What are the changes and are they just for Hearn or are they for the understudies too?
David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
I did. I didn't know anything about him before I saw him in the role (shame on me) and was surprised to see people around here rave about him. I thought his Wizard was very dull and boring, something was severely lacking. My mom who was with me downright hated it. I didn't think his songs were bad, just... blah. He was great otherwise, songs aside.
If you limit your choices to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise."- Robert Fritz
I was initially suprised that Hearn was even cast as the Wizard, seeing as the role was very Joel Grey from start to finsh. The style of music and the very theatrical character is very Joel (George M, Pal Joey, Cabaret...), and I can't see George Hearn doing that. I know he did La Cage, but even in that-- he was the 'straighter' of the couple and has never struck me as any type of song-and-dance man like Grey is/was/always will be.
And if she'll say, "My darling, I'm yours!" I'll throw away my striped tie and my best pressed tweed, all I really need is the girl...
I think they added another verse in the song and cut back on the dancing. Its a new verse that him and Elphaba sing together. I heard Stephen made the tempo a little faster cuz no one really enjoys that song (i do). When George performed the show on the first night they had left the song alone and it didnt really get much applause so they had to change it. I've heard from people who have seen it recently say that they enjoyed it better with the change, it suits George better.
i believe they just added a verse, and some harmonies. I for one am a bit dissapointed that they changed it. Do you think they did it b/c Schwartz just realized he had some other ideas (alla sondheim in into the woods 2) or was it in George's contract (more singing for me d*mn it!)?
"The stage is where I live and come alive and act out all the things that go on in my life. It's not just what I do for a living, it's my shrink and my love affair. No one in my life has ever or ever will kiss me on the mouth like this lover called my relationship with my performance."
I think that George Hearn should have adapted, he is damn near talented enough...Oh well, I guess I need to go and see the show for a ninth time and see what this is all about!
Remember, the role wasn't really written for Joel Grey. In San Francisco, it was Robert Morse -- who supposedly made the Wizard come off like Corky in WAITING FOR GUFMAN. Laughs for all the wrong reasons. Morse can sing, but is not great singer, so I doubt the music was ever intended to be more demanding. He was no dancer, however, so I suspect the soft-shoe was added for Grey (the sequence changed in previews at the Gershwin, by the way.). I suspect Morse was cast as an offbeat version of Frank Morgan in the OZ film -- he was made up to look more like him, in the pix I saw.
This role may keep evolving, as it's never really satisfied people. Even those, like me, who like the show as a whole. For my money, it's simply too...brief. Elphaba turns on him with lightning speed, in the pre-DEFYING GRAFITY sequence. I wish they had a real ... you know, scene. And when she comes back in act two, there is too little tension between them. They are far too comfortable with one another as adversaries. That feels directorial, but it gives the Elphaba-Wizard less of an arc. I've always felt he should be more ominous. Rulers who are soft-spoken and "weak" still have huge egos. The Wizard is a narcissist, and I think should have an edge that suggests high stakes in the empire he's made for himself.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling