warning-Wicked....Why doesn't she FLY??!!!- Page 2

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 1:28pm

I agree with kidmanboy. It is a very powerful stage picture to see the girl in green belting this crazy loud high note with all the people looking up at her in terror. If she was singing the end of DG while flying around the audience I don't think it would be as impressive. She'd probably be going rather slow on the broom to insure safety and then when she hits the final note, she'd have to eventually get back to the stage somehow, so it would look stupid to have her sing "awww" black out and then have her lowered back onto the stage and just walk off or something stupid like that. I like the way its done. Suprisingly, Wicked doesn't use that many special effects as people say it does. I mean they have trap doors but people use those all the time. The focus is on the acting, singing, which is should be.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 1:39pm

just to clarify something that was said earlier...when flying in a harness, the actor's weight is on the inner thighs, not the hips or waist. It really isn't any different singing standing up, or in a harness. I've done both.

And for what it's worth, I would have preffered a better flying effect for Wicked.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 1:49pm

oh Gee...yet ANOTHER Wicked post........surprise.......NOT!

(consider yourself attacked) ;oP

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 2:30pm

I agree that the flying should be diffent for the end of "Defying Gravity." Elphaba should be ON her broom, not holding it. I never knew why they did it this way. It's still a cool moment, but it would be even cooler.

God, I can't believe I just posted about "Wicked".

[freeadmission]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 3:44pm

In short, because the flying would look cheesy. I think it's VERY difficult to make flying NOT look cheesy on stage. Film, it look cool the majority of the time, but stage. . .not so much. I like the way it's done. It's a powerful moment and the moment would be ruined were she flying all over the place instead of hovering. Just imagine it for a moment. It's laughable.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 3:46pm

Well, any reason to call out WICKED as a stupid show I'm allll for, but...

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 4:23pm

If she were flying above the audience she'd be a little 5.5 foot thing barely seen in the vastness of the Gershwin. Mantello, instead makes he a huge 30 foot witch, looking menacing and powerful. I really don't think it has anything to do with anything except the choice of the director. And a wonderful choice it is. I personally think Mantello's direction of that show is extremely under-rated.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 4:32pm

Now when I first saw it it looked like she was "Growing", with the dress and the cherry picker, Not "Flying". And, Elphaba needs the broom to fly, the book states the spells are mysterious and cannot be reversed. Glinda says "So, Where are your wings?" when Elphaba missed. The power hit the broom, a mode that WOULD allow her to "Defy Gravity". Also, she asks Glinda to "Hop On" so, we know she knos that is how she can fly.
The act one final of "Witches of Eatwisck" was a Hoot, and They were flying right up to the balcony and in different patterns. It was FUN!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 4:40pm

"DT - No, it wasn't for Defying Gravity. They tried a new flying effect for the entrance to No Good Deed. I'm sure you can search the board for details on the actual accident. In short, a strap on her harness broke and then the computer controling the lift continued it's program in lifting her and it took a few tries and a crash into the lights before they got her down."

That's exactly why all the flying in Peter Pan is not done by computers, but by two human beings pulling ropes. If there's a problem, they can stop.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 5:04pm

There were many different ways to get her to fly. Instead Joe Mantello decided to have her stand on a rising platform (that you can see depending on where your seat is).

She could have flown during the entire song (as suggested before).
or even easier
Have her finish her song on the platform (to not ruin the effect) and then fly directly up. This would not ruin the effect that Joe was going for (not one I particullarly like but his choice) and would have still managed to make her fly adding to the scene.

Flying on broadway happens all the time. It is not a "cheesy" effect if done properly, and it is not difficult effect to do properly.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 5:45pm

ya know i never had issue with ther fdefying gravity effect but i would have loved for her to fly down into munchkinland during witch v. witch (quite frankly they could recycle the cherry picker, just roll it out with her raised and lower it down)

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:34am

i didn't think the flying in Dracula was cheesy..it was the ONLY good thing in the show! i was blown away by that and ONLY that!!! don't get me started! LOL!
anyway..my biggest problem with the cherry picker is i can SEE the bottom her of dress and she is just sort of dangling there and it looks cheap. it is beautiful and the lights are amazing..i have enough of a hard time singing the last note in defying gravity and i know i couldn't do it flying! but i don't need to see a 30 foot witch..i am just spoiled and would like to see something really SPECTACULAR there...with all the money and the magic of theater...there had to have been a more elegant effect..she didn't even need to fly into the audience, cool as it would have been...she could have just flown from one side of the stage to the other...like she sings "ah ahahahah....and she FLIES while the chorus hits the last note..vrrrroooooom! someone get Joe Mantella on the phone for me! hahahahahah!!!
i would also like to see ALL of the Elphaba's have more of a reaction to the fact that they are being lifted...more surprise..no one seems to get that...and i love all of the Elphie's..thats a small thing though!

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:34am

ooops...that double posted...sorry.. Updated On: 1/12/06 at 01:34 AM

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:43am

I dont like pre-reocrded DG. So much of the beauty of that song is how it can be improvised. If it were pre-recorded, we wouldn't get Sho's amazing riffs.

BTW - not every christine pre-records their POTO cadenza. Also, the pre-recording they do in Phantom is purely for technical reasons, not for actor comfort. The first 1/2 of the Title Song is recorded because the Phantom and Christine doubles on-stage need to have a regular track they can act to. The Phantom's notes are recorded so that they dont have any backstage noise creeping thru the mic.

[Popular]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:56am

In regards to the effect... I think the only fault with it is that it doesn't translate the same way to every seat in the theater. I suppose that could be said for a lot of things. But especially with this effect, so much of how "real" it looks depends on what angle and at what distance you're watching it from. But for the most part, I think it's very effective and appropriate way to end the first act! :)

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:57am

i am not necessarily saying that POTO does the pre rec for actor comfort...but i was just saying it IS DONE..so they can doit for Wicked..i agree that i like the ending sung live although i am SICK of the gratuitus riffing in Wicked..stay on a note already..jeez! but i digress.....every christine i know has gone into studio and recorded the ending and the last time i had dinner with one of the conductors for the bway show told me that thats how they do it...it isn't for comfort necessarily but i can't hurt to not have to hit that note 6 times a week!

[EugLoven]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 2:09am

"Maybe she doesn't fly because Joe Mantello is a good director"

Couldn't have been said any better way, kidman. :)

I personally love the flying effect and feel it'd be too "been-there-seen-that" if Elphaba's feet ever actually left the ground. Leaves more to the imagination and keeps the effect "special" -- can't have too much of a good thing.
Updated On: 1/12/06 at 02:09 AM

Posted: 1/12/06 at 2:28am

joe is brilliant,for sure! i LOVE Wicked..i was just curious about others' thoughts about the flying thing. i don't think people who want to see flying have bad taste!! hahaha..everyone is different!

[SirLiir]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 3:03am

Amen Andrew. Just some people on those board will take any chance to bash the show...

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 3:16am

not only that, i love how people have to pepper these kinds of threads with their own "experience" of flying, singing, acting, pooping, cooking, writing, dancing, EVERYTHING...

-vincent

[Tap16]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:04pm

I don't think that she should fly in defying gravity, because i personally think its a great visual of seeing her hovering over the people of oz...However i think she should go up slower or lean her foward or something. I DO think that they should show her flying at some point in the show somehow...it doesn't even have to be her actually be flying...Like for examele I think it'd be really cool in the song "thank goodness" when they say "throught the land she flies" to have like a scrim and the image or shadow or something of a witch flying all around the sky or something like that.

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:25pm

Im suprised this hasnt been brought up yet. There is really limited time for the acrtress whos playing Elphaba to either safely put on a harness or strapped into one, changing scenes into DG or in that brief momenet before she flies. It just wouldnt be safe enough.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:31pm

Yes, and the power of the song would be ruined by you having to follow her everywhere.

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:09pm

Tap...THATS it...she needs to be leaning forward a little bit..and when i saw Stephanie she sort of came from a crouching position and lifted her arms and the broom slowly while she was singing "its MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE". it was a great illusion.
i still think getting her out in from of the proscenium would be cool...have the cherry picker thingy roll out to the front of the stage while she is singing its meeeee......
i think we've got a solution..someone get joe on the phone for me!

[emo_geek]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 12:29am

Steph has very cool movments during that number.