Wicked’s Aaron Tveit
In September, Aaron Tveit took his place in the musical phenomenon, Wicked. As Fiyero, Tveit was able to step into a role that was fully ready for him. He is playing opposite Kerry Ellis’s Elphaba at the Gershwin Theatre in New York.
Tviet’s stage repertoire includes Next To Normal, a musical that deals with the issue of manic depression. It is one of the shows that has gained him wide recognition and appreciation from his fans. Other shows include playing the role of Link in Hairspray, Saved off-Broadway, and the controversial hit musical Rent.
A native of Middletown, New York, Aaron Tveit has been establishing an impressive career for himself over the last few years. Following his graduation from Ithaca College, Tveit has been playing key roles in some of the biggest hit musicals on, and off, of Broadway. He is definitely someone to pay attention to, as he progresses in his career as one of the key actors in Broadway. Be sure to get your tickets to see Aaron Tveit play the role of Fiyero, at the Gershwin Theatre in New York.
Kristin Chenoweth - San Francisco’s Glinda
Kristin Chenoweth, who played Glinda in the Broadway World Premier of Wicked in San Francisco, is now being given the Point Courage Award, by the Point Foundation. The Tony Award winning actress is now being recognized for her accomplisments as an actress, and as an advocate for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community.
Kristin Chenoweth who played Glinda to Idina Menzel’s Elphaba, has won Tony Awards and been nominated for and Emmy. Kristin will be among the presenters for the 2008, 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. Since playing Glinda, Chenoweth has become one of the stars for the hit TV series Pushing Daisys. As Wicked returns to San Francisco in 2009, it will be fascinating to see what amazing stars come to the stage in this hit Broadway musical.
Stephen Swarts: The Composer of Oz
As one of the most loved musicals of this decade, Wicked also has one of the most listened to musical soundtracks as well. The man behind the music is Stephen Schwartz. Not only has this New York native written the incredible music and lyrics to Wicked but he has also written for Godspell, Pippen, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife and many others.
Stephen Schwartz was born on March 6, 1948 in New York City. He is a graduate of Julliard and holds a B.F.A. in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University. His first notable song was the title score for Butterflies are Free which was also used in the movie version of the play. As the proud creator of the play Wicked the music that he has created is now immortalized as one of, if not the most, popular musical of this decade. Be sure to get your tickets to listen to the wonderful sounds of Wicked as written by Stephen Schwartz!
The Wizard of Oz Cleans Up at AFI
Most people who read this blog probably got introduced to Wicked through the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. It’s consistently been ranked as one of the most important cinematic achievements since the creation of film, and it’s a huge part of the cultural consciousness of America. As such, it generally cleans up whenever they’re passing out awards celebrating the great movies of yore. Here you can see that the American Film Institute listed The Wizard of Oz as the greatest fantasy movie of all time. Here are a few of the other awards that the people of AFI have given The Wizard of Oz.
- #1 100 YEARS… 10 FANTASY
- #1 100 YEARS…100 SONGS
- #2 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES – 10TH ANNIVERSARY
- #3 GREATEST MOVIE MUSICALS
- #4 100 YEARS…100 HEROES & VILLAINS
- #4 100 YEARS…100 MOVIE QUOTES
- #6 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES
- #26 100 YEARS… 100 CHEERS
- #43 100 YEARS…100 THRILLS
To get Wicked tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Wicked Changes Views on Oz
Will watching The Wizard of Oz ever be the same after seeing Wicked? For those who truly grasp the depth of the plot, it is doubtful. Where its predecessor dabbled in simple good vs. evil themes, Wicked dives into what shapes certain characters into becoming evil and that true evil may be lurking in those we see as good. Wicked takes place before Dorothy and crew skip their way through Oz. The Wicked Witch of the West is simply known as Elphaba and she is attending magic school with Glinda. Elphaba has always been discriminated against because of her green skin.
Glinda, on the other hand, is popular, ambitious and beautiful. The two form an unlikely friendship, which is challenged when Elphaba discovers corruption in Oz. Her discovery leads to those in charge purposely misconstruing any good Elphaba tries to do as evil. Soon, she fulfills what everyone already assumes she is by taking on the title of the Wicked Witch of the West. The story not only features a provocative plot, but also has a score filled with hits like “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good.” If you haven’t seen this award-winning musical yet, you will want to book your Wicked tickets at StubHub.com.
Wicked’s Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel, the woman who first made a name for herself as the bisexual lover in the alternative and controversial show Rent, has become even more famous as the green-skinned heroine Elphaba from the hit musical Wicked. As her powerful vocals have rung out from the stage, she has wowed audiences and earned a place in musical history. Idina Menzel is also becoming known as an incredible cross-over artist, whos musical and performance ability is seemingly limitless.
As a performer with incredible lungs and a fantastic voice, Indina Menzel is working on breaking into the pop arena. Not only has she played two of the most sought after parts on Broadway, she released her Warner Bros. Records debut I Stand on January 29, 2008. He incredible voice and amazing power as an artist are definitely shining through, and the actress is now one her way to becoming a pop sensation. I Stand did well in the Billboard 200 and the singles “Brave” and “Gorgeous” did very well.
Wicked Goes to Pitsburgh
Broadway hit musical Wicked is returning to Pittsburgh, and will be playing at the Benedum Center until October fifth. Critics are saying that the musical is even better during its second time on a Pittsburgh stage. Perhaps this is largely due to the amazing cast that has been brought together for the tour that is bringing sensational reviews as it moves from one city to another, wowing audiences as it goes.
The two main roles of Elphaba and Galinda (or Glinda) are played by Carmen Cusack and Katie Rose Clarke. The women’s amazing vocals are beautifully matched, creating a fabulous sound when they are on stage together. The play, which turns the preconceptions that come from L. Frank Baum’s original story, Oz, on its head, is a wonderfully relevant and thought-provoking twist on the old favorite.
The musical is not only brilliantly performed, but also visually stunning, with lighting designed by Kenneth Posner and a set designed by Eugene Lee. The entire creation of the musical is fantastic, original and has an amazing appeal to audiences everywhere. Be sure to get your tickets to see Wicked on a stage near you!
Movies of Oz
One of the most loved shows to appear on Broadway, Wicked, has had fans speculating on when and if it will be made into a movie. While some fans would like to see it become a film, others have their concerns. Some of the more purist of the die-hard fans of the musical are wondering if something will be lost from the story in the transition from stage to film. However, fans can have their concerns put to rest as Marc Platt, who has done such an amazing job with the musical, will be working on the film as well.
The musical is now being prepared to be made into a film. Marc Platt, the co-creator of Wicked has recently announced that he intends to make the musical into a movie sometime in the next few years. Universal Pictures is ready to pick up the film rights to the musical, as soon as the directors of the musical feel that the time is right. Over the next few years, fans can expect to hear more as the story that has won the hearts of people worldwide makes ready for what promises to be an excellent film. Get your tickets to see Wicked onstage today!
Wicked Returns to San Francisco
The city that is home to the Golden Gate Bridge was also the location for the premier of the hit Broadway show Wicked. The show celebrated its world premier on May 28, 2003 at the Curran Theater in San Francisco. On January 27, 2009 the show is scheduled to return to San Francisco for another long and well-deserved run.
The cast of Wicked will be hosting a homecoming spectacular on Friday, September 26, 2008 at Union Square to celebrate their return to the city that accepted them first. Beginning at ten in the morning, the celebrations will carry on throughout the day, giving fans the opportunity to enjoy and anticipate the return of San Francisco’s favorite show.
The story that first found its acceptence as the best-loved book by novelist Gregory Maguire, is now one of the most popular shows of all time. Having played on Broadway and in major cities across the US and in the UK since 2003. The last time that the show played in San Francisco it appeared onstage in the summer of 2005. Running for six consecutive weeks Wicked sold out every seat for every performance, without fail. As one of the best loved shows in San Francisco, fans eagerly await its return to their home stage. Get your tickets to see the show of the decade, Wicked is a show that must be seen!
Illegal Bootlegs Can’t Match Magic of Wicked
What do you do about YouTube? That is the question plaguing those in charge of popular shows of Broadway and other productions. There are numerous bootleg videos from the shows put up on the website, including Wicked. There are clips from when Kristin Chenoweth was Glinda and Idina Menzel was Elphaba despite a warning at the beginning of the shows not to record anything. With camera technology getting better and better, stage shows are now betting involved in the fight that film has been in for years. Spokeswoman for the Actors’ Equity Association, Maria Somma, told Nelson Pressley, “We’re there to protect the actors and their images. The problem is, it goes back up.”
Somma also said that the association has had some success getting sites like YouTube and Google to take the videos down, but it is an almost never ending battle. The theatre does have one advantage over films that are bootlegged, however. While a bootlegged version of the movie is generally just a lower quality version of the original, a video of a show does not give fans the same magical feeling like being there. The theatre will always own their unique atmosphere. See the magic yourself by getting Wicked tickets from StubHub.com.
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