The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken Benefit to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Wicked was seriously amazing! I got a ticket to see it last minute thanks to Ken and his amazing blog! I sat in Orchestra Row U and for once the seat snob in me was OK with it!
I am impressed the Wicked creatives were willing to take a chance and present such an early version of the show... only Act 1. It was interesting to see what was the same, what was vastly different, and what shaped the current incarnation of it. Everyone involved was super funny with the material and i love the little jokes they inserted like "i'm sorry but we have to because stephen never wrote another song for this scene" or the "and that's why this scene was cut"
I cant wait to get audio of it from someone since i know it exists...
Why did i never see Wicked with Stephanie? She was without a doubt the strongest Elphaba i have witnessed based on her vocals alone, and what was Ashanti doing there? she wasnt bad but she was unneeded! Shoshana was a might bit underwhelming but what can ya do? Both Fiyeros were great... the first sang a cut song about Winky wine and stuff, and the second (pictured up above) was just cute and genuine... a pretty funny and nice guy too! Mark as Boq was pretty nifty but the age difference between him and Nessa kind of creeped me out more than a little, and Mario singing Popular... dear lord! It was also weird to see PJ Benjamin so the Mayor part and not the the wizard. George Wendt really shouldnt be allowed to sing (he did the wizard) but he has a lot of heart and handled it well when someone in the audience shouted out NORM, he resonded with EDNA! Kyle Dean even got a little solo part in the beginning as "the scarecrow"
so glad i went! i also saw the Empire State Building lit up in Wicked Green, but couldnt get a decent picture of it... soon i will go back to one picture a day :D i tried putting them together but my computer was being tempermental!
Am copying an pasting an article from Playbill.com
Wicked fans flocked to the Gershwin Theatre Oct. 27 for The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, a concert celebrating the fifth anniversary of the hit Broadway musical penned by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman.
Buck Henry, the film actor who was last on Broadway in the 2002 revival of Morning's at Seven, opened the evening with a few introductory remarks. Henry jokingly explained his tenuous connection to the musical: As a boy, his mother claimed that his dog Angus had played Toto in "The Wizard of Oz."
"It was one of her many lies," Henry deadpanned.
The actor-writer also explained that Wicked producer David Stone had been influenced by Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and decided that each production of Wicked would help raise funds for a different eco-friendly organization. Wicked's Broadway company had previously donated to the New York Restoration Project, and the proceeds from the Yellow Brick Road Not Taken would also benefit that organization founded by Bette Midler.
Henry then revealed that the evening, which boasted a mix of current and former Wicked stars as well as many not associated with the musical, would feature an early draft of Wicked's first act. In a note in the show's program librettist Holzman wrote, "[Looking through old scripts] was kind of like friends looking their high school yearbook. Only instead of, 'Can you believe we used to wear our hair that way on purpose?!' it was, 'Can you believe we thought the scarecrow should give a press conference?!' or, 'Can you believe we thought she became Governor in Act One?' Looking through those pages, we smiled nostalgically at how innocent and foolish we were, to think that Avaric was a necessary part of the story, or that the father had to die onstage. But what you don't know when you're writing is — everything. That's why you have to write it — to find out what happens."
It was quite interesting to see how much had changed from the 16 scenes presented to the final version of the show that is now a hit around the country and the world. In fact, during the curtain call, composer Schwartz said the evening was a great testament to the adage that "musicals are not so much written as rewritten."
Yellow Brick Road featured two sets of Glindas and Elphabas. Jennifer Laura Thompson and Stephanie J. Block played those roles for the first eight scenes, while Kate Reinders and Shoshana Bean were, respectively, the curly-locked Glinda and the green-skinned Elphaba for the next eight. Daniel Reichard and Matthew Settle also shared the role of Fiyero with "Ugly Betty" star Mark Indelicato as Boq, "View" co-host Joy Behar as Madame Morrible, Hairspray's George Wendt as the Wizard, Timothy Britten Parker as Dr. Dillamond and Michelle Federer in the role she created, Nessarose.
There were several times throughout the evening that the actors poked fun at the script. During the opening number, Jennifer Laura Thompson's Glinda asked, "Is it true? Is this the way the show really started?" And, following a confusing scene where Elphaba is able to light a crystal and witness a conversation between Boq, Fiyero and Glinda, Joy Behar said, "I don't follow," and Shoshana Bean countered, "I know. That's why this scene was cut." In order to speed up the proceedings, at one point Kate Reinders said, "Well, this part never really changed," and then simply sang the final line of "I'm Not That Girl." (actually it was a quick summarization)
Just a few of the many changes on Wicked's way to Broadway: Elphaba's first song — eventually replaced by "The Wizard and I" — was originally titled "Making Good"; "Bad Situation," a duet between Glinda and Elphaba, was replaced by "What Is This Feeling?"; and an odd song entitled "Easy as Winkie Wine" was scrapped altogether. In fact, it seems several references to Winkie Wine were deleted: At one point in the script Fiyero says, "I told Galinda I had urgent Winkie business." Also removed: "Emerald City Stomp," a chorus number prior to Elphaba's entrance in the witch hat; and "Step By Step," a solo for Nessarose after her father presents her with the ruby red slippers.
Some of the evening's highlights: Stephanie J. Block was in terrific voice, belting out a thrilling "Making Good" and sending the audience into spontaneous applause during her portion of "Defying Gravity." Mario Cantone drew laugh after laugh for his manic rendition of "Popular," and the "Defying Gravity" finale led by pop singer Ashanti and featuring dueling Elphabas and Glindas (Block, Bean, Thompson and Reinders) was thrilling. There were also a few welcome political barbs added for the occasion: Both "I hate that goat because he reminds me of John McCain" and Joy Behar's reference to a "hockey mom" also drew applause.
One left the theatre wishing to return to see the final version of Wicked; in fact, all of the changes that have been made since this draft were not only "for good" but "for the better."
The complete program for The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, which was directed by Matt Lenz and featured a small band conducted by musical director Ben Cohn, follows:
Scene 1: The Emerald CityOpening Number (Company)
Scene 2: A Train Station in Munchkinland"Making Good"Elphaba (Stephanie J. Block)
Scene 3: A Parlor at Shiz University"Dear Old Shiz"Morrible (Joy Behar), Students
Scene 4: Elphaba and Galinda's Dormitory Room"Bad Situation"Galinda (Jennifer Laura Thompson), Elphaba (Stephanie J. Block), Phannee (Kristen Leigh Gorski), Shenshen (Sonshine Allen), Company
Scene 5: Biology Lecture Hall"Making Good" (Reprise)Elphaba (Stephanie J. Block)
Scene 6: The Sorcery Seminar"Easy as Winkie Wine"Fiyero (Daniel Reichard), Boq (Mark Indelicato), Galinda (Jennifer Laura Thompson), Phannee (Kristen Leigh Gorski), Shenshen (Sonshine Allen)
Scene 7: The Annual Festivities Frolick"Emerald City Stomp"Company
"We Deserve Each Other"Fiyero (Reichard), Galinda (Thompson), Boq (Indelicato), Nessarose (Michelle Federer), Students
Scene 8: Elphaba and Galinda's Dorm Room"Popular"Galinda (Mario Cantone), Elphaba (Stephanie J. Block)
Scene 9: The Biology Lecture Hall"I'm Not That Girl"Elphaba (Shoshana Bean)
Scene 10: Train Station
Scene 11: Dr. Dillamond's Laboratory"As If By Magic"Dr. Dillamond (Timothy Britten Parker), Fiyero (Matthew Settle), Elphaba (Shoshana Bean)
Scene 12: Munchkinland, The Governor's Private Quarters"Step By Step"Nessarose (Federer)
Scene 13: A Funeral Procession"Dear Old Shiz" (Reprise)Mourners (Company)
Scene 14: The Emerald City"One Short Day"Glinda (Reinders), Elphaba (Bean), Company
Scene 15: Inside the Wizard's Palace"A Sentimental Man"Wizard (George Wendt)
"The Chance to Fly"Wizard (Wendt), Glinda (Reinders), Morrible (Behar), Elphaba (Bean)
Scene 16: The Attic at the Top of the Wizard's Palace"For Goodness Sake"Glinda (Reinders), Elphaba (Bean)
"Defying Gravity"Elphaba (Ashanti, Block, Bean), Glinda (Thompson, Reinders), Company
This was the day of waiting for trains... this was a puddle at the Chatham train station where i waited in the cold for over 90 minutes for a train to take me into NYC again. This was before it got dark. it is pretty and you can see part of my reflection in it.
My worst photo yet! but i needed to take one before midnight, this was while i was waiting for the house to open at Vote or Die. He was talking to someone about how excited he was that he finally got his equity card and the job that finally got it for him. He amused me so i took a sneak picture!
I think Bernie Peets is having some issues... this was a picture of frost... but it did something funky to it! i did not edit this in any way, i think i should be worried!
This is a children's book store in Chatham, NJ... i think it has an awesome name!
There are a very limited number of things, people, or activities that can make me truly happy… as in not “temporary happiness” but actual lasting happiness for a period of time even under extreme unhappy situations. The list total might be 5 or even less.
Emma's paw is very interesting, and we were so laying the same way... weird!
Krysta and I went on a MASSIVE cleaning and organization spree last night. We cleaned and unpacked, and organized and now our apartment
This was outside 13… they were rushing and I was keeping company. It really is sad that I have only seen Nick one other time since we moved out, and that was also when Sasha was here… it was just nice to spend time with him, and her, and Matthew. (I have done better in the Matthew department).
Matthew and Nick had a cabaret show, and as it turns out Nicole was part of it too. Seriously it makes me so proud to see Matthew and Nick sing, and I have complete confidence in their abilities… Nicole however was the surprise of the night… who knew she was so freaking awesome? The other performers were kind of well interesting but at least we had them there to bring The Triad down. This was Good Morning Baltimore. I even got to be Something About You girl AND get a picture later on when Nick sang it… finally!
Sasha came to visit for the weekend!!!!!!!! Seriously it was so nice to see her again; I really miss her and can’t wait for her to move back… Mary met up with us and after a failed ITH lotto attempt we just bought tickets. I really do like In The Heights but didn’t think I could stand seeing it twice in one week… I was wrong, it just got even better! We even had better seats than Rosie O’Donell and they filmed that performance for the Lincoln Center Archives so I am now a part of history for reals people!
This is one of my favorite shirts to wear because it has the hood on it... i was going for a mysterious kind of pose... unfortunately from the Point of View of the camera i appear kind of mad, or maybe have a lazy eye... i still find it amusing. The day started off chilly but by the end i was dying wearing this!
Another Emma picture… she is just too cute and I take lots of photos of her, and yes this was the only picture I ended up taking. If I am going to have a fall back plan, I think Emma is the most deserving of my random photos!
Seriously after I did the last of my actual unpacking I decided I need to watch a movie and it was going to be Crossroads. I know it isn’t the best movie out there, and I almost never get the urge to watch it, but it was super fun and I am glad I did :D
Oh NYMF… this was taken as I was heading into the final NYMF show on my agenda. It was Cyclone (and the Pig-Faced Lady). I thought I wasn’t going to like it, but it turned out to be my favorite! I am so glad I became a NYMF member and I am totally going to do it again next year if there is anything remotely entertaining afoot!
Haha Anytime I see Moritz anywhere it always makes me laugh. I must have passed by this at least a dozen times before I noticed the St. Moritz Bakery. It is on a street by where I work that I don’t go down very often... I need to buy something from there
I am getting better at my sneak photos… I thought this bag was cute so I snapped a pic. Sadly it was the only picture I took all day, lame I know!
A little while ago Krytsa was finally able to get custody of her kitty again, now that she has a permanent place to live. Her mom brought her here the weekend of the flea market. Although i love and miss my kitty very much, along with George and Fred, I am so happy she is here.
