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My Elphaba/Glinda Actor Count: as of 1/12/09
Thurs, July 19 - Orch ? 
*Friday, 7/20/07 I know I'm behind the times, a few years now in fact, but I FINALLY saw WICKED last night!! OMG! Amazing, spectacular, joyous, fascinating, gorgeous, inspiring, spine-tingling, outrageously good fun. I've been watching clips on YouTube of trailers and appearances by various Elphaba's and Glinda's (including the original Broadway stars), and I have to conclude that, from what I've seen in this limited capacity, the two women we have here in LA right now (Eden Espinosa & Megan Hilty) have to be the absolute best of the best. I can't imagine any other two performers being more perfect in their roles. Funny, striking, touching, challenging, both in dialogue scenes and most especially when it comes to acting the songs. In the case of Elphaba, she uses the most vocal gymnastics I've ever heard, and with such force and clarity all at the same time. Astonishing. For those who don't know, Wicked is the musical based on the book of the same name (I'm reading it now!) which tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, named Elphaba, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North from The Wizard of Oz. It's their back story of how they met at school and became friends, and due to bad timing and vicious PR by the powers that be, Elphaba "becomes" the Wicked Witch. Brilliant storytelling, fun and often times powerful music... it has it's flaws and gaps but the performances (at least ours) were the true attraction, to my mind anyway. If you haven't seen it, you must! It's a fun night at the theatre. So much fun, for me at least, that I'm going again in Oct with a group from work. Also, a friend and I might try the ticket lottery a few times to see if we can get in that way as well. On the film front, I went to Outfest this Tues and saw the most incredible documentary called "For the Bible Tells Me So". It focuses on 5 families, all grounded in the Christian church, and all who have faced one of their children coming out as gay. It's their journey's of love and acceptance. It also looks at the two differing views of the Bible in relation to what it says or doesn't say about homosexuality, and how those 2 views are influencing the Christian church and society at large. Fascinating, terrifying, and ultimately inspiring. One of the families on which the film focuses is that of Bishop Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire - the first openly gay Bishop in the church. At the screening the director was there as well as Bishop Robinson to answer questions. Fantastic discussion about an equally fantastic film. It made me weep, and so did Bishop Robinson with some of his answers during the Q&A. What an amazing human being. So committed to his calling, so wise in his reaction to the realities of the world around him. [We must respond to the hate with love and understanding. We must dissipate their fear and educate their ignorance.] In the film they show his appointment ceremony, so grand and important, all the cheering and joyous celebration... at the same time a voice over points out that under all those beautiful robes, he was wearing a bullet proof vest!! How crazy is that?!! It chokes me up just thinking about it. I encourage you all to go to the website and read more about this wonderful film, and sign up for updates on when it'll be at a theatre near you (starting in Oct), when the dvd's will be available, and how you can arrange for church and civic groups to see this remarkable film. ~S Sat, Aug 11 mat - Orch R ? *Monday, 8/13/07 I'm in need to rave a bit more about Wicked. Here's my latest story: My friend Terri and I planned to go see the show this past Saturday afternoon, so I went down a week before, on my way to work, to the theatre box office and bought 2 single seats for us. One was in row R (18th row, left of center) and the other dead center in row T. We didn't need to sit together, we just wanted the best seats available. I got to work after buying the tickets and was shaking with excited. Then I got online and checked out some Wicked chat boards, and low and behold someone posted that the Elphaba standby, Julie, had posted on her site that she would be performing on Aug 11 and 12! Terri and I had tickets for Aug 11!! Well, needless to say, I was bummed the rest of that weekend. On Monday I talked to another friend, Matt, who had seen the show the previous Weds with standby-Julie performing that night. He said she was pretty good; but for him, the second time seeing the show wasn't as exciting as the first. I know he really liked the girls who did it 2 years ago when he saw it for the first time during it's sold out 7 week run here in LA, but he said Julie was good too. So I decided to buck up and accept that I would see someone other than Eden and that's that. I even convinced myself it would be a good thing, to keep me from getting too attached to Eden and Megan. And in fact, I got kind of excited to see someone else with Megan, a test to see if indeed it was the combo of Eden and Megan that was the key. It would make seeing it for the second time something special. Then I discovered that Eden and Megan are performing at the final Universal Studio's "Wicked Weds" on Aug 15 (this Weds). Throughout the summer Universal has been hosting members of the cast to a morning/afternoon Wicked festival every Weds. They have face painting and karaoke and the performers perform and then sign autographs. With Eden and Megan scheduled to be featured in the afternoon on the 15th, I naturally have to go, especially since it's my day off. Also, I figured it would be a good bet that if they are there for the "Wicked Weds" during the day, they would most likely be performing together that evening in the show. Thus, I decided to buy a ticket for that night as well. Anyhoo, back to Saturday. The main thing was that Terri was finally seeing the show for the first time. She'd been listening to the CD but had yet to see it, so I was very happy and excited for her. We got to the theatre on Saturday, way early, and I went to the box office and bought myself a ticket for this Weds - row T (20th row, center aisle). Woohoo!! Then Terri and I had lunch, all the while she was bubbling over with excitement. I decided not to tell her that the standby would be performing, cause without having seen Eden, she wouldn't know or care about the difference. Finally, it was about time for the theatre to open. I bought my souvenir program (gorgeous photos of almost all the US cast members to date), and we were one of the first to enter the theatre. As I entered the lobby I looked in my Playbill to check on the understudy situation, but there was only a note saying that Fiyero was being played by some new guy and that there were a few new members of the company. That's all! No mention of Julie playing Elphaba! My heart leaped with joy in anticipation. Of course, I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, just in case, so I kept my cool until the show began. Lights went up and Megan came down in her bubble, all aglow as glittery Glinda, and then.... Elphaba sprang onto the stage... EDEN! Woohoo! I must have had a permanent grin on my face the whole first act. I couldn't believe my good fortune. Not only was it my favorite girls on stage together, but in row 18 I could see their faces as clear as day! It was breath-taking. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Megan, as always, made me cry with laughter, and Eden's voice made me thrill with amazement. And the two of them together... I've never seen such chemistry of talents and energy on stage. They are perfect compliments and obviously love sharing the stage together. What joy. What bliss. It was better than the first time I saw it. What an adrenaline rush. Terri was thrilled to be seeing the show so that she could now visualize the CD, and of course, she loved the girls too. How thrilling that Weds will be my 3rd time seeing them! If I never see them perform again together I will be content. Three times may not be enough, but it will be sufficient. I am going again with the crew from work in October, however, it is a mystery as to who will be performing the leads at that time. No one knows Eden and Megan's contract lengths. Lots of speculation online, but after this past week's experience, I'm not trusting anything I read online anymore. It would be fun to see Eden and Megan's final performance (so emotional!), but I'm not counting on my being able to be there for that. Terri wants to go again, and I think she's going to try doing the lottery. If my schedule permits I'll go with her. It's only $25. I know how crazy this all sounds, even to me. I've never been this crazed about a stage show before. Movies and tv shows, yes. But not a stage show and it's performers. Theatre is a much more expensive obsession! Ugh! But to see them live... no comparison. Totally worth it. I would never do it, but I understand these fans who go 3-5 times a week, or over time have seen it 50+ times... even to the point of going from city to city to see different performers. At least with a movie or tv show, you buy the dvd and can watch it as many times as you want for the price of one. With theatre, to see it over and over again (much more exciting since each performance is unique) you really pay for it. I'm curious to see if this show ever makes it to the screen. Naturally, my wish is that it happens soon and that Eden and Megan are cast, but I doubt that'll happen. Ok, that's enough. I've rambled on way too long. Sorry. Thanks for reading this... if you did. 
~S P.S. I discovered later that Julie did, in fact, perform on the 11th, but at the evening performance. Wed, Aug 15 - Orch T 113 *Thursday, 8/16/07 Last night I saw the show (#3), and in "Popular" Megan did something with her first wand swishy moment that caught Eden off guard and she started giggling. Megan, of course, went on her merry way with the rest of her shtick, while Eden tried very hard to compose herself and not break character. Unfortunately, by then the audience was fully aware of her struggle, so we started laughing, making it impossible for Eden to keep a straight face. She finally broke into full on laughter. Once Megan became aware of what was happening, and had finished her wand waving antics, she started giggling to the point where she had to turn her back to the audience while she whacked the wand on the bed, with such ferocity I thought she would break it. By this point Eden was totally gone and Megan was whacking away for an eternity until Eden recovered enough to say her next line, "Want me to try?" At which point Megan stepped off to the side and threw the wand into the wings, "Wear the frock. It's pretty." But her simple "toss" of the wand had too much momentum from her previous activity and everyone heard it crash into something off stage. Megan turned to look and laughed at her own strength, before joining a very undone Eden who just shook her head in disbelief of how out of control the scene had gotten. They, of course, recovered quickly after that and the scene continued beautifully. I guess this is what can happen when you work with the same person for so long. Too adorable!
All in all, it was a very exciting show. Megan was on fire all evening. Vocally, she never sounded better, and her energy and comic timing, as well as the pathos she expresses in the second act were thrilling to behold. Eden too, was outstanding vocally. I'm starting to see little nuances and changes she puts in here and there, both in terms of riffs she adds (or not) to songs, as well as character bits of business or reactions to key moments. It is inspiring to see how respectful and aware these two are of who's on stage with them (especially each other). They take focus when they should and put focus on others when they should. Watching Eden in particular, I can now pick up on all the subtle layering and complexity she's able to express at any give moment: Elphaba's vulnerability, angst, awkwardness, sense of humour, confidence, sadness, longing for love and acceptance in the face of constant rejection. A key and telling moment for Eden's Elphaba is her unexpected appearance at the dance. The way Eden handles that scene is magnificent. Instead of putting on a show of fake confidence to hide her humiliation, she is simply herself, acting as if nothing is wrong. She came to the Ballroom to dance, and that is what she does, outwardly ignoring everyone around her, yet in her eyes you can see that she is perfectly aware of the laughter at her expense. This is what Glinda sees and reacts too. Beautifully simple. I also love how each of them allows their characters to evolve over the course of the story. Like the show, they get darker and deeper with their reactions to things, emotionally and intellectually, yet always being true to who their characters have been from the start. Simply put, these are extremely well crafted, finely tuned performances. Both actresses know what is required for each character to come off fully and accordingly, yet they are experienced enough to allow for changes and growth, as well as the occasional, often unexpected adlibs. ~S Fri, Oct 12 - Mezz K 16 *Saturday, 10/13/07 I went with a group from work to see Wicked last night. We bought a group of tickets in the Mezzanine a few months back, so we've been counting the days. Everyone loved the show. It's so magical and has such a fantastic message. Eden and Megan, were spectacular as always. (Yes, my 4th time seeing them together!) For a first time viewer it didn't matter, but I noticed they were protecting their voices quite a bit... no extra riffs and less power, but still incredibly beautiful to listen to and deeply emotional and true to character throughout their performances. I rented a pair of binoculars, spending the whole show watching the girls, esp Eden, through them. Eden's performance was extremely emotional. She teared up several times. The two of them are so in synch with one another, matching their energy to a tee. Beautiful. There was a young woman in the audience, sitting next to my friend, Gloria, who has seen the show 5 times now, so at intermission Gloria introduced us and we gushed about Eden (and Megan) till the show started again. Gloria just laughed at us. ~S Thurs, Oct 18 - Orch A 102 *Friday, 10/19/07 I wanted to write this out and share it with someone, and you all are the lucky winners. Let the babbling commence...
As I have reported prior to this, I attended Wicked last Friday with a group from work and I could tell Eden and Megan were low in energy, thus I suspected they were on the verge of illness, if not feeling ill already. I've seen them at full capacity, so it was obvious to me. However, they are such pros, the rest of our group was clueless. The girls were that good. Come Monday, I attended a one-time event called "Broadway: Unplugged" at the Ford Amphitheatre. Many cast members from Wicked, plus other Broadway/musical theatre performers, were brought together to sing show tunes. The show was wonderful, except that Eden wasn't there, who was kind of the unofficial "headliner". It was announced that she was ill (no surprise to me). However, I did get to see the two stand-by's, Julie (Elphaba) and Emily (Glinda), perform at this event. (Very busy ladies this week, as it turns out Megan was sick after all, too.) They were wonderful. Very different from Eden and Megan, but they now have my vote for taking over when the girls leave in Dec. Weds night my friend Mark and I went to try the Wicked lottery again (our 2nd try), but we were running late, so by the time we got there they had already started pulling names. We decided to give it another try on Thurs, so last night we met at the subway station, both wearing light green polo shirts! I knew then that this was a sign we would get in that night. It was fate. We arrived in time to sign up, with only about 50 other persons there, so our odds of winning were high! Again, a sign. When they got to 18 seats left out of 26 being sold (18 is my favorite number!) Mark's name was called! It was so thrilling! $25 per ticket for first row seats! We were giggly for the next two hours, wearing our "We won the WICKED lottery" pins proudly. There we were in the first row on the right end of the center section (prime Elphaba viewing spot, BTW!) The show was, as always, wonderful, and Eden and Megan were, as always, magnificent! This was the first time Mark had seen the show, so we were thrilled that both girls were back from their sick leaves; especially as I had been raving to him about them for weeks. In the first act, the girls had good energy and were vocally solid, but with no embellishing (i.e. no riffs from Eden). In fact, during "The Wizard and I" Eden took a millisecond to turn from the audience (where she usually does anyway) and remove a lozenge from her mouth. Then she slipped it into her jacket pocket (cute!) while turning back to sing the next phrase without missing a beat. What a pro! She and Megan had a blast (as usual) in "Popular", and Eden gave another moving, tearful rendition of "I'm Not That Girl". She then performed a strong and rousing first act finale (but again, no frills), at the end of which Mark commented, "That was quite a number!"... and that it was! In the second act, Megan gave her wonderfully moving "Thank Goodness", then Eden and Kris (Fiyero) nailed "As Long As You're Mine", the rockin' love duet! I could tell they were really buzzing and energized by the end, and Eden was feeling much more confident with her voice. So much so that she went straight into a spine-tingly "No Good Dead", with several full-on riffs that just sent me over the edge with excitement and glee. ROCK ON! I leaned over and whispered to Mark, "That's what I've been telling you about." The show finished with a tearful "For Good" and Mark and I were riding high as we left the theatre. He loved it! A cute little side note on the girls' performances... There was a very brief moment at the beginning of the cat fight when, just as the two raised their wand and broom, respectively, something caught their fancy and they both got these huge grins on their faces as they circled one another, "threateningly". LOL! They recovered quickly there after, though I did notice Eden still struggling with a smile just before Elphaba registers that Glinda is in cahoots with the guards. Eden was immediately in character again at that point. It was all so subtle, I don't think anyone noticed but me, and any highly observant person in the first couple of rows. Unfortunately, Mark had to jump on the subway in time to catch a bus home, so he left straight away. But I decided to stay and try my hand at the stage door. I was feeling mighty lucky! So I went round to the side entrance and there were about 20 people lined up along the barriers they put up just for the autographs. The line wasn't full yet, so I took my place just in time to catch Jenna (Nessarose, Elphaba's sister) pass by, whom I praised on her Monday evening performance at the Ford. She said they had a great time and thanked me for coming. (Cute girl.) Megan came soon after. She mentioned to the ladies in front of me that she had lost her voice earlier in the week (confirming that she was sick, as I suspected), and this was her first night back. We all praised her on a triumphant come back. She is as adorable as you can imagine, with that gorgeous smile and infectious twinkle in the eye. Very sweet. [Note: Had Mark and I gotten in on Weds' lottery we wouldn't have seen Megan. Fate!!!!] Then John Rubinstein (Wizard) come out in short order and signed for everyone. He noticed my pin and said, "You were in the first row." I told him this was my first time winning the lottery but my 5th time seeing the show. He was impressed and asked if there were any differences from night to night. I said the energy would change a bit, but everyone was always brilliant. He smiled and thanked me. A couple minutes later Kris (Fiyero) came out to sign. Again, very sweet as I praised his performance while he signed my program. Then it was a fairly long wait, about 5-10 minutes, for Adam (Boq) and Eden to come out and sign (the ones with the most make-up to remove.) Adam is soooo young! A bit shy too, I think. Eden looked so very tired, poor thing... though gorgeous to be sure! I told her she was missed on Monday, but that I was glad she was feeling better. She said she was sorry to miss the event, but is now on the mend. That ended the conversation as the next group of people demanded her focus. All in all they were brief encounters, but that's all they are meant to be. It was just nice to finish off this perfect, magical evening with the chance to praise everyone face to face, make sure the girls were all right, and acquire a few signatures on my program for my scrapbook. The only one I didn't get was Carol Kane (Mme Morrible) who must have zipped out first thing before I arrived. After the fact, I was reminded of an interview Eden did a few months ago in which she said people are always thinking she's ill because she has a green tint to her skin from the make-up. I didn't notice per se while I was talking to her, but thinking back I have to confess she did have an olive skin tone. At the time, I was just noting how tired and pale she looked (and in that time and place, rightly so). But she was still very gracious and kind... and beautiful. They have the autograph process down to an art form on this show. I've only done a stage door vigil twice before this. Once in my early 20's when Mom and I went to see Cloris Leachman in "Grandma Moses", and then a year or so ago for Kate Mulgrew at the Pasadena Playhouse when she did her Kate Hepburn play. I don't know what the "usual" procedure is for a big, popular show like Wicked. I would guess, and hope, the same as what I experienced last night. Very professional and organized. My other two experiences felt much more like an intrusion on the actress's time. For Wicked, at least, they obviously consider this part of the job and do it quickly, but with feeling.  Well done.
Of course, they can't always come out, like when they have special guests back stage, but if they are free and timely, they do it. Megan was cute in that she came out, did her signing, then went back in to collect her two small dogs before going home. I noticed that she drove herself (at least I think that was her driving away), while I suspect from what was afoot with two security guards, one of whom drove up in a car just as Eden was coming out, that she gets driven to and fro (though I didn't stick around to find out for sure). I actually felt an odd relief at this idea. She has to be more drained than anyone else by the end of the show... not to mention being ill of late. I don't know why I feel such personal concern for these two. They are professional adults, after all. But having seen them at their best and their not so best, I empathize with what they must go through to churn out this demanding show 8 performances a weeks. All performers in this show or any other long running show deal with the same demands, but these two are the ones I am currently viewing most, so they are getting my immediate attention. I care. So there.
OK, now this is getting down right ridiculous babble. I apologize and am signing off. ~S *Saturday, 10/27/07 Okay, call me crazy, but I am extremely upset right now... I just found out that Megan is reportedly staying till May now, instead of Nov 11, and Eden's last performance will most likely be Dec 30. I'm going to be in OHIO!! AAAAH! That is just my luck. No clean sweep, and I will miss seeing Eden and Megan's last performance together. Damn it! They'll most likely be extremely emotional that final night, especially since one is staying and the other is leaving her (the complete flip-flop of their experience on Broadway when Megan left first). I'm upset about missing Eden's final performance, but more so that I'm missing her last performance with Megan, probably forever in these roles. I might have the chance to see Megan's last show in May, yet it won't be the same, cause it will be with someone other than Eden. They are so indelibly connected for me now. It's hard to imagine one performing this show without the other. I am so upset right now I can't speak... so I'm typing instead. I think I'll go somewhere quiet and cry... 
~S Wed, Nov 7 - Orch A 111 *Thursday, 11/8/07 Yesterday became a very special day. I had several meetings at work, which was mentally tiresome. Then, for various reasons, I ended up walking a total of several miles, which added to my exhaustion. However, I had committed to going every week to try the ticket lottery for Wicked, and because I was out and about, I went down to the Pantages, despite the fact that I was falling asleep standing up. There was something pulling me there last night. It was quite bizarre. I got to the theatre just in time to put my name in the pot, but by this point I was not concerned as to whether I'd win or not. If I won, great. Another delightful evening of Wicked fabulousness. If I didn't, I'd go home and crash... Both very satisfactory options. Yet, I couldn't help but think that because I was so tired I was going to win the lottery. And I did! Just me, one ticket... for the first time after countless attempts at the ticket lottery, my name was called! Too thrilling. Naturally, my energy perked up greatly after that. While waiting for the show to start I chatted up one of the merchandise guys. We talked about the show and how many times I'd seen it, as well as the t-shirts and stuff. He also showed me one of the posters, so I could check out the size. I told him I'd buy one at the end of the show. Which I did. At show time, there I was 3 seats from dead center in the first row, and, as always, grinning like a fool when the girls appeared on stage. It's not about watching the show for me any more. It's about watching Eden and Megan... studying their every move, their every sound, and getting completely caught up by their mesmerizing performances. With such close proximity, and constant focus on them, I've started noticing little, quirky things happening on stage, especially the non-verbal communication between the girls. This extends my enjoyment of the show even more, every time I see it. The show that night was again magnificent. Both girls were in great voice, with Eden throwing in her trademark riffs and Megan hitting her Hilty High Note. Nevertheless, Megan was squeaking in her dialogue during the "Popular" scene. It was adorable, actually, though I did wonder if she was on the verge of having voice troubles again or still recovering from her previous issues. As I've come to expect, Eden wore Elphie's emotions on her sleeve. In fact, during their first scene with the Wizard, after Elphaba does her spell, Eden was seriously crying. She was sitting on the stage right in front of me and I could see the streams of tears falling down her cheeks. During much of the following scene in the attic, she was sniffling! All the while I was thinking, "Is she nuts? How is she going to sing 'Defying Gravity' after all the tears and snot and mucus build up?" (At least that is my experience.) Of course, for Eden, none of this was a problem. She ended up singing the song better than I've ever heard her sing it. Pure, clear, strong, with perfect control, and a few solid riffs for good measure. *swoon* After the show, I bought the poster from my seller guy, who said, "See you next time." I said, "Oh, you will!" I then headed to the stage door. As I already had everyone's signature on a program, I decided to get them to sign a poster so I could frame it for my wall. Unfortunately, I got caught up in the mob out front and didn't get to the stage door as quickly as I wanted. I don't know if they came out or not, but John (Wizard) and Jenna (Nessarose) - as well as Carol (Mme Morrible), whom I don't think does the autograph line anyway - didn't come out after I arrived. They may have signed before I got there. I don't know. However, I was able to get a few of the actors in the ensemble to sign my poster, as well as Kris, Adam, Megan and Eden. This time I was able to really express my appreciation to the girls. There weren't many people around me, which allowed me the opportunity to keep their focus long enough to say my peace. It was nice. With Megan I was quite articulate, but with Eden, I must confess, I got a bit flustered, though I got my point across. 
Despite my exhaustion, it was another joyous evening. I can't wait to go back again... to get the rest of the cast to sign my poster.
~S Sat, Sept 6 mat - Orch A 113 Sat, Setp 6 eve - Orch W 5 *Saturday, 9/6/08 Marcie Dodd and Laura Woyesz are now my second favorite Elphie/Glinda pairing. They are magnificent together. Unbelievable that they are still just standbys. I haven't been so moved and overjoyed by an E/G pairing since Eden and Megan. Not surprising, Marcie and Laura remind me of them, a little bit, from time to time. Like Eden and Megan, they are finding the full depths of their characters. They're performances are soulful and full of heart. This is something many of the younger actresses lack. 
Marcie and Laura embody Elphaba and Glinda so completely, you forget they're acting. They're not just great voices and comic shtick. They have a firm grasp on who these complicated women are and how they develop throughout the course of the play. They understand the complexities of their relationship and are able to express the multi-layered thoughts and feelings they have for each other and others. They have such perfect chemistry together. You BELIEVE their evolving relationship from beginning to end. *sigh*
The relationship between Elphie and Glinda, the chemistry between the two actresses... that is what makes or breaks this show. The producers have been seeing the shows this week... including tonight's. My prayer is for Marcie and Laura to be principles together in the San Fran production or any production. They are WONDERFUL! Unfortunately for LA, Laura is leaving after next weekend (9/13 & 14). She will be missed. She's fantastic. Saturday was great fun. A friend who had never seen Wicked was with me for the matinee (we BOTH won lotto!!) and she LOVED the show! Defying Gravity (loved the lighting effects) and For Good (was very moved) were her favorite moments. For the evening show I sat next to two couples who clearly had never seen the show before. I talked to one of the women next to me at intermission and she was wowed by the show. It was cute to note her reactions to things throughout the performance. The one I got the most kick out of was when Elphie appears for the first time on stage... The woman said in astonishment, "She's really green!" LOL! I died! Cast Updates: John Rubinstein (Wizard) is gone. *sniff* Carol Kane (Morrible) is back *yay!* Emily Rozek is back as the Glinda standby (to finish out her original contract). David de Vries is now Dr. Dillamond. I really like him a lot - even slightly more than Timothy B Parker, and he was great. David Garrison is now the Wizard. He was the Wizard on Broadway with Eden and Megan. Very different take on the character than John. I miss John! He gave the character a redemptive quality that David doesn't do. John's Wizard honestly thought he was doing the right thing, and genuinely felt a connection to Elphaba and wanted to help her. Where as David knows the wrong he's doing, and almost relishes his villainy. With him more an overt villain, I think it lessens the impact of Mme Morrible's dastardliness. And yet, the show is still affective. *Friday, 9/12/08 CAST UPDATE: A friend and I went to see 9 to 5: the Musical last night and met Megan Hilty at stage door after the show. She told us that she would be returning to Wicked for the final months, starting the beginning of Nov. My friend and I attacked her with hugs we were so excited! Christmas in Sept!! I must have had a premonition or something because we had just bought tickets for the last Wicked performance over the weekend. *Friday, 10/10/08 After much speculation... innuendo... outuendo... the official word has come: Eden will be joining Megan to close the LA production of Wicked at the Pantages Theatre. Halloween, 10/31/08, will be their return date! WOOHOO! I'll lotto as much as possible, but I don't have the money to go in excess. We'll see what happens. Since I missed 12/30/07 I am thrilled that I have a ticket to the last performance. It means a lot to have this chance to see the girls' true, final performance in Wicked. And that they are able to close this chapter of their lives TOGETHER, I'm excited for THEM! It is just so fitting. With time and experience, they have mastered these roles and created an on-stage relationship that is utter PERFECTION! They are being given the opportunity of a lifetime, to finish what they started, not only in LA, but regarding Wicked and their long running history with the show. They are and ever will be the GREATEST Elphie/Glinda pairing of all time!! For those of you who were lucky enough to be present on 12/30/07... you ain't seen nothin' yet! JAN 11 2009 WILL MAKE THEATRE HISTORY!!!! *Tuesday, 11/4/08 
CAST UPDATES: Got the Ozian News today with the announcement that Marcie Dodd is taking her place in Wicked history as the next principle Elphaba on Broadway, starting 11/11/08. When I read that, I got all teary eyed. I adore Marcie. She is so deserving of this honor. I'm so proud of her! But damn it I miss her!! She was such a bright spot in all my stage door experiences. For her I would go see Wicked on Broadway! ... if I had the money that is. I saw two of her performances the week the producers where re-assessing the cast. She was phenomenal! Obviously the producers agreed with me. Yay Marcie! 
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