Wow, I always thought Eden was tall. I don't think size matters it more about their attitudes and how they sell the character.

see i'm not sure because i really want to when i'm older be in wicked i don't mind which part but also i was wondering if my height would get in the way because i'm only 4ft3

I also thought Eden was quite tall! lol.

GreenRules, your profile says you're 14 years old, so maybe you'll grow And there's always Kristin Chenoweth...

Eden is 5'7"

Well, I know they like to hire people to fit ensemble costumes they already have. It cuts down on costs, especialy since the costumes in Wicked are expensive. So it is possible that in the original production, whoever was playing the part was larger and to replace them they just found someone who fit the costume and hte other productions just followed suit.

That kinda stinks :/ I think Wicked pulls in enough money to afford new costumes for those genuinlly talented enough to part of the production.

albear, you can be "larger" and still be genuinely talented enough to be part of the production.

I know that new leads and standbys get their own costumes not sure about understudies.
Well, if they got that far in the audition they were talented. If they find someone they really want to use, I am sure they will do all in their power to get them into a production.

I had actually thought about the whole body types thing before... and then I saw this thread! Cool!

Well I've only seen two Elphies, Vicki and Teal. But Vicki is pretty short, I think, and rounder, and Teal is what I think is more of the "typical Elphaba size," really skinny and fairly tall. But still, I like Vicki's Elphie better. Her Elphie is cuter, but I guess I like a cute Elphie more than because it was the first portrayal I saw.

As far as Galindas... Kendra and Natalie are both small. I can't actually imagine a tall Galinda. Because psychologically speaking, tall is awkward and short is adorable. So it seems like shortness would help the characterization.

^JLT was relitivly tall. I think she was the only one that was though. Maybe Laura Bell Bundy too.

Well in WoO, Glinda is slightly taller while the witch is hunched over and quite short.

I like Jennifer Laura Thompson's regal beauty and Julia Murney's awkward beauty because they're reminiscent of the original characters from the film.

I don't think new leads and standbys necessarily always get new costumes. If they fit in someone else's costume, they will probably use that. Also, they can make alterations in old costumes. It's got to be much cheaper than making new ones for everyone.

And regarding height, I think people just got used to the idea of Elphie being taller because Kristin was just so short that anyone would have towered over her. I liked the picture from the movie where the witch is not only shorter than Glinda, she's also shorter than Dorothy, who's supposed to be a child.

Once people get these perceptions of Elphie being taller than Glinda, it's hard to get them out of your mind and it kind of makes something seem not quite right when Elphie is shorter.

A good actress can overcome that kind of preconception with good acting, charisma and a great voice. Some of the newer actresses and standbys have been shorter than Glinda and while people have noticed it, it doesn't seem to matter once they adjust. Actually, a shorter Elphie played well, can kind of give you a new interpretation of her character...making Elphie seem more vulnerable and maybe even more appealing.

I don't know. Just a thought.

i think in that part of the movie, the wicked witch is at the bottom of some stairs and glinda is at the top on a platform, so that might be a reason for some height difference

Yeah the height difference isn't as extreme as it looks there but Billie Burke is tallest at 5'3 while Margaret is 5', but I don't think it matters as long as they can act and sing the part.

When I saw Cassidy Janson she was so small that it added to the pathos of the character. On top of that her Shiz uniform was too big and baggy and while it obviously wasn't intended I thought it could be interpreted like Elphaba got hand-me-down clothes that weren't the right size.

Yeah, kind of a new interpretation of Elphabah's character with smaller size.

I would doubt though that the costume wasn't fitted to her size though. Even if it had once been someone else's, I'd imagine they'd cut it down to size.

Do you know how tall she is?

I don't remember which thread I read this in, but I heard that per Equity rules the principals are required to get their own wigs...I would think there would be something in the contracts that specified clothing too...has anyone heard this?

Wigs need to be new for sanitary reasons, aka lice and other things that can be found in hair. I doubt any of the performers have lice but it is just precaution.

Hmmm...the wigs can't be cleaned? Seems like that would be very expensive. I heard there were 80 wigs in the production, all made of human hair. I also heard they ran about $3,000 each.

Can anyone confirm?

^I think they can, they just need to have a new one for each person. Because if someone got lice from someone else's wig, there would a huge union issue. If they all have their own wigs, they do not need to worry about things in people's hair being passed on to one another.

^I'm pretty sure all new leads get their own wigs and clothes.

I'm pretty sure that there are at least 80 someodd wigs in the show..and that they have some method of keeping all of them sanitary lol..as for costumes, i'm almost positive they are brought to the cleaners on a routine basis (which must not be an easy job lol)

neways, back on topic....I wouldn't mind having Elphie be a bit on the shorter side...short girls represent right here! XD

Equity rules state how often costumes have to be cleaned.

I'm sure that during the run of any particular show and during anyone's contract, everyone's got their own costumes and their own wigs. But when someone leaves the show, I think the costumes may be altered, if needed, to fit a different actress. I'm sure they are also cleaned, including the wigs, and reused if at all possible.

I don't think anyone's got to share either wigs or costumes during a show. I don't think the standbys or understudies have to wear someone else's wigs or costumes, but these get recycled when someone new comes in, if at all possible.

And no, I don't think they cast anyone in this show because of their ability to fit a costume. I'm sure they fit the costume to the actor/actress and not the reverse.

But I'm curious about how often the costumes get cleaned during the run. Once a week maybe? Just a guess. I'd also imagine that under the stage lights, they must get really hot and sweaty. And some of them weigh a lot....the costumes I mean, not the actresses. This must be especially true for Elphie's costumes since it seems so covered up and heavy. Also probably true of the dancers, although I guess they're not in any one costume for more than a few minutes at a time.

Anyone know how often they get cleaned?

According to The Production Rulebook, all costumes and parts of costumes, meaning hats, shoes, etc must be cleaned every three weeks, and must be cleaned before someone new wears them. On tours, one week before the tour moves.

http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks...eague_04-08.pdf

Not what I was saying. They won't pick someone over someone else because they fit the costume. After they have cast someone in an ensemble part, they try to put them in costumes that fit them or need to be altered very little for them so they don't have to spend money on new costumes.

I know in the broadway production of Phantom there are two incredibly expensive ensemble costumes that are very hard to alter so they will only cast actors in those tracks that fit the costumes.

Which two costumes are these?

I am not sure exactly. It was in a textbook I had for my theatre appriciation class. They did not have pictures or anything. They were talking about elaborate costumes and mentioned that. I really want to know which ones they were though.

This is SO beyond off-topic, but I have a feeling one of them is this one:

I would assume so.

That might be the official line, but everyone knows that casting is biased towards those who fit the existing costumes - most Broadway shows do it.

Was that sarcastic? I am sorry if it isn't, internet sarcasam is hard to pick up on.

BTW- Sorry for the minor threadjack.

No, it's just true... Some shows have even been known to outright tell auditionees that they didn't get the part because of the existing costume.

I know, when I tell people that they always freak on me and tell me I am wrong. But I would geuss the majority of shows, that hire actors to fit costumes would be shows like Wicked that have very elbaborate costumes. I am geussing with shows like Jersey Boys which is mostly suits and ties, it would not matter so much.

I've never heard of anyone getting measured at an audition. So how would they know?

At Behind the Emerald Curtain Sean McCourt said that they do prefer to cast ensemble roles with people who fit the previous costume. He would know.

When I was at Behind...Curtain Anthony Galde was telling us how they do get measured for their costumes(in their underwear...LOL) and how each costume is made of material that cannot be washed so they have a liner that zips out that can be washed.

Yes, of course they get measured for costumes once they are cast, but I really don't think this happens at auditions, which would be necessary if they were casting actors to fit the costumes they had.

Probaly not first auditions. Maybe final callbacks.

A case in point would be Heidi Blickenstaff's amusing anecdote in [title of show] about not getting a part in Mamma Mia because, out of the girls they had narrowed it down to, she did not fit the existing costume.

There's an interesting article on ensemble costumes here:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/06/...3770831223.html

The overall impression I got from the it is that they don't necessarily cast to fit the previous costumes, but they do look at general body shape because each costume's designed to suit a particular kind of figure.

In addition to costumes, at BTEC on Broadway, they specifically say that Wicked is one of the few shows to not base their castings on whether the actress/actor fits into the previous person's costume and how it is merely a bonus if they do.

That's Mamma Mia though, not Wicked.

I wonder what part she was auditioning for and who she lost it to?

That's what I thought. I'd bet that Wicked is difficult enough to cast without having to consider size....at least for principals.

carrie manolakos is really short and marilyn caskey is fairly skinny

I think Magnolia is right... from what I've noticed, at least in SF, the replacements tend to look REMARKABLY like their predecessors. Angel Reda (in her ensemble track, anyway) was replaced by a girl just as tall and lean, with similar facial structure. Laura P was replaced by Felicia (before she was promoted to standby) and they looked incredibly alike in stature and facial structure. And we all know that the role of Shenshen is always (correct me if I'm wrong) played by someone a little plus-sized.

The exception, of course, going to the principals. 'Cause I mean, who did they have as Glinda after Kristin but JLT? And they are totally different sizes. Anyway, just thought I'd share my observations about the ensemble. I think in general, there are just so many people are auditioning for Wicked that TPTB can afford to be choosy, as long as he/she can sing the track.

I'd agree with that about the ensemble... plus I remember reading somewhere that all the ensemble costumes are designed to enhance a particular body type, and completely exaggerate it because, well, it's Oz? Like one costume that makes a tall, skinny girl look even taller and skinnier. So I guess with that as well, it just makes a lot of sense to cast ensemble members who already fit the costumes.

Exactly...the costume that comes to mind for me is the OSD gown that Natalie Weiss/Anne Brummel wear...

Didn't Lesley McKinnell replace Libby on the 2nd tour? Lesley is fairly tall and skinny while Libby is rather short and skinny(at least she looked short on the video I saw of her and Carrie singing FG.)

Ya Lesley did replace Libby... Lesley is crazy tall and skinny but she has a voice to blow the roof off of the theatre!