They identified not only as a third gender publicly and privately, but attempted to push the boundaries of human identity to the breaking point and merge into a single unified identity with their life partner, becoming what they called "a single pandrogynous being named Breyer P-Orridge."
Alice Cooper named himself Alice despite identifying as male when that was a transgressive move: a man in the late 1960s with not only long hair but mascara and flamboyant stage presence was bound to raise some ire (which he pokes fun at in his song "Be My Lover".
Alex Newell's stage persona is, if not quite full drag, at least a gender-bending performance style. It makes perfect sense for his stage na
I could be entirely wrong, so forgive me if I speak out of line, but according to a percussionist I know who played with Newell, Newell still identifies as a gay man, but performs in a female-identified, gender-non-conforming persona.
Arbra Streisand- is she related to Arfa Feckin' Shelby?
The Next Great Broadway Revival Apr 22
2018, 05:47:58 PM
RE: Cher or Bette Midler as Mame, the role of Mame seems to have aged alongside Angela Lansbury. Mame is in her early thirties and closes the show in her early to mid-forties. It became an "older woman" part because of the association with the show as a grande dame vehicle, but it's actually a younger role than we associate it with- sort of the opposite of Dolly in that way, which has a wider playing range due to Barbra playing it too young.
Honorable mentions go to Hamilton, Threepenny Opera and Shrek
Name Change for Gypsy Robe Ceremony Apr 18
2018, 09:55:07 PM
I know they won’t ever change the musical name, nor should they. I’m just wondering if someday it’ll become a taboo across the board.
Name Change for Gypsy Robe Ceremony Apr 18
2018, 07:29:40 PM
I agree with changing the ceremony name- no need to sully a great tradition with a name that’s only going I be more and more of a cringe every year.
Regarding the musical Gypsy, it’s not going anywhere- YET. But I do wonder if there’s gonna be a tipping point, where the musical starts to get sidelined for the name of its central figure. Imagine if Louise took the stage name Ching Chong Lee or Mammy Coon Lee- would the masterpiece status still stand, or would the tastelessness of the nam
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