Waitwait! You left out:
[quote="PrairieC"][b]Stephanie >>>> Kristin
:mrgreen:

(Seriously. 5'9" vs. 4'11". How awesome would that be to see onstage?)

And, for me, Elphaba is thin simply because she denies herself (or is denied by others) physically. Look at her room and her bed in the "Popular" scene; look at her clothes. That's not to say a curvier actress can't or shouldn't play the part (I think Sho, for example, really brought something unique and awesome to the role), just that when I "see" her in my mind, that's what I see. The novel plays into that, too.

[quote="bardolator"][quote=PrairieC][b]Idina > Kristin[/quote]
Waitwait! You left out:
[quote=PrairieC][b]Stephanie >>>> Kristin
:mrgreen:

(Seriously. 5'9" vs. 4'11". How awesome would that be to see onstage?)

And, for me, Elphaba is thin simply because she denies herself (or is denied by others) physically. Look at her room and her bed in the "Popular" scene; look at her clothes. That's not to say a curvier actress can't or shouldn't play the part (I think Sho, for example, really brought something unique and awesome to the role), just that when I "see" her in my mind, that's what I see. The novel plays into that, too.[/quote]

hahaha i am picturing What is this feeling with Steph and Cheno standing in front of each other and Cheno tippy toeing to get to her eye level.. lol

anyone ever feels that the minorites never get a equal chance? i had conversation with someone and for some reason casting directors discriminate still over race? i feel intimidated a little bit by this especially, when i start auditioning over the summer. at the fact yeah i want to one day play a lead role in wicked.... sigh

Yes. I think thats why I love Derrick. :drool: :ha:

Is Erin really taller than Dee? Because... Dee's pretty darn tall. If Erin is, that is one really tall pair.

You know, forget Wicked softball tournaments -- I'm thinking basketball would suit 'em better. ;-)

Dees taller than Erin and maybe a littler taller than Kristy, but not shorter

well, according to the book, elphaba "was too bony to curl" so i mean techninaccly she is supposed to be really thin. but i think she could be played by anyone. i havnt noticed any of the actresses to be particulalry thin. and the only who i have noticed to be curvy is shoshana. i think they all have amazing figures and it doesnt really matter what elphaba's body type is. maybe in scenes like "what is this feeling" it would be funnier if elphaba was taller than glinda, but it doesnt need to be that way. and the same goes for glinda. helen is kinda curvy and she is an amazing glinda. if you happened to have a really tall glinda, you could look at it as her being one of those huge model types, since glinda obviously has to be pretty. i know for the most part, the elphies are taller than the glindas. i think the shortest are probably shoshana, who i know is something like 5"4 and eden. i have no idea how tall she i, but when i met her, i was looking straight at her, and im like 5"2. so she must be kinda short, and megan must be taller. but eden is my FAVORITE elphie, so it doesnt realy make a big difference about body type.

Colorblind casting bothers me. Seriously black people and Asian people would not be too common in 18th Century France...

IMO it doesn't matter how tall or what figure they have but at least they should not be super tiny or super overweight! It really depends on how good they act and sing! Oh and to add something to Positively Emerald's post. I know what you're talking about.....Shoshana Bean wasn't exactly tall and the false DG scirt was up to exactly under her breasts almost through her whole run, if i'm not mistaken!

We had this conversation once, me and some of the Wicked London people, at Day Queue and we were discussing how it works for DeeDee. I don't know much about that cast TBH, so I was wondering, are the Witch's mother and/or father played by an Asian actor? Because if not, then surely DeeDee would look very out of place in that family?

Also, when we were actually discussing this, I seem to remember some conversation about Cassidy Janson, if she ever went on as Nessa. I remember us saying something about the fact she'd use her natural hair, and it being red, it would seem odd. Anyway, I don't think it would. Because Melena's wig is red, therefore it's possible that Nessa could be ginger.

And I'm totally reading too much into this... ;-)

As Heidi Kettering is red haired & played Nessa using her own hair, judging by the publicity photos, the producers evidently are quite happy if Nessa is red haired. And isn't Cristy Candler reddish or at least reddy-brown? Within the actual show, I would think that most parents, having had a green baby the first time round, would be so happy that the second daughter wasn't green they they wouldn't fuss over hair colour.
Personally I want to see CJ as Nessa so much I wouldn't care what colour hair she went on with!

I don't see any reason why a more curvaceous Elphaba or Glinda couldn't work; we've had both Shoshana Bean and Megan Hilty, and they're wonderful in the roles



Granted that it would take some careful amending of a few parts of the show, an African American Glinda would still work the same as a Caucasian Glinda. Of course the Gelphie friendship in Glinda is to show how people can overcome their differences-- emotionally, and physically-- but an African American character, still, is and can be different from a green/person of another skin color. I mean, myself being gay, I've seen a lot of instances were you think someone will be more sympathetic to your being in a minority, based on the experience they themselves have had being in another minority and oppressed; but a lot of times minorities can be just as prejudiced toward each other as the majorities.
Which is why, as Nick brought up, I prefer an actor of color to be Fiyero. Sure, the musical Fiyero is a slightly adjusted version of the book's Fiyero, but I think having an African American, Indian, Middle Eastern Fiyero, or what have you, would be a wonderful complication to the story. Have it shown that the kids at Shiz follow popularity, and not race. That they can shun Elphaba because she's a kind of different from them, and accept Fiyero, who is much like them but also yet another kind of different.
I don't think Fiyero is a role that has to be played by a person of color, but it adds a great dimension to it.

Same, aswel as that I believe it would make the show amazingly intresting to watch!

Hey, for those of you who want to discuss the idea of a non-white Glinda (and race in casting in general), here's the topic for that. Please use it, it cuts down on redundancy: http://www.witchesofoz.com/forums/viewtoph.11911-s0.html

As for the rest, carry on. ;-)

The costumes are custom made for every actor in the show.


as far as the wieght/ height thing.

I think that that as long as Galinda can fit in the bubble and Elphaba and can fit in the DG lift, everything else doesn't matter.

Body sizes: The first time I saw Jenny DiNoia and Erin Mackey on together I couldn't get over the fact that Glinda was taller than Elphaba. I'm just so used to seeing pictures of Idina and Kristin. It doesn't bother me anymore. As far as Dee and Erin's height comparison, by seeing them on and off stage I'd say that they're near the same height. I wouldn't exactly call Barbara stout either, she's average sized. As long as the actor has the physical ability for the demands of doing 8 performances a week I say go for it. I'm always filled with a little joy when Mindy (I think?) comes onstage because she's proof that a normal sized woman can be an actress.

Race: First off, I don't consider myself racist in any way. I don't think a non-caucasian Glinda would work. A large part of the musical is based on her "perfectness" (in America = blond pretty rich) and being blond. I'd also rather see an african-american Fiyero (I adore Derrick). I just think it brings more to the story. Since Elphaba is basically coated in green it doesn't matter to me what race she is as long as she can sing.

I think that Nessarose's need to be the same colour as Frex and Melena, unless one is dark and the other is white, because it wouldn't work if the parents are white, they have a green daughter and a dark daughter. Not being racisist, but Elphaba says something along the lines of "Thats my sister Nessarose, as you can see, she is perfectly normal-coloured." In alot of cases, that means white.

You are not being racist but i dont like the way you put it.

So if your skin's not white, that means you're not 'normal?' I know *hope* you didn't mean it that way...but...

I think we've already come to the conclusion it really doesn't matter what type of body structure our Elphies and Glindas are...
Personally, it doesn't matter to me. It could even go as far to enhance that feeling that Shiz students outcast Elphaba because she fits their blinded definition of 'different.'

Sorry, I know I badly worded that. One of my best friends is dark, and we dont find that at all unusual. Just in the area I live, most people are white.

I think with hieghts, it doesn't matter. It's just that we're all so used to the OBC pictures. Tall Glinda's work fine for me.

i just think that most elphies should be taller then glinda's b/c it makes such a great witf moment (see my avatar)...and i also think that when comparing elphies most have a square jawline, while glindas have a rounder face..idk just some of my observations

Eden is definitely taller than 5'2...probably closer to 5'5 or 5'6. Her Elphaba in the relatively flat boots has about 2 inches on Megan Hilty's Glinda in the tall shoes...this is definitely obvious in WITF at the end when Megan tries to make herself taller when they're squaring off.

i lovee seeing mindy on stage. she definitely proves that you can be normal sized, but still do an amazing job. =]

Well I definateley think that elphie absolutely needs to be thin and tall (especially tall!) and I dont think they NEED to have curves I mean come on... who cares! But glinda of course needs to be petite and I dont think she should be to tall, I mean not short but kinda average height but I think its only right that elphie be tall.

I think Glinda should have a nice hour glass figure. And Elphaba should be tall and lanky. Yet again, Shoshana was tall and lanky, she had a nice hour glass figure...actually the only Elphaba I think thats been close to "tall and lanky" was Victoria...and she even had a hint of hour glass figure. Idk....when I read the book, I picture Glinda being shorter then Elphaba but more curvasious (sp) while Elphie is taller and more "lanky"

well my friends and i are doing a wicked movie and my glinda is taller than me... i play elphaba... im shorter and some say im an... "anorexic twig" people can be so nice sometimes ..... bu then there is Sho she was a curvy elphie...
in my oppinion i dont think it matters... only for Boq he has to be relatively shorter.. seeing he's a munchkin

From what I've seen, Kerry's not got the "look" of some of the american Elphies. She looks much cuter I think, much softer. Not that I don't think the American Elphies are played by beautiful women, because they are. But Kerry's sort of short and cute. And it works perfectly well!

I don't really care, if Elphaba was meant to look a definite way then they'd add prosthetics et al to their faces.

Not really. She's like 5'3...thats pretty short in my book.

Anywhoo...

I personally like it when Elphaba is taller than Glinda. When she's shorter, she gets kind of an un-intentional Napoleon Complex thing which isn't true to the character. They can be equal heights though, that works for me.

I also think that Elphaba does have to be at least kind of pretty...she doesn't have to be hot or anything, but thats why "Popular" is so effective. You realize that Elphaba actually is pretty, she's just green.

As far as race...I kind of think that Glinda works better dramatically when she's white, because it makes the contrast between her and Elphaba greater. Also, with the numerous references to the color of Elphaba's skin being why people choose to ostracize her (paralleling slavery/segregation in America), it wouldn't make sense for them to be so loving towards a black Glinda.

Steph! Actually, both she and Victoria are quite tall (with Victoria an inch or so taller, I think).

^Hmm Steph anint lanky..she has guns

I don't think the actual body type should matter other than the height... I'm more partial to a taller Elphie and a shorter Glinda, but I don't think that Glinda has to be more curvacious than Elphie and Elphie be lanky. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit curvier Elphaba. I mean I don't think she should be chunky, but I don't think it would be a big deal if she wasn't a twig. I like that.

I don't think they do matter at the end of the day. As long as the people are physically fit, as this is a hell of a show for Glinda and Elphaba then I don't see why we can't have a quite plump Elphaba or Glinda but it just happens that most people fit enough for the role are quite skinny!

Sorry to bump this, but if anyone was wondering what an African-American Glinda would look like, check out this video!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=91-555fLBCQ

^Man, I'm Wickedly jelous lol

I was wondering if they ever had a colored Elphaba? Not exactly white.

You mean a color other than green, right? Saycon is African-American. Eden is of Mexican decent. I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of at the moment!

Brandi and Dan'yelle are African-American amd Maria is Hispanic. One thing I will say about body types is that even though Megan and Kendra are my cup of tea as Glinda, I like that they are curvy and still very beautiful. It's so refreshing to see that.

Thanks for answering guys!

i think she looks cool...! hehe

wow, i didn't know that they had message boards in the 1930's.



yeah racial insensitivity

what??

"Colored" is a term they used for African-Americans a long time ago. It's considered offensive now.

^ Sorry...didn't know! How about a Elphaba that isn't white? Is that offensive?

Yeah, I think that's fine.

^ OK

That video was cool! Who was that?

I don't guess body types would matter too terribly much in the actual casting...but I'm a little stuck on the characters looking the way I envisioned them when I first read the book. I think Elphie should be taller than Glinda and not very curvy. Glinda should be quite short but curvacious. As for Madame Morrible, I first saw her as tall and somewhat slender, so I think I would prefer that. I don't know, I guess I'm pretty old school on that front. ;D

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I was just thinking today.

In a lot of productions, one of Glinda's two cronies (Pfannee or Shen-Shen, I can't remember) is always played by a woman of a fairly large build.
In the novel, neither of the characters is given much physical description, so is this just a coincidence or a deliberate move?

I personally like Elphie to be taller than G(a)linda. Both Dee and Steph are the perfect sized Elphie's to me. Both are fairly tall and lean.

G(a)linda can be curvy or not. Katie Rose is my favorite G(a)linda and she's a LiL taller than most G(a)linda's.

Fiyero should be at least taller than Elphie though(which is why I have such a problem with the Steph and David pairing. She's bigger than him and for me it doesn't work or look right. Same with Dee and Michael).

Boq should be short(Ben is the perfect example for Boq. He's so tiny...lol)

As for Morrible, the ones that I've seen are either tall and slender or short and round...lol.

All in all though as long as the actress or actor can sing and act I have no problem with their body sizes.

I think its a deliberate move... No idea why though.