Katie Rose Clarke and Kyle Dean Massey, who appeared as Glinda and Fiyero in the Broadway production of "Wicked" will reprise their roles in the 1st national tour beginning November 15. So, it appears that they will be playing the roles when the tour has its big return engagement at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. It looks like the producers wanted some very talented alums to play the roles in L.A. That's kind of a slap in the face to Amanda Jane Cooper and Colin Hanlon who are curently playing the roles right now. Still, good for Clarke and Massey.
I'm sure it's possible that they were brought in for the LA engagement, but it's probably more likely that Amanda's and Colin's contracts were up. I doubt that the producers expect either Katie or Kyle being involved will cause a spike in ticket sales.
Love 'em both in these roles. Clarke has done the show ALOT but IMO she always keeps it fresh, and personally I think she is one of the best Glinda's out there.
"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."
Is Donna Vivino still the Elphaba standby on Broadway? I don't see her listed on the website. I just saw Jenny Fellner a couple of weeks ago in Parade and I see she's now Nessarose.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
Donna Vivino is in fact the Elphaba standby on Broadway. Like Lisa Brescia did, she opts not to be listed in the playbill or on the website. When she goes on, she gets the full page insert with her headshot and bio. She is actually going on for a few shows this week (I'm seeing her Wednesday evening).
Jenny Fellner returns to the Broadway production next Tuesday. Cristy Candler is currently filling in for her (yet again). Updated On: 11/7/11 at 06:52 PM
is it possible that this is simply temporary? The only Glinda on the National Tour who has done a shorter engagement than Amanda is Megan Hilty and that was arranged. Chandra ,Kendra and Katie both did over a year and a half, with Christina DeCicco at 10 months. I don't understand.
I did not know Donna Vivino was the Elphaba standby on Broadway. I was supposed to see her in the national tour, but she was out both times I saw it. I have heard she is incredible though.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
Mark Jacoby is currently playing The Wizard on tour? That's some serious luxury casting.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
"I'm sure the two Glinda understudies are thrilled with this announcement!"
The understudies have been going on every weekend for the past 2 months(maybe more) for Amanda Jane so they are well prepared if they have to go on for Katie Rose. I saw Megan Campanile and she is fantastic. Way better than Amanda Jane is.
Ironically Kate Fahrner went on once for Katie Rose and has yet to go on for Chandra in her time on Broadway as standby.
"Mark Jacoby is currently playing The Wizard on tour? That's some serious luxury casting."
He is the worst Wizard I ever saw.
Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!
He is my favorite Wizard actually. Not everyone can love him obviously, but I thought he was excellent! AJC is my favorite Glinda as well. And the u/s's have been covering lots of matinees. Amanda consistently makes 6 or 7 of the 8 shows every week. She is a very solid Glinda.
I agree with the above. Mark Jacoby actually gave some nuance to the Wizard, and I quite enjoyed him. Amanda Jane as well. It's kind of sad that people feel the need to come onto a thread just to state how someone was the worst performer that they ever saw, or that they are keeping track of how many shows a certain performer misses. To each their own, I suppose.