"The Wicked Witch of the East" is not on the ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING because it reveals too much of the plot.
They record it because the person who comes out at that time is the person playing Fiyero but it is the Wizard's voice. They record it with whoever is playing the Wizard at that time.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
Okay, time for big sister to jump in and let everyone know that my sister is not nuts!
I went to this show with her havning already heard the OBCR many many times and I was pretty shocked when the "lover" came out and didn't say/sing a single word. Since he not only didn't sing, but his lips weren't moving, I figured that maybe this part is not in the show. Having now read the comments about it being a recording, I guess there was some glitch, but his lips never even moved, so maybe he knew about it in advance? It definitely didn't make as much sense without it but you could get the idea.
Bottom line is we were there, we didn't miss it, it simply didn't happen for whatever reason. We're going back in a couple of weeks, hopefully all will go well that day and we will hear the part about the green elixir. :)
"I wrote a book: "How to Be Popular". Now I've put together a top ten list of how to help you:
-Elphie, everyday... shower. I mean, who knows? Maybe some of that green is gonna come off!
-Deodorant Elphie. No body likes a stinky witch!
-I think we've covered the hair, we'll get to that.
-Clean underclothes. That's all I'm gonna say.
-Look at your posture. That's no way to be popular!
-Bed made, room straightened. We've done that.
-Colors blended. Oookay.
-But the most important thing to have, to make yourself popular, is to keep your beautiful smile."
~Kristin Chenoweth in her last performance of the song "Popular"
was this one of the first performances that george hearn did? maybe they didn't have a chance to record him or maybe someone forgot to push a button! oops...
You know what I am not sure... either way, it was an understudy Anthony Glade, who was really good, but maybe since he was not supossed to be going on they didn't have a recording of him. Edit: Ben Vereen was in our playbill
Yeah I guess so, I am just glad to know lol I didn't mean to make so much "drama"! We are seeing it again in 2 and a half weeks and hopefully there will be no technical glitches and we will finally get to hear it!! lol
So for any of you who were responding to my question- I saw Wicked at today's matinee and I finally got to hear the verse!!! and I didn't know they replayed it in sort of an echo towards the end when the Wizard is revealed as Elphaba's father, and that really helped to understanding that plot point. I saw Ben Vereen (is that spelled right?) and he was great, during Wonderful he did a little dance and it was so funny and cute and even had Eden cracking up (who was a bit sick and kept coughing but was still amazing!) Anyway so it was a technical problem, I wasn't crazy lol and I finally heard it, so woohoo!!
I'm sure what happened when you first saw it was a technical glitch. They probably record the actor playing the wizard singing those lines and then then the actor who plays the boyfriend lip-synchs, since the boyfriend and the wizard are not played by the same actor.
I know this has already been answered but, like everyone else, I thought I'd share my two-cents.
When I saw Wicked (Original Cast), the "elixer" line WAS in the show. My friend who went with me the first time, saw it again about 7 months later (New Cast) and it WAS NOT in the show(and he is a HUGE fan - knows everyline!!) I have two bootleg videos of the show (dont even ask for a copy - sorry!!) One copy has the line in it, the other does not. What I noticed was that the taped show that had the original actor who does that dance & song - HAD the lines...the other - which had an understudy in the role - DID NOT have the line. Also when my friend saw the show, according to his playbill, an understudy was used in that role, the same night the line was NOT used. Maybe they just dont use the line when an understudy performs.
Maybe it has something to do with if someone can't perform at the last minute and an understudy is used, or maybe it is just certain understudies, or maybe this was all just coincidence and just technical errors!
Ok, now I have a question. You all are saying they record the Wizard's line about the green elixir in the beginning, and there is an ensemble member dancing. That very much looked like Ben Vereen to me. Am I going blind?
http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!)
I chose, and my world was shaken- So what? The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not...
"Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler
http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!)
I chose, and my world was shaken- So what? The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not...
"Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler
http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!)
I chose, and my world was shaken- So what? The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not...
"Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler
the line is recorded (it was pretty obvious it was Joel Grey's voice when I saw it, but it wasnt Joel Grey dancing), but even if it wasnt played there's a pretty obvious light cue when the Wizard holds it up to Elph's mom that focuses all the attention on that green bottle which she snatches and drinks down.
and, just for your own edification, it's ELIXIR not elixer.
Don't f*ck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo.
I also was at Wicked last night. I think I'm the only person in the world who didn't think Eden was good. Her singing was ok, and her acting was horrible, though it was a bit better in the second act. I hated her rendition of Defying Gravity. It was awful.
You see, I thought Defying Gravity was Eden's high point. That and No Good Deed. She was good, but I've heard better from her. Eden also seemed to not be feeling very well last night.
(Megan Hilty wins. She just does.)
http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!)
I chose, and my world was shaken- So what? The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not...
"Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler
Okay first of all- that was most definitly NOT Ben Vereen. The guy dancing was MUCH younger and thinner. Second- I saw Eden a and month ago and she was outstanding! (Not as great as Idina though) However, during the matinee yesterday she did cough a few times, so she was just sick, go see her again when she is feeling better, trust me she is great. Also, Megan was sick last time I went lol.
Captain_Obvious- have you seen the show? It is nothing like the book, well not much anyway. Gregory Macguire's other book "The Ugly Stepsister" was VERY cute, although it did not really make the connection with Cinderella till the end, and I am still not sure which version of the fairy tale he based his prequel off of.