When Broadway Rod, we be that way way, way
on Broadway, God's way. Broadway. Hello
I'm Richard Ridge and welcome to Broadway Beat our weekly. Look at the New York theater scene on and off Broadway
The new musical Wicked playing at the Gershwin theater has worked its way into one of this season's biggest hits this week
We'll give you a very special behind the scenes. Look at this wonderful musical that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz based
on Gregory Maguire's best selling novel Wicked has a book by Winnie Holzman and a score by Academy Award winner
Stephen Schwartz. Come
here. Bye then. Just like now we can, we're
just too friends, too good for us. Spread the
Wizard will see you now. It's got such
a heart. It is so emotional, it's emotionally charged. You think it's just about two girls
you know, Glinda, the pretty blonde and alphabet, the little green problem
And suddenly they become very real people. And by the end, when their whole relationship has changed
if you have a dry eye, I'll be surprised, really surprised. And I think kids by kids
I mean, young teens, uh older teens, young people really relate to somebody who is
stigmatized for one thing or another and has to find a way through it and
to see these kids who have seen the show 234 upwards times and are affected so deeply by it
There's a couple of songs I can't listen to because I have to go on next and they tear me up and I
and I'm, you know, I'm playing, um, Betty Davis in, um, almost anything
But, I mean, it's a wonderful, it's a wonderful show. It's got everything in it
It's, it makes you laugh, it makes you cry. It makes you feel
I think that's the bottom line is you come in and you are forced
not forced in a bad way, but you are forced to confront your own feelings and to feel along with these people
Or did you, you listen to me, Missy, you may have fooled the rest of us with this un tackled routine
I know better. You've wanted this since the beginning. Now. You're getting what you want
So, just smile and wave now, uh, creating that admirable, wasn't
easy to take something off the written page but know that it's been changed because the musical is not the
book. Exactly. The book of the book, the book that Gregory Maguire wrote is not exactly 100
The book that Winnie Holtzman has produced. So it's not an easy character
I didn't want her to just be one faceted. Um, I didn't want her to be just an evil old cow in gorgeous
costumes. I wanted her to really, uh, fool the audience as much as possible for them to go
Oh, she's horrible. No, she is. And she's adorable. Look at. And so
uh, the, the creation did not come easily, but it came, this one was modeled after a Klimt painting
So we call it for Klimt. All right. Oh, I'm sure this is
code for if you, if you're close enough to read this off
Um, don't you think? Yes, it is hieroglyphics, but it's hieroglyphics for bugger
off. Oh, that's the back. There's a wonderful little story I have
have we got time for my little story. I'm in San Francisco and
um, I'm standing in the wings waiting to go on in this dress and I'm thinking I'm losing weight because this feels so lovely and
light tonight. And I looked down and there is the sweatshirt that I'm wearing underneath
You can see my boots through it, my mic pack. You can actually see my hand through it
Now. We had forgotten to put my slip on and there, there is just no time
So I took this very long train and I wrapped it around me like a toga and I played the whole thing rather sort of
sheepishly wearing a green chiffon toga. But talk about quick. How about that
Yeah, let's see. This one that's beautiful. This is the coat too
Oh my God, this is, this is called Polly Wants Cracker. Um
I love that. You've named them. Oh, yeah. Well, there you go. This is curled ostrich who wouldn't want to wear all of this
Can you see the sleeves with a huge cuff? I get quite a
quite a reception in there. Look at the workmanship. I mean, have you ever seen anything so bloody good
Look at underneath the collar that you don't see. That's what you don't see
Um, I, I worship Susan Hilferty. I think she is just brilliant
This really doesn't show up. It's got a huge bustle that comes out of the back
But no, don't look at the hole. It's not attractive. I'll just spread the whole thing
So the two. Isn't that wonderful? I play Nessa Rose who is Alphabet's crippled sister who in the book
has no arms. But for our purposes, I have arms. Thank God because I would probably die backstage
Um, she is the younger sister of Alphabet. They go to school together
Alphabet is sort of in charge of her. Um, Nessa Rose is excited
It's her first time to sort of explore herself and be on her own and be as independent as she possibly can
Um, she goes through a series of sort of, um, you know
has her first date goes to her first dance and I think I personally think starts to feel like a girl
you know, and, um, starts to feel her own self instead of being taken care of by her sister all the time
Um, a few things happen and her sister sort of ruins things for her at the dance
Um, which kind of happens all the time to her and she becomes a really
really bitter girl. Understandably, I think it's understandable. She's frustrated. Um, once again
her life sort of gets away from her. Her father dies, her sister becomes sort of a fugitive that is hated by society and she's
connected to that. Her father dies. She has to become the governor of munchkin land
Um And you know, once again, is not able to choose what she wants to do with her life and uh consequent consequently
becomes um pretty evil and manipulative so that she can sort of get the life that she wants
by enslaving the boy. She went to the dance with Bach who she loves and enslaving all of the other munchkins to go along with
it because he's a munchkin and she becomes the wicked witch of the East
basically out of bitterness and frustration. I think. Tell next my
shoes still that I
looked at drawings, the original drawings of the wizard and, and read all kinds
of early uh history about um Frank Baum. But what he had in mind and how it was about populism
It was a, it was a piece about populism and the gold standard and the silver standard
the ruby slippers were really silver and the yellow brick road. So it was gold and silver
Those were the, the tips. And um, then I read the book Wicked and I didn't look at the movie
I didn't want to even remember that. I mean, who could forget Judy Garland
But I never had a very specific, strong feeling about Frank Morgan
Just never, he was not my favorite character. And in order to play it
he had to become my favorite character, but it must be great
I love the idea of, go ahead. No, I love the idea of the Secret in this production
That's not in the movie. That sort of pushed me over the edge
That's kind of was my um clue into the character was about his wanting to be the father
of everyone in Oz and to take care of them. And he thought he was
I, I think the, I think it is a very good story about things that people can identify
with immediately about being an outsider, about being selfish about friendship and about how
it gets lost and everybody loses in this play. And the audience cheers
I mean, they, they weep but they've had an experience they've seen
they've s something has changed in everybody because of this story, I'll show you what shoes to wear
how to fix that hair, everything that really has to be popular
I'll help you be poppy. You'll hang with the Right. Cohorts, you'll be good at sports
Know the slang. You've got, um, so let's start because you've got an awesome
what I love so much about the role was that she, she was really funny and kind of shallow and the girl that we love
to kind of go, oh, roll our eyes at. But you love her. And that's the trick with the part is to play her
not petulant. But, you know, it all comes from a real place
I mean, she, she gives alphabet a makeover because that's her way of saying
you know, I love you and I want to be friends, which is sort of shallow but sweet in her way
And then, and then what really why I really wanted to do the show was for the acting
And because Glinda has, I feel one of the bigger transformations that we've seen from a music theater
uh leading lady in a long time because by the end it's really what she's been through that has made her good and that why
I wanted to do the part. And because it's a story about two women and their friendship and how they
how women can treat each other and how they can be kind of mean and then kind of great and then forgive and move on
and then come back together. And that's, that's what drew me to the piece
And it continues eight nights a week about the incredible feelings I have as I continue this show and I'm still
learning so much. I feel so blessed and lucky to get to do this part every night
Right. They'll never bring us down. Well, you know, I'm
the type of performer that never, not one show is the same
Um I, first of all, I've been given a song that allows me to
to play a little bit somewhat the song popular and sometimes things happen in my number and I am able to talk about it
And, you know, I think with the one thing that's happened with me is I've just got more confidence as the show has gone on
And so therefore, she's gotten more confident, which makes it even more tragic sort of when she ends up alone without her best friend
So I think the confidence is there now and also really finding what works
you know, what the audiences respond to. Um they love, they love
love, love Linda because they go, I know that girl and then she's not at all what they thought at the end
So it's really great. Well, it's like Glinda gave Elphaba a hat and um she wears that pointed hat through the whole show
And I, there's one, there's one very poignant moment for me as an actress to look up at alphabet in the duet that we sing
in act two called For Good. That's extremely emotional for me to sing every night
But she looks at alphabet and she said she looks at her hat
she just touches her hat like you're still wearing that hat. Email
I love that. It's been really fun getting to know her. I didn't know her before this process and we've just had fun discovering these
parts together and, you know, we've become friends because we've been thrust into this process and you do eight shows a week
you become family, but I've become close with all of them. Carol Shelley and Joel Gray
Joel Gray has become like a second, you know, parent to me and Carol Shelley Norbert Butts is just amazing with this
with our love interest as our love interest. And so actually, all of the people that I work with are very special to me
And I think when I leave someday, it's gonna be really hard because, you know
with Charlie Brown, there was only six of us. So we had our truly like brothers and sisters with our dysfunctions and all
And we all love each other to this day. We're very close and I expect it will be this way with Norbert and Carol and
Joel and Adina and it's just great. Yeah. Four
I think it's the story. I think the show holds up. I think that it's characters that
that we all know, like you said, but then you discover like how the Tin man becomes tin
why the lion is the way he is so automatically walk in and we have an advantage because people know the characters already that
we're going to talk about and how we're going to change and what's going to evolve and how
you know, alphabet becomes green. And it's just, and that they were friends
you know, it's so Americana. But even somebody from China that came to our show that didn't speak English came backstage to meet Joel
and was crying and was moved by the piece. So to me that says it's just
it's one of those shows that it makes people really, they're surprised at how moving it is and no matter what language you speak
it's going to touch you in some way and you're going to be able to relate to some character
you know, to apply the green makeup to do the entire thing like a half hour
Now we got it down used to take longer, but now with Joe
this is Joe, my makeup, the makeup designer for the show and helps me and he also helps me do the makeup every day
Uh It's Mac um and Joe, this was already made this screen
right? We just got lucky. They didn't have to make a brand new color and it's um it's this pancake thing and it's actually you
add water to it. We use these Japanese brushes, they're really soft and he dips in the water and then it's like we're water coloring
me and uh and it's light. It's not really, I think I worn more makeup on other shows
than I actually do with the green or at least heavier. I read the book and I absolutely love the book and I love
the character in the book. Um, and, um, I loved, you know
that she was this underdog and that the twist on the entire character and how the audience would come in with these ideas about her
and then I'd get to sort of turn that. Um and, and um and obviously working with Stephen Schwartz back
then, I mean, you don't know what you're getting into. So you just
you go with the collab, the collaboration and the, and the, the creative team and if you trust that and you're excited to work with
those people and Joe Mantello and um Winnie Holzman, um you got to kind of just trust that they're going to guide it in the
right direction because it's two or three years away from when I got involved and just sort of enjoy the journey and the things you
can learn from them and actually not be as result oriented and know sometimes things aren't going to work
you're going to do a reading and certain things are not gonna fall kind of short
But, but what I learned as an actress and as a musician with
with both of them was enough that if it never even made it to broadway
it didn't matter. It was important for my um evolution as you know
a human being, I guess. Look, it's great to say that because I, I would think with the creation of a whole show out of
town, I mean, things change on a day to day basis sometimes. I mean, even funding
you know, how often do you know, if something is gonna even make it to fruition
You don't know. So, and, and we had to sort of, I had to commit that
I wouldn't do much else. Um you know, like a TV show or another player
So, um yeah, you really have to take a leap of faith and
and en enjoy the process. And that's what's so great about new musicals
I mean, you know, and originating a character and um is, is
is how they start to, they, they hire you and then they start to, you know
write things that fit you uniquely you and um and, and, and then I would take from them and
and um and then to be this at this point and look back and
and see that this is a woman that we created together, um obviously with the inspiration of Gregory Maguire's character and the inspiration
of the Wicked Witch of the West from the movie and Margaret Hamilton
And then sort of, you know what Adina was gonna make of that
It was, it was all really exciting and like I said, if it didn't make it to this
I would have still been a better artist. I think having had the experience
I'm the Wizard. I
have thought about the success of the show and count my lucky stars every day because it is rare
especially an original, um, musical. Um, and I, um, I mean
I, yeah, I think it's just, I think it's the, it's the story
It's, it's, it's something that appeals to, you know, all ages, which is rare
You know, it, it's, it's a, it's a smart enough, intelligent enough story for adults to
to, to, to get in there and, and have fun discovering and figuring out what's gonna happen next and
and then it's got and um and then for kids, obviously, it's
you know, that's evident, but it, it's, it's an intimate story within a spectacle
So it has everything that everyone goes to a musical to see. Yeah
message. You know what I found quite interesting. You know, people coming to the theater know The Wizard of Oz and they think they know
all these characters and no one would have ever rooted for the wicked witch of the West
And you come to this and you see this wonderful story and you feel so much because you figured how this woman came the way
she was and you realize she's the one you root for. Yeah. Well
that's, I mean, obviously that's what I love about it. Um And that was difficult to create and
and to work on as far as the book goes, they, you know, there was just
there was just a tender balance as to, um, you know, trying to make her real and have
and have quote warts and, and spunks and, and not always be so nice because
you know, I think they were worried that if they made her, if she wasn't likable
then obviously we had nowhere to go. On the other hand, I mean, how, you know
we have to make her real and have these levels. So we'd play with how much of a sense of humor she have
how, how honest can she be when she's younger? How, how, um
you know, how angry can she get before she gets angry and all that kind of stuff
I was wondering when you really feel that alphabet has sort of evolved
It's gone through some different, um, I have different choice. I mean
it used to be putting on the green but now you sort of become immune to that. Um
I think sometimes putting on that cap and the boots are flat
Everybody has these great, like high heeled shoes and they all look really fierce and I have these kind of the way it makes me
walk. I feel kind of dumpy and nerdy and the little cap and the glasses help me
Um, for the beginning of the show, I think the wig, the wig is the big and the makeup comes first
then the wig and the eyebrows and then they have a little break to
to warm up physically, uh you know, to get ready in, in the body and then al comes in and does my mustache and
then that's, there's no turning back. I get into this bubble and I go up by myself
up into the rafters of the theater and I have about five minutes usually by myself
And I'm up there and I'm thinking about Glenda and I'm thinking about what's just happened to her
like what's just happened because in the opening scene for me as an actress
it's hard because she has to be very presentational and happy, but she's heartbroken
So it's playing two things at the same time. And that gives me the time to really think about it
And minute I hear the orchestra played at first note and I see down below me
I can actually see down the people dancing and cheering for Alpha's death
I get, I actually feel I have to go tell these people what's
what's going on. I have a very quick, um, costume change out of that into um our first shiz scene and
um, I'm usually kind of chatty backstage but, but, but during that change
I don't talk at all and I'm putting my braces on and sort of
you know, and I'm not, I'm not really all that method, but I do find that I'm pretty quiet in those 30 seconds or 40
seconds and I get into the wheelchair and, um, and it's sort of there
So I guess the costume change, I would say I'll tell you what she is
She's the too dark sort of, um, commas. I do under my nose which point
my nose and give me a slight animal look. And that's when I know that marble has arrived
And just like now we, we're just too friends, too good for us
Spread. The wizard will see you now