Remember That Time…?
Remember that Time?: Jackie Burns & The Broom
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Jackie Burns & Chandra Lee Schwartz
This is a submission from James, one of our readers:
During one of Jackie Burns‘ (former Elphaba – 1NT) performances of “Defying Gravity” as she was getting into the levitator at the end of the song, she accidentally dropped the broom. Since she was already hooked in she had no time to get out and get it and so she had to perform the rest of the song sans broom.
Remember That Time…?: Annaleigh Ashford
1Remember that time when one show of the Chicago production was stopped due to sound errors? Annaleigh Ashford (former u/s Glinda – 1NT; former Glinda – Broadway, Chicago) stopped the show during “Dancing Through Life” because the mics weren’t working and she couldn’t hear anything. The errors were fixed and the show resumed.
Remember that Time…?: Jennifer Laura Thomspon
0Remember that time when Jennifer Laura Thompson (former Glinda – Broadway) could not make the flower stick in Shoshana Bean’s (former Elphaba – Broadway, 1NT; former s/b Elphaba, Nessarose – Broadway) hair at the end of “Popular”? After trying relentlessly to make it stick, Thompson straddled Bean and continued attempting to make it stick. Finally, she gave in and simply stuck it down Bean’s shirt.
Remember That Time…?: Kristin Chenoweth
0Remember that time when Kristin Chenoweth (original Glinda – Broadway) ad-libbed her way through “Popular” in her last show as Glinda? In addition to performing the song as usual, she created a list of how to be popular. It was a very funny and sweet moment between her and Idina Menzel (original Elphaba – Broadway, London).
Remember That Time…?: San Francisco Microphone Problems
0Remember that San Francisco production performance when there were microphone issues throughout all of act one? Microphones came on too late, causing beginnings of lines to be missed. It all culminated in act two during “Thank Goodness”, when the microphones didn’t come on at all from the lines “I hear she has an extra eye that always remains awake!” to right after “I hear her soul is so unclean, pure water could met her!” when Fiyero cries “What!”. This resulted in giggles from some audience members when the microphones started working again and the ensemble could very clearly be heard singing, “MELT HER! PLEASE! SOMEBODY GO AND MELT HER!”.
Remember that Time…?: Italian Dillamond
0Remember that time when Andy Mace (former Dr. Dillamond, u/s Wizard – West End; former ensemble, u/s Dr. Dillamond/Wizard – West End) did the entire show in an Italian accent? It was the May 2009 cast change, and the cast were doing the traditional ‘muck up matinee’, where the cast mess around for the final matinee before their last show in the evening. Andy Mace was definitely the prankster of that cast change; amongst other things, he (as Frex) came on stage to greet the Witch’s Mother with a big brown bag with ‘LUNCH’ written on it, and when Elphaba asked Dr. Dillamond if he wanted a glass of water, he replied with ‘yes actually, if you have one’ – resulting in a very confused Kerry Ellis!
Remember that Time…?: Idina Menzel
2Remember that time when Idina Menzel (original Elphaba – pre-Broadway, Broadway, West End) fell through the trap door and broke three ribs the day before she left the Broadway production? She wasn’t able to do her final show, but she came out at the very end and performed the last few minutes in a red tracksuit. The audience went wild.
Remember that Time…?: Kristy Cates
3Remember that time when Kristy Cates (former Elphaba – Chicago; former s/b Elphaba – Chicago; former ensemble, u/s Elphaba – Broadway) was rising through the trapdoor for “No Good Deed” – and the trapdoor didn’t open?
Remember that Time…?: Understudy Day
1Remember the evening show of June 13, 2004 on Broadway that was known as “understudy day?” Laura Bell Bundy (original s/b Glinda – Broadway), Kristoffer Cusick (former u/s Fiyero – Broadway; former Fiyero – Chicago, Los Angeles) and Sean McCourt (former Dr. Dillamond – Broadway; former u/s Wizard, Dr. Dillamond – Broadway) were on as Ginda, Fiyero, and The Wizard, respectively. In Act 2, Eden Espinosa (Elphaba – San Francisco; former Elphaba – Los Angeles, Broadway, 1NT; original s/b Elphaba – Broadway; former u/s Nessarose – Broadway) took over as Elphaba. With all those standbys and understudies, not to mention the first midshow Elphaba switch, it was quite an interesting show! At the stage door, Sean McCourt proclaimed it as “understudy day” and it stuck. I remember that night very well because I there!
Remember that Time…?: Kristin Chenoweth
1Remember that time on Broadway when Kristin Chenoweth’s (original Glinda – Broadway) bed stayed on stage after “Popular”? In the classroom scene right after, William Youmans (original Dr. Dillamond – Broadway) remarked, “I’ve heard of sleeping in class, but this is simply ridiculous!”