Audios
Wicked Workshop, December 14, 2001
Idina Menzel (Elphaba), Kristen Chenoweth (Glinda), Adam Garcia (Fiyero), Amy Spanger (Nessarose), Gavin Creel (Boq), Lenny Wolpe (The Wizard), Katherine Helmond (Madame Morrible), Steven Skybell (Dr Dillamond)
SOUNDBOARD. Recorded before the show had ever been staged. Some minor plot differences and some different lyrics, and includes some songs that never made it to the show we know and love today (example: "As If By Magic" , part of a plot line that followed closer to the original novel.) No orchestra - the instrumental is just a piano backing everything. Stage directions spoken (example going into ALAYM: "Scene four, a cheap rented room."
Can't be sure on the date, but that's the one it came to me with this time around. I'm fairly certain I had parts of this years ago but not that date information. Still, not sure it's wrong either.
Recently replaced with a new copy - this one including somewhere around 30 tracks, compared to 12. Comparison tells me the one I had listed here is the exact same recording, but this new copy is not only more complete, it's also a tad clearer. This may very well be the copy I did have years ago. I'm pretty sure it's still not 100% complete - but then I don't recall it being 100% complete years ago either. There's some definite gaps in Act 1 though.
Act 1 runs 52 minutes.
Act 2 runs 1 hour 8 minutes.
A+
San Francisco, May 28, 2003
Idina Menzel (Elphaba), Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda), Norbert Leo Butz (Fiyero), Robert Morse (Wizard), Carole Shelley (Morrible), Michelle Federer (Nessarose), Kirk McDonald (Boq), John Horton (Dr Dillamond)
HIGHLIGHTS of the FIRST PREVIEW, (runs 53 minutes), includes pre-show announcement labeling it such. Judging by the way the tracks are numbered, I suspect this might have been traded with another audio at some point (the tracks point to it being from a third disk). Includes "No One Mourns The Wicked", "The Wizard And I", "What Is This Feeling?", "Popular", "I'm Not That Girl", "One Short Day", "Defying Gravity", "Wonderful", "As Long As You're Mine", "No Good Deed", and "For Good". Mild echo, but otherwise gorgeous quality.
A
San Francisco, June 05, 2003
Idina Menzel, Melissa Bell Chait (US), Norbert Leo Butz, Robert Morse, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Kirk McDonald, John Horton
From the Pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco. Some different lyrics/harmonies than the show that would eventually open on Broadway. Ends just after No Good Deed (with the very beginning of March Of the Witch Hunters.) Somewhat echoey, but not as much bass overload as most of the early Broadway audios. RARE audio of Chait as Glinda from the out of town tryouts.
A-
San Francisco, June 10, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Robert Morse
From the Pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco. Very nice sound quality. Some different lyrics/dialogue/notes from what eventually made it to Broadway and became the show we know and love today. Very receptive audience. Gorgeous echo effect for Defying Gravity – probably one of the best DG's I've heard out of Idina, hands down.
A-
San Francisco, June 23, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz
SOUNDBOARD. From the San Francisco tryout, pre-Broadway. Some different lyrics from the show we know today. Absolutely gorgeous sound quality, very very close to cast recording quality. Is this a newer release to the trading scene? Because it didn't seem to be around when I was trading for Wicked Audios in the early days.
A+
San Francisco, June 28, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz
From the Pre-Broadway tryout. Some different lyrics/dialogue/notes from the show we know today. Very good sound quality for an audience recording. Definitely a different recording from the June 10 recording above (after all these years, and not having had one with this date years ago, I had to be sure!)
A-
Broadway, October 08, 2003
Idina Menzel; Kristin Chenoweth; Norbert Leo Butz; Joel Grey; William Youmans; Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
First Broadway preview performance. Slight bass overload on the loud bits, but otherwise excellent. Features a hilarious adlib during the Lion Cub scene, just as Idina finishes the line, "Can you imagine a world where animals never speak, and are kept in cages?" where Norbert's cell phone goes off and he says, "Yeah, well, people with cell phones should be kept in cages too."
A-
Broadway, October 11, 2003
Idina Menzel; Kristin Chenoweth; Norbert Leo Butz; Joel Grey; William Youmans; Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Preview performance. Nice clear audio, not as bassy as most early Wicked audios. Unlike the video from this date, Defying Gravity is complete so if the taper is the same (and the coughing in Defying Gravity suggests that they were close), the sources were not exact. Perhaps a video camera and MD recorder setup (I've used that before as a master during this time frame.)
*I have seen an audio listed with this date as a soundboard. This audio I have is definitely NOT a soundboard - there's audience noise near the taper in the form of some coughs that would NOT be present in a soundboard recording. Not knowing for sure if there IS a soundboard out there or someone just mislabeled something somewhere, I'm throwing this information out there.*
*I have now traded TWICE for what was SUPPOSED to be a soundboard ... but each time there is that same coughing in Defying Gravity. Please, fellow traders, due dilligence. Don't label as a soundboard unless it REALLY is! I now no longer believe there is a soundboard of this date.*
A
Broadway, October 12, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. Decent sound quality - there's an odd quality to higher pitched sounds (I can't figure out another way to describe it.) But no hiss, and only mild overload (which was typical of early Wicked audios.) Oddity in track naming: Act one's tracks are numbered, act two's are not.
B+
Broadway, October 14, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. One of the better early Wicked audios in terms of quality - but still some mild-to-moderate bass overload.
A
Broadway, October 28, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. Mild overpowering bass and slightly echoey, but otherwise a wonderfully clear audio.
A-
Broadway, October 29, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Final Preview Performance. Very VERY slight bass overload, barely any really. Mildly echoey. Still, given the general condition of the early Wicked audios, this taper knew what they were doing!
A
Broadway, October 30, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
OPENING NIGHT. Gorgeous audio - almost none of the overload that plagues so many early Wicked audios. Some clipping in I'm Not That Girl - it only lasts a moment though. (And if Idina doesn't break your heart singing that song, then you must be the real Tin Man.) Opening Night fever has taken over the cast here, everyone puts in an awe-inspiring performance. Missing the Lion Club class scene and the Poppy Field scene.
A
Broadway, November 6, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Bwaytrader's master. Excellent quality for an early Wicked audio - nearly no bass overload.
A
Broadway, November 14, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Typical problem with the overpowering bass on the loud bits. Other than that, an excellent audio.
A-
Broadway, November 21, 2003
Idina Menzel, Melissa Bell Chait (u/s), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Sound is VERY heavily skewed to the left - to the point I can *barely* hear anything in the right hand channel on my headphones (I had to take the left off to see if I heard anything at all. It's very faint but it is there.) On the quiet side to boot - I had to jack the volume all the way up. All the typical issues of early Wicked audios - IE overload on loud bits. Includes BC/EFA speech at the end. Rare audio of Chait as Glinda.
B-
Broadway, November 30, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusick (US), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Includes curtain call and BCEFA speech. Quite probably the earliest audio of Cusick's Fiyero. Only very minor overload on this one.
A
Broadway, December 6, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusick (US), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Act Two only. VERY quiet, I had to jack the volume up to hear it, but I imagine it was recorded that way to escape the overpowering bass that so often appears in the early Wicked audios. Fair bit of clipping, possibly the result of a scratched CD that was then ripped and uploaded. If there's a copy out there without the clipping, I'd be interested in a trade because there's a nearly A+ audio here without it. It's not horrible but it could be sooooo much better.
A-
Broadway, December 21, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusik (u/s Fiyero), Eden Espinosa (u/s Nessarose), Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelly, Joel Grey
Sometimes listed as December 31, but the 21 is the correct date (methinks someone's fingers slipped somewhere along the line.) Only known recording of Eden as Nessarose. Missing No Good Deed and March Of the Witchhunters. Quality wise, far above most early Wicked audios - some mild bass overload, but none of the mechanical issues of those using mp3 recorders.
A-
Broadway, December 27, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Typical overpowering bass, but otherwise a nice solid audio. Taye Diggs temporarily covered Fiyero while Norbert Leo Butz was out with a chronic back injury. Awesome chemistry between Menzel and Diggs (no surprise, they were married after all!)
(I could be wrong, but it sounds like ALAYM changes keys at Fiyero's part?)
A-
Broadway, January 6, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
HIGHLIGHTS, only ten tracks: The Wizard and I, What Is This Feeling, Dancing Through Life, Popular, I'm Not That Girl, One Short Day, Defying Gravity, As Long As You're Mine, No Good Deed, and For Good. Some parts have this mechanical noise overlaying the actors, and there's a good bit of mic contact noise. I don't know what mode it was on the recorder that caused that noise (it seems the taper switched mods in ALAYM at least twice because it's there at the beginning, you hear it turn off, and then it turns on again! Listening to DTL this theme repeats.) but it really took some of the enjoyment out of what would have other wise been a near perfect audio - excellently clear with only a bit of overload at the loud bits.
Also, previous traders have listed this in number format. I'm positive about the date for a change - Taye Diggs was only on as a temporary replacement to Norbert Leo Butz between November-January. But there's a definite possibility of someone having traded this at some point as June 1 ... it's NOT.
B
Broadway, January 13, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Some overload, not unexpected. Also some mic contact noise here and there. Otherwise a solid audio.
A-
Broadway, February 6, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Possibly the first audio of Norbert after his return to the show. Kristin was on Vicodin during this performance (most likely due to a neck injury that would later cause her to wear a neck brace during performances), she messes up some lyrics in NOMTW and hits some VERY high notes.
For a good chunk of Act 1, the audio is skewed to the right - there is sound in the left side, but it's VERY low. It stays that way through the "Dancing Through Life" track, but is fixed for "The Ozdust Ballroom" track onward. Still, it doesn't have the overpowering bass issue common to many Wicked audios.
A-
Broadway, February 11, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Very little bass overload, a very nice audio overall of the OBC.
A
Broadway, February 20, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Skewed heavily to the right (there's an occasional blip on the left where the audio tries to come back ... IDK if that's a recorder issue or just a very very sloppy transfer.) This almost makes me wonder if this is really February 10, but since I only know one or two sites of traders who were trading for Wicked in these early days to try to cross check descriptions with I'll never be sure. According to the previous trader, this has been described as "Kristin is in her neck brace and some of the lines / scenes get changed." But apparently not anything I checked.
B+
Broadway, March 4, 2004
Idina Menzel, Laura Bell Bundy (U/S), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald
Somewhere along the line, someone messed this one up. Sound is skewed to the right with very little sound in the left channel. (I had this audio back within months of it's release. If it had been that way I'd have noted it, and I didn't.) Some hiss, and very little overload, which makes the skewing a shame. This'd be a candidate for some sort of correction, but I know I don't have the time for it. Also some mic contact noise (specifically during the Lion Cub scene, possibly in other places.) Other than that, the tracks aren't numbered, they're named. Some of them have the actor's names in the titles, some don't, which makes finding things a little more difficult unless you have the window in details mode and can sort by track. At any rate, had it not been for the skewing, this would have been an A quality audio.
B+
Broadway, March 21, 2004
Eden Espinosa (s/b), Kristin Chenoweth, Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Eden Espinbosa's first performance as Elphaba. Nice clear sound, with only a bit of overload.
Holy Shiz, if Eden's "No Good Deed" doesn't affect you right in the heart.
A
Broadway, May 9, 2004
Idina Menzel, Laura Bell Bundy (sb), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Eddie Korbich (us)
Decent audio. Some intermittent buzzing around the loud bits, and the usual overload typical to early Wicked audios. Files are split into Act one and Act two folders, but "Defying Gravity" is in the Act two folder (because it would have origianally been on CD, and all of Act one did not fit onto one CD.)
A-
Broadway, May 29, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Michelle Ferderer, Christopher Fitzgerald
VERY loud - I'd had a slew of audios around this time period I'd reviewed right before this one where I'd had the sound up a bit, and this one nearly knocked me out of my chair with how loud it was lol. I suspect the volume was boosted after the fact somewhere along the way, since there's nearly no overload, but there is this other noise that crops up in the loudest bits (it's not overload, it's not even loud, it's this little buzz that makes me think of what happens sometimes when I jack the sound through Audacity on very quiet audios.) Tracks are named by number, you only see the song's name if you use details (the ID3 tags are 'named' not numbered.)
The bed malfunctions during Popular, and there's some addlibbing going on. It's very cute, and the audience eats it up. Worth it for that track alone!
A
Broadway, June 4, 2004
Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Heavy on the bass but otherwise a great audio.
A-
Broadway June 13, 2004
Idina Menzel/Eden Espinosa (u/s Elphaba, Act 2), Laura Bell Bundy (u/s Glinda), Derrick Williams (u/s Fiyero), Sean McCourt (u/s Wizard), Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer, William Youmans
"Understudy Day". This used to be missing a chunk of act two between the aftermath of "Wonderful" and the beginning of ALAYM, but this copy has it. Great quality recording. Idina became severely ill during Act One so Eden took over for Act Two. Idina sings some alternate notes in "Defying Gravity".
A
Broadway. July 25, 2004
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, George Hearn, Joey Macintyre, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Earliest known recording of the first cast changes (Thompson, Hearn, Macintyre.) Tracks are VERY oddly named (example: 13)DEF~1 is Defying Gravity) - almost makes me think someone started to delete off their computer and had to salvage them somehow way back in the day. There's a mechanical sound (like a camcorder starting) that happens briefly during Defying Gravity (it's there for a few seconds then turns off.) It might happen in other places as well. Some mild distortion, and hiss present throughout.
B+
Broadway, August 14, 2004
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre, Carole Shelley
One of the better sounding early Wicked audios I've heard yet. Some chair squeeks but otherwise crystal clear. Nearly no overload.
A+
Broadway, August 22, 2004
Eden Espinosa (s/b), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Sean McCourt (u/s), Joey Macintyre, Jan Neuberger (u/s), Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald Eden's last as an Elphaba standby on Broadway. Audio shifts to the left channel at some point in Act 2 between "No Place Like Home" and "The Wicked Witch Of The East". After the shift, there's a crackling in the left channel. Sound is slightly tin cannish throughout, but not over the top bad. A rare audio of Neuberger as Morrible.
B+
Broadway, December 18, 2004
Idina Menzel; Megan Hilty (u/s); Joey McIntyre; George Hearn; William Youmans; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Ends after For Good. Slightly quiet, not as bad on the overload as many early Wicked audios.
*NOTE: For some reason, I had this accidentally labeled on here as January 18, 2004. The file folder always had the correct date but apparantly some days I can't translate numbers to save my life ... I must have initially reviewed this on one of those days because the info text in the folder had that January date as well - which I knew HAD to be wrong because Joey didn't join the cast until after July 18, 2004. Thanks to a fellow trader who requested it which made me go hunting it down!*
A-
Broadway, December 30, 2004
Idina Menzel, Megan Hilty (u/s), Shoshana Bean (u/s Nessarose)
HIGHLIGHTS. Some addlibbing in Popular. Act one is complete, but only "Wicked Witch Of The East" is there for Act two. Intermittent scratching sound. Very interesting to hear Idina and Shoshana on stage at the same time, knowing Sho would replace Idina within a few weeks of this audio.
A
Broadway, January 1, 2005
Idina Menzel, Megan Hilty (s/b Glinda), Joey McIntyre, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelley, George Hearn
One of Idina's last performances on Broadway before the injury that prevented her from performing on what was to be her "final" show. VERY heavy on the bass. Sounds as though it was recorded using an mp3 player (which back in this time period was a HUGE no-no. They couldn't record in any kind of decent quality, and tons of audios like this one were the result. This is a shame because the performances were often first rate. I'd LOVE a good audio of Joey as Fiyero!)
B
Broadway, January 2, 2005
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelley, George Hearn
Slightly muffled, sounds as though it were recorded in a tin can, but otherwise good quality. Christopher Fitzgerald's final performance, includes speeches at the end of the audio.
B+
Broadway, January 5, 2005
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, George Hearn, Joey McIntyre, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Williams Youmans
Gorgeous audio with none of the typical problems found in many early Wicked audios - next to no overload, nice and crystal clear. One of the last dates Idina played on Broadway. Seems like it was tracked by someone who was using the cast recording for markers - there's only 20 tracks total.
Not sure on who is playing Boq, as Christopher Fitzgerald's last performance was just a few days prior to this one.
A+
Broadway, January 11, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Jennifer Laura Thompson, David Ayers, George Hearn, Carole Shelley, Jeffrey Kuhn, Michelle Federer, William Youmans
Shoshana Bean's first* performance as Principal Elphaba. Supposedly Sho drops her hat during Defying Gravity (but whatever hits the stage sounds way too loud to be her hat?) At any rate, she doesn't sing the line "And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free.". Some of the supporting cast are best guesses (Other than Hearn, Shelley, Federer, and Youmans.)
Quality wise, some hiss and some overload on loud bits. Just barely scrapes from being relegated to a B rating.
A-
US Tour, April 9, 2005 (Toronto)
Jenna Leigh Green (Elphaba u/s), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), David Garrison (The Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Maria Eberline (Nessarose u/s), Logan Lipton (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Doctor Dillamond)
1st National Tour. Very heavy on the bass - IIRC this was a common problem with the earliest Wicked Tour/Chicago audios.
B
US Tour, June 8, 2005
Maria Eberline (Elphaba u/s), Emily Rozek (Glinda u/s), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), David Garrison (The Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Dr. Dillamond)
HIGHLIGHTS. Mechanical noise, some fuzziness. No overpowering bass in this one, but it almost sounds as though it were recorded in a tin can. I haven't fine-tooth combed yet, but it's definitely missing a bit - runs about an hour and 40 minutes, when my other early tour audio runs about 2 hour 20 minutes. Tracks are not numbered. In wav format.
B
Broadway, June 09*, 2005
Saycon Sengbloh (u/s); Megan Hilty; David Ayers; Ben Vereen; Sean McCourt; Rue McClanahan; Michelle Federer; Jeffrey Kuhn
SOUNDBOARD. Missing part of dialogue in "Wicked Witch of the East". Being a soundboard, it's missing the heavy bass overload that plagued so many of the early Wicked audios. It seems as though the orchestra mics are hooked up differently though, because there's almost NO bass. Still, a very interesting change.
Note about the date. I've seen this traded as September 6 - the typical confusion caused by overseas trading and someone somewhere only using numbers in their dating practices. (THIS is why everything I trade has an info file with the date SPELLED out!) The June 9 date is the typically accepted date though. Just throwing it out there to avoid any possible confusion.
A+
Broadway, June 23, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Megan Hilty, David Ayers, Ben Vereen, Sean McCourt, Rue McClanahan, Michelle Federer, Jeffrey Kuhn
... How did I NOT have this audio last time around? Beautiful sound quality.
A
Chicago, June 25, 2005 (Preview)
Ana Gasteyer, Kate Reinders, Gene Weygandt, Kristoffer Cusick, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Telly Leung, Steven Skybell
Some overload on the loud bits, and quite a bit of coughing from someone near the taper (every few seconds it seems through ALAYM), but otherwise a solid audio.
A-
Broadway, October 29, 2005
Brandi Chavonne Massey (u/s); Megan Hilty; David Ayers; Ben Vereen; Sean McCourt; Rue McClanahan; Michelle Federer; Robb Sapp
SOUNDBOARD. Brandi's first performance as Elphaba.
Similar sound quality to the soundboard of Saycon.
A
US Tour, January 8, 2006 (Washington, DC)
Jenna Leigh Green (u/s), Kendra Kassebaum, Sebastian Arcules, David Garrison, Carole Shelley, Laura Dysarczyk (u/s), Aaron J. Albano (u/s), Timothy Britten Parker
SOUNDBOARD. One of the clearest early Wicked audios I've ever heard. Slightly quiet. Jenna's Elphaba ... REALLY surprised me, she was so fierce!
A+
US Tour, April 26, 2006
Julia Murney (Elphaba), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero), Jennifer Waldman (Nessarose), K.W Miller (Boq), Alma Cuervo (Madame Morrible), P.J Benjamin (The Wizard)
Starts at Dear Old Shiz. Quite good quality, nearly no overload on the loud bits. Mild echo that's likely theatre accoustics.
A
Chicago, July 12, 2006 (matinee)
Dee Roscioli (u/s Elphaba), Kate Loprest (u/s Glinda), Kristoffer Cusick (Fiyero), Adam Fleming (Boq), Heidi Kettenring (Nessarose), Rondi Reed (Madame Morrible), Gene Weygandt (the Wizard), Timothy Britten Parter (Dr. Dillamond)
Nice clear audio, some overload on the loud bits.
(I'd forgotten that we used to have to split Wicked onto three CD's back in the snail mail days ...)
A-
London, December 30, 2006 (Evening)
Idina Menzel, Hellen Dallimore, Adam Garcia, Nigel Planer , Miriam Margolyes, Katie Rowley Jones, James Gillan, Martin Ball
Idina Menzel's final performance as the Green Girl. Quite heavy on the bass, but otherwise clear.
A-
Broadway, October 24, 2007
Caissie Levy (u/s), Annaleigh Ashford, Michael Seelbach (u/s), Carole Shelley, Lenny Wolpe, Cristy Candler, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell, Jason Davies (u/s Chistery).
Caissie's last performance as Elphaba on Broadway.
Mild buzzing - noticeable more on the quiet bits. Not present enough to drop the whole grade though.
A-
Stuttgart, October 31, 2007
Willemijn Verkaik, Lucy Scherer, Mark Seibert
From the previews (Wicked upened on November 15). Possibly the earliest recording of Verkaik's groundbreaking Elphaba. Some mild crackling occasionally spersed here and there, but nothing massive enough to make me dock the full grade.
A-
Stuttgart, December 16, 2007
Willemijn Verkaik, Lucy Scherer, Mark Seibert
Lovely audio, with just the mildest bit of overload on the loud bits. Some mild intermittent skips. Nothing bad enough to lower the grade, though.
For some reason, there's two copies of track 16 in Act one. This was obviously ripped from a CD many years ago - all of Act one didn't fit onto disk one, so Defying Gravity takes up the first two tracks of the "Akt 2" folder.
Willemijn sings some of Lucy's lines in Wie Ich Bin (For Good) because Lucy was crying too much.
A-
Stuttgart, December 22, 2007 (Matinee)
Willemijn Verkaik, Valerie Link (us), Jens Simon Petersen (us), Angelika Wedekind, Carlo Lauber, Maike Switzer (us), Michael Günther, Stefan Stara, Stefan Poslovski
First performance for Valerie, Jens, and Maike. Very close to soundboard quality (until I caught a moment of audience chatter during the curtain calls I was nearly convinced it was).
A+
Chicago, January 6, 2008
Dan'yelle Williamson (u/s); Kate Fahrner (u/s); Michael Seelbach; Peter Kevoian; K. Todd Freeman; Barbara Robertson; Summer Naomi Scott; Stanton Nash
Heavy bass at times, some muffled parts. Not bad enough to make me drop a full grade, but it does just narrowly skirt the drop.
A-
Broadway, January 15, 2008
Chelsea Krombach (u/s); Annaleigh Ashford; David Burnham; Lenny Wolpe; Steven Skybell; Carole Shelley; Cristy Candler; Noah Rivera (Boq u/s)
Chelsea's first as Elphaba. Sound quality on this is not what I'd expect from a post-2005 audio, it almost sounds as though it was a victim of a bad transfer - there's a crackling type of hiss covering the audio.
B
Broadway, May 11, 2008
Stephanie J Block, Annaleigh Ashford (Final)
Annaleigh's final as Glinda. Includes speeches at the end. *Note* Defying Gravity was originally track 1 in the "2" folder. I did renumber it to be track 19 in the "1" folder, thus putting it with act 1 where it technically belongs - this likely happened though because act 1 doesn't fit properly on a single CD. Quality wise, it's a little echo-y, but nothing that'll make me drop the grade.
A
Broadway, October 27, 2008
THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN
Stephanie J. Block, Shoshana Bean, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Kate Reinders, Daniel Reichard, Matthew Settle, Mark Indelicato, Joy Behar, George Wendt, Timothy Britten Parker, Michelle Federer, Buck Henry
Performed on a Monday (traditionally a dark day on Broadway), this recording showcases music and scenes that didn't make it to the final production. Put on as a benefit concert in celebration of Wicked's fifth anniversary on Broadway (which would take place a few days later) and staged at the Gershwin Theatre. Features two Elphabas, two Glindas, two Fiyeros. Awesome recording with lots of funny adlibs that will make die-hard Wicked fans laugh. Additional notes available in the download's info file.
A
London, July 15, 2009
Alexia Khadime, Dianne Pilkingon, Oliver Tompsett, Harriet Thorpe, Desmond Barrit (us), Natalie Anderson, Alex Jessop. David Stoller
Anette's master. Tracked by Encharmed.
Slightly on the quiet side, without the bass issues faced by many Wicked audios. (I'd really like to know what kind of equipment this Anette uses!)
A
Australia, July 29, 2009 (Melbourne)
Zoe Gertz (u/s), Erin Hasan (u/s), Rob Mills, Bert Newton, Rodney Dobson, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Penny McNamee, Stuart Fisher
A little heavy on the bass - but as I've remarked over and over this isn't uncommon amongst Wicked audios. Overload on the *really* loud bits. Not bad enough to drop the full grade though.
Erin falls off the bed in 'Popular'.
A-
San Francisco, March 6, 2010
Eden Espinosa; Libby Servais (s/b); D.J. Gregory (u/s); Tom McGowan; Paul Slade Smith; Jody Gelb; Deedee Magno Hall; Etai BenShlomo
I suspect this may also be traded as June 3 ... standard confusion when these cross the seas and back again *Sigh* Because I just traded for same cast with the June 3 date, only to discover through the metadata it was this audio. Ooops!
A+
US Tour, August 20, 2010 (Columbus, OH)
Jackie Burns, Lauren Ashley Zakrin (US), Richard H. Blake, Michelle Nondon, Adam Sanford (US), Randy Danson, Richard Kline, Steven Skybell
Pookeandbovacide's master. Master's notes mention a baby a few seats down from then which can be heard at random times through the first act, and that they had their phone too close to the recorder which left some occasional feedback in the audio. All in all though it's a very good quality audio.
A
Broadway, January 30, 2011
Mandy Gonzalez (final), Katie Rose Clarke, Kyle Dean Massey, P.J. Benjamin, Kathy Fitzgerald, Jenny Fellner, Etai BenShlomo, Tom Flynn
Very nice recording. Bwaytrader's master. Mandy's final as Elphaba.
A
US Tour, March 26, 2011 (Orlando, FL)
Jackie Burns, Emily Ferranti(u/s), Colin Hanlen, Mark Jacoby, Paul Slade Smith, Randy Danson, Stephanie Brown, Adam Sanford(u/s)
Beautiful quality audio. Jackie's riff during Defying Gravity is AWESOMESAUCE.
A
London, July 8, 2011
Nikki David-Jones (SB), Louise Dearman, Mark Evans, Julie Legrand, Clive Carter, Julian Forsyth, Zoe Rainey, Ben Stott
Anette's master.
A
US Tour, August 22, 2012 (2NT, Montreal, Canada)
Christine Dwyer; Jeanna de Waal
(Would love a more complete cast list if anyone has it?)
A
London, October 27 2012
Rachel Tucker, Gina Beck
Rachel Tucker's last. Includes quite a number of adlibs. Any odd audience reactions were due to some visual playing around that went on that night. (Audio comes with a list made, I'm assuming, by the original master, of the 'muck-ups' as they called them.)
Gorgeous audio all around.
A
Broadway, November 06, 2012
Jennifer DiNoia (s/b); Alli Mauzey; Kyle Dean Massey; Adam Grupper; Tom Flynn; Randy Danson; Jenny Fellner; F. Michael Haynie
Almost sounds as though it was recorded in a tin can - overpowering bass one moment then muffled shortly after. It's not awful, but I expect better from newer audios like this.
B+
Broadway, February 12, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik; Alli Mauzey; Kyle Dean Massey; Adam Grupper; Tom Flynn; Randy Danson; Catherine Charlebois; F. Michael Haynie
Willemijn's first Broadway performance (which would make it her first English language performance as Elphaba ... ). Slightly on the quiet side.
A
Broadway, May 8, 2013
Lindsay Mendez, Katie Rose Clarke, Derek Klena, Randy Danson, Adam Grupper, Catherine Charlebois, F. Michael Haynie, John Schiappa
Lindsay Mendez's and Derek Klena's first performances. Further ensemble understudies listed in the info file in the download. Either the taper or someone VERY close could not sit still - there's a LOT of chair squeaking going on in Defying Gravity. Other than that, a lovely audio with only mild overload on loud bits.
A
Broadway, December 15, 2013
Carla Stickler (u/s Elphaba), Alli Mauzey (Glinda), Derek Klena (Fiyero), Tom McGowan (Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), Michael Wartella (Boq), John Schiappa (Dr. Dillamond)
Audio is on the quiet side, but there's nearly no overload on the loud bits. To date, the only recording of Carla on Broadway I've found ... she's just as amazeballs here as she was in Chicago.
A
London, December 19, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik; Savannah Stevenson; Jeremy Taylor; Sam Kelly; Paul Clarkson; Sue Kelvin; Katie Rowley Jones; Sam Lupton
A
Australia, March 7, 2014 (Melbourne)
Jemma Rix, Lucy Durack, Steve Danielsen
Possible confusion on the date (it came to me in numbered format. I'm American. There's a possibility it's really July 3. If someone can confirm either to be true I'd appreciate it.)
Some overpowering on the bass (especially the beginning of ALAYM.) Nothing bad enough to lower the full grade, however.
Whoever tracked this had a sense of humor - some of the track names are hilarious - "Here to steal yo man", "The Wizard is (still) a D bag", "Holy Shiz Jemma can sing" are a few examples. (If you have your music files set to details the real song names are under the title tab - at least on my windows 8.1 machine they are.) Also the file names of the songs will show in alphabetical order - the track number is NOT first. This can be fixed again with the details option - the track numbers are in the details at least.
A
London, July 19, 2014
Willemijn Verkaik, Savannah Stevenson, Jeremy Taylor, Sue Kelvin, Martyn Ellis, Katie Rowley Jones, Sam Lupton, Paul Clarkson
Willemijn's final show as Elphaba to date (Okay so there's a good chance she won't be back but hey we can always hope lol.) Beautiful sound quality. Includes curtain call and speeches.
A
US Tour, August 29, 2014 (2NT, Winnipeg, Canada)
Laurel Harris; Lindsey Brett Carothers (u/s); Matt Shingledecker; Gene Weygandt; Michael DeVries; Kathy Fitzgerald; Emily Behny; Michael Drolet (u/s)
A+
Broadway, February 26, 2015
Christine Dwyer (alt); Tess Soltau (s/b); Matt Shingledecker; Tom McGowan; Timothy Britten Parker; Kathy Fitzgerald; Catherine Charlebois; Robin de Jesus
A
US Tour, April 19, 2015 (Baltimore, MD) 2NT
Emily Koch (SB), Beka Burnham (US), John Davidson, Kristine Zbornik, Ashley Parker Angel, Liana Hunt, Michael Drolet (US), Michael DeVries Swings: Keith A. Bearden, Lauren Haughton, Ryan Jackson, Lauren Sambataro
Some mild overload, but and a crackling sound in places, but nothing bad enough to lower the full grade, but given the newness it's only just barely scraping that A-. Bwaytrader's master.
A-
Broadway, July 01, 2015 - matinee
Desi Oakley (u/s); Kara Lindsay; Matt Shingledecker; Fred Applegate; Timothy Britten Parker; Kathy Santen (u/s); Arielle Jacobs; Robin de Jesus
Desi Oakley's first performance as Elphaba.
TXC Trades's master. There's something tinny about the quality of this one - likely theatre acoustics? Not enough to drop the grade though.
A
Broadway, August 7, 2015
Caroline Bowman, Kara Lindsay, Arielle Jacobs, Matt Shingledecker, Fred Applegate, Michelle Lee, Robin De Jesus, Timothy Britton Parker
A
Broadway, September 15, 2015 - evening
Rachel Tucker; Kara Lindsay; Jonah Platt; Fred Applegate; Timothy Britten Parker; Michele Lee; Emily Ferranti (u/s); Robin de Jesus
First for Jonah Platt, first on Broadway for Rachel Tucker.
The fact this came to me with Evening specified makes me wonder if there was a matinee that was also taped?
A
Wicked Workshop, December 14, 2001
Idina Menzel (Elphaba), Kristen Chenoweth (Glinda), Adam Garcia (Fiyero), Amy Spanger (Nessarose), Gavin Creel (Boq), Lenny Wolpe (The Wizard), Katherine Helmond (Madame Morrible), Steven Skybell (Dr Dillamond)
SOUNDBOARD. Recorded before the show had ever been staged. Some minor plot differences and some different lyrics, and includes some songs that never made it to the show we know and love today (example: "As If By Magic" , part of a plot line that followed closer to the original novel.) No orchestra - the instrumental is just a piano backing everything. Stage directions spoken (example going into ALAYM: "Scene four, a cheap rented room."
Can't be sure on the date, but that's the one it came to me with this time around. I'm fairly certain I had parts of this years ago but not that date information. Still, not sure it's wrong either.
Recently replaced with a new copy - this one including somewhere around 30 tracks, compared to 12. Comparison tells me the one I had listed here is the exact same recording, but this new copy is not only more complete, it's also a tad clearer. This may very well be the copy I did have years ago. I'm pretty sure it's still not 100% complete - but then I don't recall it being 100% complete years ago either. There's some definite gaps in Act 1 though.
Act 1 runs 52 minutes.
Act 2 runs 1 hour 8 minutes.
A+
San Francisco, May 28, 2003
Idina Menzel (Elphaba), Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda), Norbert Leo Butz (Fiyero), Robert Morse (Wizard), Carole Shelley (Morrible), Michelle Federer (Nessarose), Kirk McDonald (Boq), John Horton (Dr Dillamond)
HIGHLIGHTS of the FIRST PREVIEW, (runs 53 minutes), includes pre-show announcement labeling it such. Judging by the way the tracks are numbered, I suspect this might have been traded with another audio at some point (the tracks point to it being from a third disk). Includes "No One Mourns The Wicked", "The Wizard And I", "What Is This Feeling?", "Popular", "I'm Not That Girl", "One Short Day", "Defying Gravity", "Wonderful", "As Long As You're Mine", "No Good Deed", and "For Good". Mild echo, but otherwise gorgeous quality.
A
San Francisco, June 05, 2003
Idina Menzel, Melissa Bell Chait (US), Norbert Leo Butz, Robert Morse, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Kirk McDonald, John Horton
From the Pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco. Some different lyrics/harmonies than the show that would eventually open on Broadway. Ends just after No Good Deed (with the very beginning of March Of the Witch Hunters.) Somewhat echoey, but not as much bass overload as most of the early Broadway audios. RARE audio of Chait as Glinda from the out of town tryouts.
A-
San Francisco, June 10, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Robert Morse
From the Pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco. Very nice sound quality. Some different lyrics/dialogue/notes from what eventually made it to Broadway and became the show we know and love today. Very receptive audience. Gorgeous echo effect for Defying Gravity – probably one of the best DG's I've heard out of Idina, hands down.
A-
San Francisco, June 23, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz
SOUNDBOARD. From the San Francisco tryout, pre-Broadway. Some different lyrics from the show we know today. Absolutely gorgeous sound quality, very very close to cast recording quality. Is this a newer release to the trading scene? Because it didn't seem to be around when I was trading for Wicked Audios in the early days.
A+
San Francisco, June 28, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz
From the Pre-Broadway tryout. Some different lyrics/dialogue/notes from the show we know today. Very good sound quality for an audience recording. Definitely a different recording from the June 10 recording above (after all these years, and not having had one with this date years ago, I had to be sure!)
A-
Broadway, October 08, 2003
Idina Menzel; Kristin Chenoweth; Norbert Leo Butz; Joel Grey; William Youmans; Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
First Broadway preview performance. Slight bass overload on the loud bits, but otherwise excellent. Features a hilarious adlib during the Lion Cub scene, just as Idina finishes the line, "Can you imagine a world where animals never speak, and are kept in cages?" where Norbert's cell phone goes off and he says, "Yeah, well, people with cell phones should be kept in cages too."
A-
Broadway, October 11, 2003
Idina Menzel; Kristin Chenoweth; Norbert Leo Butz; Joel Grey; William Youmans; Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Preview performance. Nice clear audio, not as bassy as most early Wicked audios. Unlike the video from this date, Defying Gravity is complete so if the taper is the same (and the coughing in Defying Gravity suggests that they were close), the sources were not exact. Perhaps a video camera and MD recorder setup (I've used that before as a master during this time frame.)
*I have seen an audio listed with this date as a soundboard. This audio I have is definitely NOT a soundboard - there's audience noise near the taper in the form of some coughs that would NOT be present in a soundboard recording. Not knowing for sure if there IS a soundboard out there or someone just mislabeled something somewhere, I'm throwing this information out there.*
*I have now traded TWICE for what was SUPPOSED to be a soundboard ... but each time there is that same coughing in Defying Gravity. Please, fellow traders, due dilligence. Don't label as a soundboard unless it REALLY is! I now no longer believe there is a soundboard of this date.*
A
Broadway, October 12, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. Decent sound quality - there's an odd quality to higher pitched sounds (I can't figure out another way to describe it.) But no hiss, and only mild overload (which was typical of early Wicked audios.) Oddity in track naming: Act one's tracks are numbered, act two's are not.
B+
Broadway, October 14, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. One of the better early Wicked audios in terms of quality - but still some mild-to-moderate bass overload.
A
Broadway, October 28, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Preview performance. Mild overpowering bass and slightly echoey, but otherwise a wonderfully clear audio.
A-
Broadway, October 29, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Final Preview Performance. Very VERY slight bass overload, barely any really. Mildly echoey. Still, given the general condition of the early Wicked audios, this taper knew what they were doing!
A
Broadway, October 30, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
OPENING NIGHT. Gorgeous audio - almost none of the overload that plagues so many early Wicked audios. Some clipping in I'm Not That Girl - it only lasts a moment though. (And if Idina doesn't break your heart singing that song, then you must be the real Tin Man.) Opening Night fever has taken over the cast here, everyone puts in an awe-inspiring performance. Missing the Lion Club class scene and the Poppy Field scene.
A
Broadway, November 6, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Bwaytrader's master. Excellent quality for an early Wicked audio - nearly no bass overload.
A
Broadway, November 14, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Typical problem with the overpowering bass on the loud bits. Other than that, an excellent audio.
A-
Broadway, November 21, 2003
Idina Menzel, Melissa Bell Chait (u/s), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Sound is VERY heavily skewed to the left - to the point I can *barely* hear anything in the right hand channel on my headphones (I had to take the left off to see if I heard anything at all. It's very faint but it is there.) On the quiet side to boot - I had to jack the volume all the way up. All the typical issues of early Wicked audios - IE overload on loud bits. Includes BC/EFA speech at the end. Rare audio of Chait as Glinda.
B-
Broadway, November 30, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusick (US), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Includes curtain call and BCEFA speech. Quite probably the earliest audio of Cusick's Fiyero. Only very minor overload on this one.
A
Broadway, December 6, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusick (US), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Act Two only. VERY quiet, I had to jack the volume up to hear it, but I imagine it was recorded that way to escape the overpowering bass that so often appears in the early Wicked audios. Fair bit of clipping, possibly the result of a scratched CD that was then ripped and uploaded. If there's a copy out there without the clipping, I'd be interested in a trade because there's a nearly A+ audio here without it. It's not horrible but it could be sooooo much better.
A-
Broadway, December 21, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristoffer Cusik (u/s Fiyero), Eden Espinosa (u/s Nessarose), Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelly, Joel Grey
Sometimes listed as December 31, but the 21 is the correct date (methinks someone's fingers slipped somewhere along the line.) Only known recording of Eden as Nessarose. Missing No Good Deed and March Of the Witchhunters. Quality wise, far above most early Wicked audios - some mild bass overload, but none of the mechanical issues of those using mp3 recorders.
A-
Broadway, December 27, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Typical overpowering bass, but otherwise a nice solid audio. Taye Diggs temporarily covered Fiyero while Norbert Leo Butz was out with a chronic back injury. Awesome chemistry between Menzel and Diggs (no surprise, they were married after all!)
(I could be wrong, but it sounds like ALAYM changes keys at Fiyero's part?)
A-
Broadway, January 6, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
HIGHLIGHTS, only ten tracks: The Wizard and I, What Is This Feeling, Dancing Through Life, Popular, I'm Not That Girl, One Short Day, Defying Gravity, As Long As You're Mine, No Good Deed, and For Good. Some parts have this mechanical noise overlaying the actors, and there's a good bit of mic contact noise. I don't know what mode it was on the recorder that caused that noise (it seems the taper switched mods in ALAYM at least twice because it's there at the beginning, you hear it turn off, and then it turns on again! Listening to DTL this theme repeats.) but it really took some of the enjoyment out of what would have other wise been a near perfect audio - excellently clear with only a bit of overload at the loud bits.
Also, previous traders have listed this in number format. I'm positive about the date for a change - Taye Diggs was only on as a temporary replacement to Norbert Leo Butz between November-January. But there's a definite possibility of someone having traded this at some point as June 1 ... it's NOT.
B
Broadway, January 13, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (TR), Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Some overload, not unexpected. Also some mic contact noise here and there. Otherwise a solid audio.
A-
Broadway, February 6, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Possibly the first audio of Norbert after his return to the show. Kristin was on Vicodin during this performance (most likely due to a neck injury that would later cause her to wear a neck brace during performances), she messes up some lyrics in NOMTW and hits some VERY high notes.
For a good chunk of Act 1, the audio is skewed to the right - there is sound in the left side, but it's VERY low. It stays that way through the "Dancing Through Life" track, but is fixed for "The Ozdust Ballroom" track onward. Still, it doesn't have the overpowering bass issue common to many Wicked audios.
A-
Broadway, February 11, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Very little bass overload, a very nice audio overall of the OBC.
A
Broadway, February 20, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Skewed heavily to the right (there's an occasional blip on the left where the audio tries to come back ... IDK if that's a recorder issue or just a very very sloppy transfer.) This almost makes me wonder if this is really February 10, but since I only know one or two sites of traders who were trading for Wicked in these early days to try to cross check descriptions with I'll never be sure. According to the previous trader, this has been described as "Kristin is in her neck brace and some of the lines / scenes get changed." But apparently not anything I checked.
B+
Broadway, March 4, 2004
Idina Menzel, Laura Bell Bundy (U/S), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald
Somewhere along the line, someone messed this one up. Sound is skewed to the right with very little sound in the left channel. (I had this audio back within months of it's release. If it had been that way I'd have noted it, and I didn't.) Some hiss, and very little overload, which makes the skewing a shame. This'd be a candidate for some sort of correction, but I know I don't have the time for it. Also some mic contact noise (specifically during the Lion Cub scene, possibly in other places.) Other than that, the tracks aren't numbered, they're named. Some of them have the actor's names in the titles, some don't, which makes finding things a little more difficult unless you have the window in details mode and can sort by track. At any rate, had it not been for the skewing, this would have been an A quality audio.
B+
Broadway, March 21, 2004
Eden Espinosa (s/b), Kristin Chenoweth, Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Eden Espinbosa's first performance as Elphaba. Nice clear sound, with only a bit of overload.
Holy Shiz, if Eden's "No Good Deed" doesn't affect you right in the heart.
A
Broadway, May 9, 2004
Idina Menzel, Laura Bell Bundy (sb), Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Eddie Korbich (us)
Decent audio. Some intermittent buzzing around the loud bits, and the usual overload typical to early Wicked audios. Files are split into Act one and Act two folders, but "Defying Gravity" is in the Act two folder (because it would have origianally been on CD, and all of Act one did not fit onto one CD.)
A-
Broadway, May 29, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Michelle Ferderer, Christopher Fitzgerald
VERY loud - I'd had a slew of audios around this time period I'd reviewed right before this one where I'd had the sound up a bit, and this one nearly knocked me out of my chair with how loud it was lol. I suspect the volume was boosted after the fact somewhere along the way, since there's nearly no overload, but there is this other noise that crops up in the loudest bits (it's not overload, it's not even loud, it's this little buzz that makes me think of what happens sometimes when I jack the sound through Audacity on very quiet audios.) Tracks are named by number, you only see the song's name if you use details (the ID3 tags are 'named' not numbered.)
The bed malfunctions during Popular, and there's some addlibbing going on. It's very cute, and the audience eats it up. Worth it for that track alone!
A
Broadway, June 4, 2004
Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Joel Grey, Norbert Leo Butz, Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer
Heavy on the bass but otherwise a great audio.
A-
Broadway June 13, 2004
Idina Menzel/Eden Espinosa (u/s Elphaba, Act 2), Laura Bell Bundy (u/s Glinda), Derrick Williams (u/s Fiyero), Sean McCourt (u/s Wizard), Carole Shelley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer, William Youmans
"Understudy Day". This used to be missing a chunk of act two between the aftermath of "Wonderful" and the beginning of ALAYM, but this copy has it. Great quality recording. Idina became severely ill during Act One so Eden took over for Act Two. Idina sings some alternate notes in "Defying Gravity".
A
Broadway. July 25, 2004
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, George Hearn, Joey Macintyre, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Earliest known recording of the first cast changes (Thompson, Hearn, Macintyre.) Tracks are VERY oddly named (example: 13)DEF~1 is Defying Gravity) - almost makes me think someone started to delete off their computer and had to salvage them somehow way back in the day. There's a mechanical sound (like a camcorder starting) that happens briefly during Defying Gravity (it's there for a few seconds then turns off.) It might happen in other places as well. Some mild distortion, and hiss present throughout.
B+
Broadway, August 14, 2004
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre, Carole Shelley
One of the better sounding early Wicked audios I've heard yet. Some chair squeeks but otherwise crystal clear. Nearly no overload.
A+
Broadway, August 22, 2004
Eden Espinosa (s/b), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Sean McCourt (u/s), Joey Macintyre, Jan Neuberger (u/s), Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald Eden's last as an Elphaba standby on Broadway. Audio shifts to the left channel at some point in Act 2 between "No Place Like Home" and "The Wicked Witch Of The East". After the shift, there's a crackling in the left channel. Sound is slightly tin cannish throughout, but not over the top bad. A rare audio of Neuberger as Morrible.
B+
Broadway, December 18, 2004
Idina Menzel; Megan Hilty (u/s); Joey McIntyre; George Hearn; William Youmans; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Ends after For Good. Slightly quiet, not as bad on the overload as many early Wicked audios.
*NOTE: For some reason, I had this accidentally labeled on here as January 18, 2004. The file folder always had the correct date but apparantly some days I can't translate numbers to save my life ... I must have initially reviewed this on one of those days because the info text in the folder had that January date as well - which I knew HAD to be wrong because Joey didn't join the cast until after July 18, 2004. Thanks to a fellow trader who requested it which made me go hunting it down!*
A-
Broadway, December 30, 2004
Idina Menzel, Megan Hilty (u/s), Shoshana Bean (u/s Nessarose)
HIGHLIGHTS. Some addlibbing in Popular. Act one is complete, but only "Wicked Witch Of The East" is there for Act two. Intermittent scratching sound. Very interesting to hear Idina and Shoshana on stage at the same time, knowing Sho would replace Idina within a few weeks of this audio.
A
Broadway, January 1, 2005
Idina Menzel, Megan Hilty (s/b Glinda), Joey McIntyre, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelley, George Hearn
One of Idina's last performances on Broadway before the injury that prevented her from performing on what was to be her "final" show. VERY heavy on the bass. Sounds as though it was recorded using an mp3 player (which back in this time period was a HUGE no-no. They couldn't record in any kind of decent quality, and tons of audios like this one were the result. This is a shame because the performances were often first rate. I'd LOVE a good audio of Joey as Fiyero!)
B
Broadway, January 2, 2005
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, Carole Shelley, George Hearn
Slightly muffled, sounds as though it were recorded in a tin can, but otherwise good quality. Christopher Fitzgerald's final performance, includes speeches at the end of the audio.
B+
Broadway, January 5, 2005
Idina Menzel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, George Hearn, Joey McIntyre, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Williams Youmans
Gorgeous audio with none of the typical problems found in many early Wicked audios - next to no overload, nice and crystal clear. One of the last dates Idina played on Broadway. Seems like it was tracked by someone who was using the cast recording for markers - there's only 20 tracks total.
Not sure on who is playing Boq, as Christopher Fitzgerald's last performance was just a few days prior to this one.
A+
Broadway, January 11, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Jennifer Laura Thompson, David Ayers, George Hearn, Carole Shelley, Jeffrey Kuhn, Michelle Federer, William Youmans
Shoshana Bean's first* performance as Principal Elphaba. Supposedly Sho drops her hat during Defying Gravity (but whatever hits the stage sounds way too loud to be her hat?) At any rate, she doesn't sing the line "And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free.". Some of the supporting cast are best guesses (Other than Hearn, Shelley, Federer, and Youmans.)
Quality wise, some hiss and some overload on loud bits. Just barely scrapes from being relegated to a B rating.
A-
US Tour, April 9, 2005 (Toronto)
Jenna Leigh Green (Elphaba u/s), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), David Garrison (The Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Maria Eberline (Nessarose u/s), Logan Lipton (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Doctor Dillamond)
1st National Tour. Very heavy on the bass - IIRC this was a common problem with the earliest Wicked Tour/Chicago audios.
B
US Tour, June 8, 2005
Maria Eberline (Elphaba u/s), Emily Rozek (Glinda u/s), Derrick Williams (Fiyero), David Garrison (The Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Jenna Leigh Green (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq), Timothy Britten Parker (Dr. Dillamond)
HIGHLIGHTS. Mechanical noise, some fuzziness. No overpowering bass in this one, but it almost sounds as though it were recorded in a tin can. I haven't fine-tooth combed yet, but it's definitely missing a bit - runs about an hour and 40 minutes, when my other early tour audio runs about 2 hour 20 minutes. Tracks are not numbered. In wav format.
B
Broadway, June 09*, 2005
Saycon Sengbloh (u/s); Megan Hilty; David Ayers; Ben Vereen; Sean McCourt; Rue McClanahan; Michelle Federer; Jeffrey Kuhn
SOUNDBOARD. Missing part of dialogue in "Wicked Witch of the East". Being a soundboard, it's missing the heavy bass overload that plagued so many of the early Wicked audios. It seems as though the orchestra mics are hooked up differently though, because there's almost NO bass. Still, a very interesting change.
Note about the date. I've seen this traded as September 6 - the typical confusion caused by overseas trading and someone somewhere only using numbers in their dating practices. (THIS is why everything I trade has an info file with the date SPELLED out!) The June 9 date is the typically accepted date though. Just throwing it out there to avoid any possible confusion.
A+
Broadway, June 23, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Megan Hilty, David Ayers, Ben Vereen, Sean McCourt, Rue McClanahan, Michelle Federer, Jeffrey Kuhn
... How did I NOT have this audio last time around? Beautiful sound quality.
A
Chicago, June 25, 2005 (Preview)
Ana Gasteyer, Kate Reinders, Gene Weygandt, Kristoffer Cusick, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Telly Leung, Steven Skybell
Some overload on the loud bits, and quite a bit of coughing from someone near the taper (every few seconds it seems through ALAYM), but otherwise a solid audio.
A-
Broadway, October 29, 2005
Brandi Chavonne Massey (u/s); Megan Hilty; David Ayers; Ben Vereen; Sean McCourt; Rue McClanahan; Michelle Federer; Robb Sapp
SOUNDBOARD. Brandi's first performance as Elphaba.
Similar sound quality to the soundboard of Saycon.
A
US Tour, January 8, 2006 (Washington, DC)
Jenna Leigh Green (u/s), Kendra Kassebaum, Sebastian Arcules, David Garrison, Carole Shelley, Laura Dysarczyk (u/s), Aaron J. Albano (u/s), Timothy Britten Parker
SOUNDBOARD. One of the clearest early Wicked audios I've ever heard. Slightly quiet. Jenna's Elphaba ... REALLY surprised me, she was so fierce!
A+
US Tour, April 26, 2006
Julia Murney (Elphaba), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero), Jennifer Waldman (Nessarose), K.W Miller (Boq), Alma Cuervo (Madame Morrible), P.J Benjamin (The Wizard)
Starts at Dear Old Shiz. Quite good quality, nearly no overload on the loud bits. Mild echo that's likely theatre accoustics.
A
Chicago, July 12, 2006 (matinee)
Dee Roscioli (u/s Elphaba), Kate Loprest (u/s Glinda), Kristoffer Cusick (Fiyero), Adam Fleming (Boq), Heidi Kettenring (Nessarose), Rondi Reed (Madame Morrible), Gene Weygandt (the Wizard), Timothy Britten Parter (Dr. Dillamond)
Nice clear audio, some overload on the loud bits.
(I'd forgotten that we used to have to split Wicked onto three CD's back in the snail mail days ...)
A-
London, December 30, 2006 (Evening)
Idina Menzel, Hellen Dallimore, Adam Garcia, Nigel Planer , Miriam Margolyes, Katie Rowley Jones, James Gillan, Martin Ball
Idina Menzel's final performance as the Green Girl. Quite heavy on the bass, but otherwise clear.
A-
Broadway, October 24, 2007
Caissie Levy (u/s), Annaleigh Ashford, Michael Seelbach (u/s), Carole Shelley, Lenny Wolpe, Cristy Candler, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell, Jason Davies (u/s Chistery).
Caissie's last performance as Elphaba on Broadway.
Mild buzzing - noticeable more on the quiet bits. Not present enough to drop the whole grade though.
A-
Stuttgart, October 31, 2007
Willemijn Verkaik, Lucy Scherer, Mark Seibert
From the previews (Wicked upened on November 15). Possibly the earliest recording of Verkaik's groundbreaking Elphaba. Some mild crackling occasionally spersed here and there, but nothing massive enough to make me dock the full grade.
A-
Stuttgart, December 16, 2007
Willemijn Verkaik, Lucy Scherer, Mark Seibert
Lovely audio, with just the mildest bit of overload on the loud bits. Some mild intermittent skips. Nothing bad enough to lower the grade, though.
For some reason, there's two copies of track 16 in Act one. This was obviously ripped from a CD many years ago - all of Act one didn't fit onto disk one, so Defying Gravity takes up the first two tracks of the "Akt 2" folder.
Willemijn sings some of Lucy's lines in Wie Ich Bin (For Good) because Lucy was crying too much.
A-
Stuttgart, December 22, 2007 (Matinee)
Willemijn Verkaik, Valerie Link (us), Jens Simon Petersen (us), Angelika Wedekind, Carlo Lauber, Maike Switzer (us), Michael Günther, Stefan Stara, Stefan Poslovski
First performance for Valerie, Jens, and Maike. Very close to soundboard quality (until I caught a moment of audience chatter during the curtain calls I was nearly convinced it was).
A+
Chicago, January 6, 2008
Dan'yelle Williamson (u/s); Kate Fahrner (u/s); Michael Seelbach; Peter Kevoian; K. Todd Freeman; Barbara Robertson; Summer Naomi Scott; Stanton Nash
Heavy bass at times, some muffled parts. Not bad enough to make me drop a full grade, but it does just narrowly skirt the drop.
A-
Broadway, January 15, 2008
Chelsea Krombach (u/s); Annaleigh Ashford; David Burnham; Lenny Wolpe; Steven Skybell; Carole Shelley; Cristy Candler; Noah Rivera (Boq u/s)
Chelsea's first as Elphaba. Sound quality on this is not what I'd expect from a post-2005 audio, it almost sounds as though it was a victim of a bad transfer - there's a crackling type of hiss covering the audio.
B
Broadway, May 11, 2008
Stephanie J Block, Annaleigh Ashford (Final)
Annaleigh's final as Glinda. Includes speeches at the end. *Note* Defying Gravity was originally track 1 in the "2" folder. I did renumber it to be track 19 in the "1" folder, thus putting it with act 1 where it technically belongs - this likely happened though because act 1 doesn't fit properly on a single CD. Quality wise, it's a little echo-y, but nothing that'll make me drop the grade.
A
Broadway, October 27, 2008
THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD NOT TAKEN
Stephanie J. Block, Shoshana Bean, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Kate Reinders, Daniel Reichard, Matthew Settle, Mark Indelicato, Joy Behar, George Wendt, Timothy Britten Parker, Michelle Federer, Buck Henry
Performed on a Monday (traditionally a dark day on Broadway), this recording showcases music and scenes that didn't make it to the final production. Put on as a benefit concert in celebration of Wicked's fifth anniversary on Broadway (which would take place a few days later) and staged at the Gershwin Theatre. Features two Elphabas, two Glindas, two Fiyeros. Awesome recording with lots of funny adlibs that will make die-hard Wicked fans laugh. Additional notes available in the download's info file.
A
London, July 15, 2009
Alexia Khadime, Dianne Pilkingon, Oliver Tompsett, Harriet Thorpe, Desmond Barrit (us), Natalie Anderson, Alex Jessop. David Stoller
Anette's master. Tracked by Encharmed.
Slightly on the quiet side, without the bass issues faced by many Wicked audios. (I'd really like to know what kind of equipment this Anette uses!)
A
Australia, July 29, 2009 (Melbourne)
Zoe Gertz (u/s), Erin Hasan (u/s), Rob Mills, Bert Newton, Rodney Dobson, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Penny McNamee, Stuart Fisher
A little heavy on the bass - but as I've remarked over and over this isn't uncommon amongst Wicked audios. Overload on the *really* loud bits. Not bad enough to drop the full grade though.
Erin falls off the bed in 'Popular'.
A-
San Francisco, March 6, 2010
Eden Espinosa; Libby Servais (s/b); D.J. Gregory (u/s); Tom McGowan; Paul Slade Smith; Jody Gelb; Deedee Magno Hall; Etai BenShlomo
I suspect this may also be traded as June 3 ... standard confusion when these cross the seas and back again *Sigh* Because I just traded for same cast with the June 3 date, only to discover through the metadata it was this audio. Ooops!
A+
US Tour, August 20, 2010 (Columbus, OH)
Jackie Burns, Lauren Ashley Zakrin (US), Richard H. Blake, Michelle Nondon, Adam Sanford (US), Randy Danson, Richard Kline, Steven Skybell
Pookeandbovacide's master. Master's notes mention a baby a few seats down from then which can be heard at random times through the first act, and that they had their phone too close to the recorder which left some occasional feedback in the audio. All in all though it's a very good quality audio.
A
Broadway, January 30, 2011
Mandy Gonzalez (final), Katie Rose Clarke, Kyle Dean Massey, P.J. Benjamin, Kathy Fitzgerald, Jenny Fellner, Etai BenShlomo, Tom Flynn
Very nice recording. Bwaytrader's master. Mandy's final as Elphaba.
A
US Tour, March 26, 2011 (Orlando, FL)
Jackie Burns, Emily Ferranti(u/s), Colin Hanlen, Mark Jacoby, Paul Slade Smith, Randy Danson, Stephanie Brown, Adam Sanford(u/s)
Beautiful quality audio. Jackie's riff during Defying Gravity is AWESOMESAUCE.
A
London, July 8, 2011
Nikki David-Jones (SB), Louise Dearman, Mark Evans, Julie Legrand, Clive Carter, Julian Forsyth, Zoe Rainey, Ben Stott
Anette's master.
A
US Tour, August 22, 2012 (2NT, Montreal, Canada)
Christine Dwyer; Jeanna de Waal
(Would love a more complete cast list if anyone has it?)
A
London, October 27 2012
Rachel Tucker, Gina Beck
Rachel Tucker's last. Includes quite a number of adlibs. Any odd audience reactions were due to some visual playing around that went on that night. (Audio comes with a list made, I'm assuming, by the original master, of the 'muck-ups' as they called them.)
Gorgeous audio all around.
A
Broadway, November 06, 2012
Jennifer DiNoia (s/b); Alli Mauzey; Kyle Dean Massey; Adam Grupper; Tom Flynn; Randy Danson; Jenny Fellner; F. Michael Haynie
Almost sounds as though it was recorded in a tin can - overpowering bass one moment then muffled shortly after. It's not awful, but I expect better from newer audios like this.
B+
Broadway, February 12, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik; Alli Mauzey; Kyle Dean Massey; Adam Grupper; Tom Flynn; Randy Danson; Catherine Charlebois; F. Michael Haynie
Willemijn's first Broadway performance (which would make it her first English language performance as Elphaba ... ). Slightly on the quiet side.
A
Broadway, May 8, 2013
Lindsay Mendez, Katie Rose Clarke, Derek Klena, Randy Danson, Adam Grupper, Catherine Charlebois, F. Michael Haynie, John Schiappa
Lindsay Mendez's and Derek Klena's first performances. Further ensemble understudies listed in the info file in the download. Either the taper or someone VERY close could not sit still - there's a LOT of chair squeaking going on in Defying Gravity. Other than that, a lovely audio with only mild overload on loud bits.
A
Broadway, December 15, 2013
Carla Stickler (u/s Elphaba), Alli Mauzey (Glinda), Derek Klena (Fiyero), Tom McGowan (Wizard), Carol Kane (Madame Morrible), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), Michael Wartella (Boq), John Schiappa (Dr. Dillamond)
Audio is on the quiet side, but there's nearly no overload on the loud bits. To date, the only recording of Carla on Broadway I've found ... she's just as amazeballs here as she was in Chicago.
A
London, December 19, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik; Savannah Stevenson; Jeremy Taylor; Sam Kelly; Paul Clarkson; Sue Kelvin; Katie Rowley Jones; Sam Lupton
A
Australia, March 7, 2014 (Melbourne)
Jemma Rix, Lucy Durack, Steve Danielsen
Possible confusion on the date (it came to me in numbered format. I'm American. There's a possibility it's really July 3. If someone can confirm either to be true I'd appreciate it.)
Some overpowering on the bass (especially the beginning of ALAYM.) Nothing bad enough to lower the full grade, however.
Whoever tracked this had a sense of humor - some of the track names are hilarious - "Here to steal yo man", "The Wizard is (still) a D bag", "Holy Shiz Jemma can sing" are a few examples. (If you have your music files set to details the real song names are under the title tab - at least on my windows 8.1 machine they are.) Also the file names of the songs will show in alphabetical order - the track number is NOT first. This can be fixed again with the details option - the track numbers are in the details at least.
A
London, July 19, 2014
Willemijn Verkaik, Savannah Stevenson, Jeremy Taylor, Sue Kelvin, Martyn Ellis, Katie Rowley Jones, Sam Lupton, Paul Clarkson
Willemijn's final show as Elphaba to date (Okay so there's a good chance she won't be back but hey we can always hope lol.) Beautiful sound quality. Includes curtain call and speeches.
A
US Tour, August 29, 2014 (2NT, Winnipeg, Canada)
Laurel Harris; Lindsey Brett Carothers (u/s); Matt Shingledecker; Gene Weygandt; Michael DeVries; Kathy Fitzgerald; Emily Behny; Michael Drolet (u/s)
A+
Broadway, February 26, 2015
Christine Dwyer (alt); Tess Soltau (s/b); Matt Shingledecker; Tom McGowan; Timothy Britten Parker; Kathy Fitzgerald; Catherine Charlebois; Robin de Jesus
A
US Tour, April 19, 2015 (Baltimore, MD) 2NT
Emily Koch (SB), Beka Burnham (US), John Davidson, Kristine Zbornik, Ashley Parker Angel, Liana Hunt, Michael Drolet (US), Michael DeVries Swings: Keith A. Bearden, Lauren Haughton, Ryan Jackson, Lauren Sambataro
Some mild overload, but and a crackling sound in places, but nothing bad enough to lower the full grade, but given the newness it's only just barely scraping that A-. Bwaytrader's master.
A-
Broadway, July 01, 2015 - matinee
Desi Oakley (u/s); Kara Lindsay; Matt Shingledecker; Fred Applegate; Timothy Britten Parker; Kathy Santen (u/s); Arielle Jacobs; Robin de Jesus
Desi Oakley's first performance as Elphaba.
TXC Trades's master. There's something tinny about the quality of this one - likely theatre acoustics? Not enough to drop the grade though.
A
Broadway, August 7, 2015
Caroline Bowman, Kara Lindsay, Arielle Jacobs, Matt Shingledecker, Fred Applegate, Michelle Lee, Robin De Jesus, Timothy Britton Parker
A
Broadway, September 15, 2015 - evening
Rachel Tucker; Kara Lindsay; Jonah Platt; Fred Applegate; Timothy Britten Parker; Michele Lee; Emily Ferranti (u/s); Robin de Jesus
First for Jonah Platt, first on Broadway for Rachel Tucker.
The fact this came to me with Evening specified makes me wonder if there was a matinee that was also taped?
A
Videos
Broadway Press Reels
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
About 20 minutes or so of pro-shot video from the show.
Let Us Be Glad (Opening), Wizard And I, Dancing Through Life, Popular, One Short Day, Defying Gravity (only complete number) Couldn’t Be Happier, Wonderful, As Long As You're Mine, For Good
These were transferred from VHS to be packed onto the DVD, so the quality suffers a bit.
B
Broadway, October 11, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
The first video of Wicked! Shot from the left hand side of the orchestra section - it looks as though very close to the stage because some wide shots show the lip of the stage. Most likely this was a blindshot. TONS of blackouts. Missing parts of Defying Gravity - the "Unlimited" sequence (just the way the break is and that the next thing you see is a "play" signal on the screen, looks like a VHS tape change,) and everything after "I hope you're happy ... my friend" as the guards are bursting in. So no flying scene.
There are a handful of very good shots here, but they're few and far between. However, this is the FIRST known video from Broadway, and thus worth it as a collector's peice if nothing more. I'm splitting the grade to reflect the good and bad.
A-/C+
Broadway, October 12, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Nicely filmed and clear, but with some major spot washout in places and the camera doesn't always follow the action. There's a blackout during the end of "Dancing through life". Missing the last few lines of the show.
B
Broadway, January 9, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (us), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Only known video of Diggs as Fiyero during his temporary replacement of Norbert Butz (years ago I actually knew the story behind that. I think Diggs went on for a few weeks as I recall.)
Originally shot in PAL format. Suffers from the typical color bleeding that happens in a PAL to NTSC transfer with even the best equipment. Compared to newer Wicked vids the shooting quality isn't the best - more wideshots than close-ups - but when it was released it was considered the best Wicked video out there. It was actually a video clip from this performance that hooked me on Wicked to begin with.
Missing the Small files.
B
Broadway, July 18, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth (final performance), Norbert Leo Butz (Final Performance),Sean McCourt (U/S, Wizard), Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer.
Complete blackout until after Glinda's line "The Wicked Witch of the West – is dead!" Also many other cover-ups and camera wandering. Thunderous applause when Kristen Chenoweth first appears. Also a few lines of dialogue worth missing from the beginning of the scene where Elphie and Galinda are about to tell secrets. Missing the very beginning of Act 2. Also missing the dialogue after "As Long As You're Mine" (Cuts off Idina's word, Wicked, and the rest of the dialogue)
Not sure about who plays Boq – doesn't sound like Christopher Fitzgerald.
Some adlibs by cast – Menzel's "Stay with me, I'll miss you" just before One Short Day practically stops the show. I choked up just watching it. Includes Menzel's farewell speech at the end to Chenoweth, Butz, and Grey (Who was at the performance and appeared onstage during the speeches though he did not perform.)
Also includes extra features from several TV spots:
1. Commercial by Thirteen.org
2. Broadway on Broadway - Idina Menzel - The Wizard and I
3. Today Show - Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel - Popular
4. David Letterman - Idina and ensemble - Defying Gravity
5. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Idina, Kristen, Ensemble - One Short Day
6. Theater Talk - Interview - Idina and Kristen
7. On Stage - Interview - Idina and Kristen
8. A&E Breakfast With The Arts - Idina and Kristen
9. Kristen and Idina - For Good - Macy's Window Display
10. Seth's Broadway Chatterbox W/ Idina Menzel
NTSC DVD
A-
Broadway, September 19, 2004
Kristy Cates (u/s); Jennifer Laura Thompson; Joey McIntire; George Hearn; Anthony Galde (u/s); Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Cates' second performance as Elphaba. Shot from the center orchestra. Complete except for the first 30 seconds of Act 2. Curtain call is audio only. The taper had to shoot this from his chest due to the usher situation. There is a large head on the stage right side, which blocks most of that far side including the 'gear' thrust setpiece and any action that takes place in that area. There is a smaller head at center a few rows down that doesn't really get in the way too much, and one on the stage left side that the taper was able to shoot around for the most part. A fair amount of wandering, especially earlier on in the video. Despite the issues this is an incredible video with amazing close-ups. Not sure if my copy is the first gen DVD copy the master put out or an early gen VHS transfer, but small files are present. Taped by RavnQuest.
Years ago there was a 2 disk version of this. The copy I have now is a single disk version. I'd be interested in seeking the 2 disk version to attempt to compare the two if anyone has it.
A
Broadway, October 20, 2004
Shoshana Bean (s/b), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey Macintyre, George Hearn, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer, William Youmans, Alexis Ann Carra (u/s- Witch's Mother)
Earliest video of Shoshana Bean's Elphaba (IIRC made shortly after she'd been made understudy.) A slight skip in the attic scene after the first 'I hope you're happy now' that ate half of the line after that, both picture and sound. Some quite amazing close ups, given the general state of the earlier Wicked videos. Likely transferred from a first or second generation VHS, since the master never did release it on DVD and never will. Filmed by RavnQuest.
Since I've been asked, this is the single-disk version, not the 2 disk version. Now that I know there IS a 2 disk version, I'd be interested to find it.
A-
Broadway, January 9, 2005
Shoshana Bean (SB), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre (Final Performance), George Hearn, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Robb Sapp (U/S, Boq), Idina Menzel (Cameo appearance, final scene, Final Performance.)
Quality: A
1st Generation from the digital Master. Was supposed to be Idina Menzel's final performance as Elphaba, but an accident onstage the day before kept her from performing, she is there for the speeches and makes a cameo in the final scene. Bean delivers an excellent performance, different than Menzel's, more childish. Thompson's Glinda grates on me at times. McIntyre has improved tenfold. Bean overpowers Thompson during "For Good".
Some wonderful shots. Random cover-ups. Camera wanders at times and misses what could be some really great shots. During Popular, there is a problem with the flower barrette that Glinda gives Elphaba – this stops the show for nearly a minute as Thompson attempts to get it attached in Bean's hair, futility, finally sticking it in the front of Bean's dress. In the next scene, there's still a problem with the barrette, it keeps falling out during Elphaba's discussion with Fiyero before class.
First five minutes or so of Act II are audio only. On the DVD, this time is a separate chapter, so if you're that bored with the black screen, you can fast forward to where there's video easily.
In the last scene, when Fiyero comes in as the Scarecrow, lifts the hat and knocks on the trap door, instead of Bean popping out, Menzel comes in from stage right. Literally, her appearance stops the show for a good three or four minutes as the audience goes wild with applause and many "Woo-hoo's" and "We Love You Idina"'s. Menzel finishes the scene (out of costume) with McIntyre, with several add-libs, and many audience interruptions with more applause. Some of what they say is almost unintelligible over the applause, but you can still feel the energy and emotion both in the crowd and onstage. Most of the cast are obviously overcome.
Thompson hams it up during her goodbye to McIntyre. Joe Montello (producer) comes out to give Idina's farewell speech.
Half of Idina's farewell speech is audio only (very disappointing!)
DVD is well mastered, includes slideshow of playbill at beginning, including understudy announcements.
NTSC DVD
US Tour, May 8, 2005
Stephanie J. Block, Kendra Kassebaum, David Garrison, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane, Jenna Leigh Green, Logan Lipton, Timothy Britten Parker
Large portions of this are very obviously blindshot. Heads in the way on either side of taper in farshots. Quite a few audio only portions. Which much of Act 1 is. Act 2 is much better shot - the taper really redeemed themselves here. However, the overall quality is slightly lacking, in part due to the compression of the files. Ch
Two WMV files - one per act.
B/C
Chicago, July 1, 2005
Ana Gasteyer, Kate Reinders, Kristoffer Cusick, Gene Weygandt, Steven Skybell, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Telly Leung
Very shaky, but with a fair mix of wide and close shots. Spot washout in all the usual places. The end of Defying Gravity almost looks as though it were shot in a small box. There are definitely two different 'versions' of this exact same video - one of them is much better quality while the other is obviously compressed. This is the higher quality version (nearly 4 gigabytes compared to 2.5 GB.)
A-
Broadway, August 17, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Megan Hilty, Ben Vereen, David Ayers, Adinah Alexander (u/s Morrible), Megan Sikora (u/s Nessarose)
This is the video that upped the bar for all Wicked master makers after. Some minor spot washout, and a few minor cover-ups, but other than that, an excellent capture.
JStarz master.
A
Broadway, October 8, 2006
Eden Espinosa (final), Kate Reinders, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane, David Garrison, Jenna Leigh Green, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell
Final on Broadway for Eden. Some great shots, but some not-so-great ones as well.
Eden's Defying Gravity ... OMG those riffs!
B+
London, November 8, 2006
Idina Menzel, Helen Dallimore, Adam Garcia, Katie Rowley Jones, James Gillan, Nigel Planer, Miriam Margolyes, Martin Ball
Well shot with a few coverups, but nothing too bad.
A-
Chicago, January 10, 2007
Dee Roscioli, Erin Mackey, Brad Bass, Gene Weygandt (Wizard), Rondi Reed (Morrible), Heidi Kettenring (Nessarose), Adam Fleming (Boq), William Youmans (Dillamond).
Decently shot from the balcony. The typical spot washout in all the usual places. Good mix of far and close shots.
A-
Chicago, February 2, 2007
Carmen Cusack (s/b Elphaba), Erin Mackey, Derrick Williams, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Gene Weygandt, Adam Fleming, K. Todd Freeman, Steve James Ewing.
Very well shot with some good close-ups. Very mildly shaky throughout however, which sometimes makes things a little fuzzy. I can't figure out the angle the camera is shooting from, but it's a little different - I like it.
A-
Broadway, May 22 2007
Julia Murney (Elphaba), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero), Jayne Houdyshell (Morrible), David Garrison (The Wizard), Cristy Candler (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq), Steven Skybell (Dr. Dillamond)
Lots of nice closeups, looks well shot. Occaisional head in the way.
A
Broadway, October 9, 2007
Stephanie J Block, Annaleigh Ashford, Sebastian Arcelus, Lenny Wolpe, Kathy Santen as (u/s) Morrible, Cristy Candler, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell
Block and Ashford's first together on Broadway. Very well shot video.
A
Los Angeles, November 2, 2008
Eden Espinosa, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams, David Garrison, Carol Kane, Briana Yacavone, Eddy Rioseco, David DeVries
Plenty of mid to close zooms, but somewhat shaky, like the taper neglected to put on the stabilization feature. Very receptive audience.
Not the best of Eden's performances, she doesn't go for the riffs on Defying Gravity that I know she can do.
A-
Los Angeles, January 11, 2009
Eden Espinosa, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane,David Garrison, Briana Yacavonne, Eddy Rioseco, Tom Flynn, Everth Lopez
Final performance in Los Angeles (this production would move to San Francisco as a sit-down production.) Quite shaky (similar to the November 2, 2008 video of this production), with a head in the way at the center bottom of the screen that blocks parts of shots in the center of the stage. Some coverups, mostly short. Includes speeches at the end, but those are audio only.
A-
US Tour, February 26, 2009
Merideth Kaye Clark (s/b Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke, Richard H. Blake, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Lenny Wolpe, Amanda Rose, Ben Liebert, Paul Slade Smith
Very nice with tons of closeups. Some focus issues from time to time, but not constant. Some minor head obstruction, which the filmer took care to shoot around, but it sometimes blocks part of the lower right corner of the screen. There's something over the lens of the camera, little specks of something white or grey - mostly noticible in nearly dark scenes (such as ALAYM). During No Good Deed, the fire alarm goes off. Merideth stays in character the entire time, and once the need for evacuation is announced, she exits stage in character. The show resumes with No Good Deed after the evacuation is over.
A
US Tour, August 29, 2010 (Columbus, OH)
Carla Stickler (u/s), Chandra Lee Schwartz, Richard H. Blake, Richard Kline, Randy Danson, Michelle London, Justin Brill, Steven Skybell
HIGHLIGHTS, about 90 minutes long, includes: No One Mourns the Wicked, Room Assignments, The Wizard and I, Fiyero's Entrance (first minute), Elphie Dance / OzDust Ballroom, Sharing Secrets, Popular, The Lion Cub (after classroom scene), I'm Not That Girl, One Short Day, Defying Gravity, Wicked Witch of the East (second half), Wonderful, As Long As You're Mine, House in the Sky, Munchkinland, No Good Deed, Kiamo Ko, For Good, The Melting, Finale. Credits included in the end (during the rolling credits after the playbill shots, Carla's last name is mispelled as Stickles. Ooops!)
Very well shot with a good mix of close-ups and wide shots. Shot from the orchestra (possibly mid-orchestra.) There's a head right at about center stage that's typically not a problem (except when the two witches are down on the floor just before the Catfight), and another one that mildly blocks some action on the right, but the taper does a good job of shooting around both of them. Some mild blurring when the light meter is adjusted for dark scenes. Mild spotlight washout in a lot of the typical places (although Nessa's face isn't a complete wash for a change in WWOTE.)
Carla is flipping amazing ... WHY was she never made a principal?
A-
US Tour, October 3, 2010 (Madison)
Vicki Noon, Rachel Potter (us), Chris Peluso, Don Amendolia, Marilyn Caskey, David De Vries, Kristine Reese, Zach Hanna
Very good shooting, nice clear shots throughout. Amazing close-ups throughout. Some brief camera wandering in places. A few minor coverups.
Missing Smalls.
A
Broadway, November 12, 2010
Mandy Gonzales, Laura Woyasz (s/b), Andy Karl, P.J. Benjamin, Kathy Fitzgerald, Jenny Fellner, Etai BenShlomo
Nicely shot with a good mix of close-ups and wide shots. Some spot light wash out in the usual places (is there a video out there where Nessa's face isn't a white blur during WWOTE? I've yet to find one.) The taper used obviously knows how to adjust the exposure settings manually because this was seriously one of the best looking ALAYM I've ever seen in terms of color and brightness - it's usually tons darker, but I can see the slight variations in color on Elphaba's dress.
A
London, November 23, 2010
Rachel Tucker, Sarah Earnshaw (SB), Lee Mead
Very well shot video with tons of close up. Only thing that brings down the grade is the compression issue.
AVI format only
B
US Tour, December 18, 2010 (Matinee. Chicago, IL)
Carla Stickler (u/s), Chandra Lee Schwartz, Richard H. Blake
Some black outs, but some friggen AWESOME close ups more than make up for it. Previous trader had it tagged as being "Shot from the very front row", if that's the case, I have to say this was one BALLSY taper, because just from how spot on the video is in most places, I don't see how this could be blind shot. The angle is very different from most other Wicked videos, that's for sure. Carla is just AMAZEBALLS (Again, WHY was this woman never made a principal???) The angle solves a lot of the spot washout problems that happen in various places (This is probably the best shot of Nessa during WWOTE that I've EVER seen, her face isn't washed out at ALL.)
A+
Netherlands, January 10, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Cèline Purcell (Alt. Glinda), Ferry Doedens (Alt. Fiyero), Bill van Dijk (The Wizard), Pamela Teves (Morrible), Niels Jacobs (Boq), Christanne de Bruijn (Nessarose), Jochem Feste Roozemond (Dillamond)
Beautifully shot from the orchestra. Spotlight washout in a few places. Gorgeous detail though otherwise.
A
Netherlands, January 11, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik, Yvonne Coldeweijer, Jim Bakkum (Fiyero), Pamela Teves (Madame Akaber), Christanne de Bruijn (Nessarose), Jochem Feste Roozemond (Professor Dillamond), Niels Jacobs (Boq)
Last performance in the netherlands. First act is filmed perfectly but the second act is mostly blind filming.
Gorgeous video with amazing closeups. Includes speeches at the curtian calls, and extra people come onstage out of costume but with flowers.
A
Broadway, February 10, 2013
Donna Vivino (SB), Alli Mauzey, Kyle Dean Massey, Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Adam Grupper (The Wizard), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), F. Michael Haynie (Boq)
Eleka Nahmen's Master
Very well shot and clear. Occaisional heads during wide-shots. Includes plenty of beautiful close ups. Thanks to some wonderful traders, I have cleared up the location and date info confusion!
2 mp4 Files
A
Broadway, May 12, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik, Katie Rose Clarke, Kyle Dean Massey, Randy Danson, Adam Grupper, Catherine Charlebois, F Michael Haynie, John Schiappa
Filmed from the orchestra, very steady with few obstructions. Some wandering moments and some minor spot washout.
A
London, April 12, 2014 (Matinee)
Emma Hatton (Elphaba s/b), Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Jeremy Taylor (Fiyero).
(Denoted as Matinee because there is a highlights from the evening show on this date.) No zooms, shot from the Dress Circle (since I don't know the theatre this is in, I'm assuming that it's pretty far back because those shots look very high up.) Shakyness and head obstruction. Includes curtain call and Savannah's speech about Emma's participation in the London Marathon. I'm splitting the grade - the higher one is basically because it's a low gen video, the lower is for the lack of close-ups. Cityofemerald's master.
A/B
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
About 20 minutes or so of pro-shot video from the show.
Let Us Be Glad (Opening), Wizard And I, Dancing Through Life, Popular, One Short Day, Defying Gravity (only complete number) Couldn’t Be Happier, Wonderful, As Long As You're Mine, For Good
These were transferred from VHS to be packed onto the DVD, so the quality suffers a bit.
B
Broadway, October 11, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
The first video of Wicked! Shot from the left hand side of the orchestra section - it looks as though very close to the stage because some wide shots show the lip of the stage. Most likely this was a blindshot. TONS of blackouts. Missing parts of Defying Gravity - the "Unlimited" sequence (just the way the break is and that the next thing you see is a "play" signal on the screen, looks like a VHS tape change,) and everything after "I hope you're happy ... my friend" as the guards are bursting in. So no flying scene.
There are a handful of very good shots here, but they're few and far between. However, this is the FIRST known video from Broadway, and thus worth it as a collector's peice if nothing more. I'm splitting the grade to reflect the good and bad.
A-/C+
Broadway, October 12, 2003
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Nicely filmed and clear, but with some major spot washout in places and the camera doesn't always follow the action. There's a blackout during the end of "Dancing through life". Missing the last few lines of the show.
B
Broadway, January 9, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs (us), Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans
Only known video of Diggs as Fiyero during his temporary replacement of Norbert Butz (years ago I actually knew the story behind that. I think Diggs went on for a few weeks as I recall.)
Originally shot in PAL format. Suffers from the typical color bleeding that happens in a PAL to NTSC transfer with even the best equipment. Compared to newer Wicked vids the shooting quality isn't the best - more wideshots than close-ups - but when it was released it was considered the best Wicked video out there. It was actually a video clip from this performance that hooked me on Wicked to begin with.
Missing the Small files.
B
Broadway, July 18, 2004
Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth (final performance), Norbert Leo Butz (Final Performance),Sean McCourt (U/S, Wizard), Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer.
Complete blackout until after Glinda's line "The Wicked Witch of the West – is dead!" Also many other cover-ups and camera wandering. Thunderous applause when Kristen Chenoweth first appears. Also a few lines of dialogue worth missing from the beginning of the scene where Elphie and Galinda are about to tell secrets. Missing the very beginning of Act 2. Also missing the dialogue after "As Long As You're Mine" (Cuts off Idina's word, Wicked, and the rest of the dialogue)
Not sure about who plays Boq – doesn't sound like Christopher Fitzgerald.
Some adlibs by cast – Menzel's "Stay with me, I'll miss you" just before One Short Day practically stops the show. I choked up just watching it. Includes Menzel's farewell speech at the end to Chenoweth, Butz, and Grey (Who was at the performance and appeared onstage during the speeches though he did not perform.)
Also includes extra features from several TV spots:
1. Commercial by Thirteen.org
2. Broadway on Broadway - Idina Menzel - The Wizard and I
3. Today Show - Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel - Popular
4. David Letterman - Idina and ensemble - Defying Gravity
5. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Idina, Kristen, Ensemble - One Short Day
6. Theater Talk - Interview - Idina and Kristen
7. On Stage - Interview - Idina and Kristen
8. A&E Breakfast With The Arts - Idina and Kristen
9. Kristen and Idina - For Good - Macy's Window Display
10. Seth's Broadway Chatterbox W/ Idina Menzel
NTSC DVD
A-
Broadway, September 19, 2004
Kristy Cates (u/s); Jennifer Laura Thompson; Joey McIntire; George Hearn; Anthony Galde (u/s); Carole Shelley; Michelle Federer; Christopher Fitzgerald
Cates' second performance as Elphaba. Shot from the center orchestra. Complete except for the first 30 seconds of Act 2. Curtain call is audio only. The taper had to shoot this from his chest due to the usher situation. There is a large head on the stage right side, which blocks most of that far side including the 'gear' thrust setpiece and any action that takes place in that area. There is a smaller head at center a few rows down that doesn't really get in the way too much, and one on the stage left side that the taper was able to shoot around for the most part. A fair amount of wandering, especially earlier on in the video. Despite the issues this is an incredible video with amazing close-ups. Not sure if my copy is the first gen DVD copy the master put out or an early gen VHS transfer, but small files are present. Taped by RavnQuest.
Years ago there was a 2 disk version of this. The copy I have now is a single disk version. I'd be interested in seeking the 2 disk version to attempt to compare the two if anyone has it.
A
Broadway, October 20, 2004
Shoshana Bean (s/b), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey Macintyre, George Hearn, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michelle Federer, William Youmans, Alexis Ann Carra (u/s- Witch's Mother)
Earliest video of Shoshana Bean's Elphaba (IIRC made shortly after she'd been made understudy.) A slight skip in the attic scene after the first 'I hope you're happy now' that ate half of the line after that, both picture and sound. Some quite amazing close ups, given the general state of the earlier Wicked videos. Likely transferred from a first or second generation VHS, since the master never did release it on DVD and never will. Filmed by RavnQuest.
Since I've been asked, this is the single-disk version, not the 2 disk version. Now that I know there IS a 2 disk version, I'd be interested to find it.
A-
Broadway, January 9, 2005
Shoshana Bean (SB), Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre (Final Performance), George Hearn, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Robb Sapp (U/S, Boq), Idina Menzel (Cameo appearance, final scene, Final Performance.)
Quality: A
1st Generation from the digital Master. Was supposed to be Idina Menzel's final performance as Elphaba, but an accident onstage the day before kept her from performing, she is there for the speeches and makes a cameo in the final scene. Bean delivers an excellent performance, different than Menzel's, more childish. Thompson's Glinda grates on me at times. McIntyre has improved tenfold. Bean overpowers Thompson during "For Good".
Some wonderful shots. Random cover-ups. Camera wanders at times and misses what could be some really great shots. During Popular, there is a problem with the flower barrette that Glinda gives Elphaba – this stops the show for nearly a minute as Thompson attempts to get it attached in Bean's hair, futility, finally sticking it in the front of Bean's dress. In the next scene, there's still a problem with the barrette, it keeps falling out during Elphaba's discussion with Fiyero before class.
First five minutes or so of Act II are audio only. On the DVD, this time is a separate chapter, so if you're that bored with the black screen, you can fast forward to where there's video easily.
In the last scene, when Fiyero comes in as the Scarecrow, lifts the hat and knocks on the trap door, instead of Bean popping out, Menzel comes in from stage right. Literally, her appearance stops the show for a good three or four minutes as the audience goes wild with applause and many "Woo-hoo's" and "We Love You Idina"'s. Menzel finishes the scene (out of costume) with McIntyre, with several add-libs, and many audience interruptions with more applause. Some of what they say is almost unintelligible over the applause, but you can still feel the energy and emotion both in the crowd and onstage. Most of the cast are obviously overcome.
Thompson hams it up during her goodbye to McIntyre. Joe Montello (producer) comes out to give Idina's farewell speech.
Half of Idina's farewell speech is audio only (very disappointing!)
DVD is well mastered, includes slideshow of playbill at beginning, including understudy announcements.
NTSC DVD
US Tour, May 8, 2005
Stephanie J. Block, Kendra Kassebaum, David Garrison, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane, Jenna Leigh Green, Logan Lipton, Timothy Britten Parker
Large portions of this are very obviously blindshot. Heads in the way on either side of taper in farshots. Quite a few audio only portions. Which much of Act 1 is. Act 2 is much better shot - the taper really redeemed themselves here. However, the overall quality is slightly lacking, in part due to the compression of the files. Ch
Two WMV files - one per act.
B/C
Chicago, July 1, 2005
Ana Gasteyer, Kate Reinders, Kristoffer Cusick, Gene Weygandt, Steven Skybell, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Telly Leung
Very shaky, but with a fair mix of wide and close shots. Spot washout in all the usual places. The end of Defying Gravity almost looks as though it were shot in a small box. There are definitely two different 'versions' of this exact same video - one of them is much better quality while the other is obviously compressed. This is the higher quality version (nearly 4 gigabytes compared to 2.5 GB.)
A-
Broadway, August 17, 2005
Shoshana Bean, Megan Hilty, Ben Vereen, David Ayers, Adinah Alexander (u/s Morrible), Megan Sikora (u/s Nessarose)
This is the video that upped the bar for all Wicked master makers after. Some minor spot washout, and a few minor cover-ups, but other than that, an excellent capture.
JStarz master.
A
Broadway, October 8, 2006
Eden Espinosa (final), Kate Reinders, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane, David Garrison, Jenna Leigh Green, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell
Final on Broadway for Eden. Some great shots, but some not-so-great ones as well.
Eden's Defying Gravity ... OMG those riffs!
B+
London, November 8, 2006
Idina Menzel, Helen Dallimore, Adam Garcia, Katie Rowley Jones, James Gillan, Nigel Planer, Miriam Margolyes, Martin Ball
Well shot with a few coverups, but nothing too bad.
A-
Chicago, January 10, 2007
Dee Roscioli, Erin Mackey, Brad Bass, Gene Weygandt (Wizard), Rondi Reed (Morrible), Heidi Kettenring (Nessarose), Adam Fleming (Boq), William Youmans (Dillamond).
Decently shot from the balcony. The typical spot washout in all the usual places. Good mix of far and close shots.
A-
Chicago, February 2, 2007
Carmen Cusack (s/b Elphaba), Erin Mackey, Derrick Williams, Rondi Reed, Heidi Kettenring, Gene Weygandt, Adam Fleming, K. Todd Freeman, Steve James Ewing.
Very well shot with some good close-ups. Very mildly shaky throughout however, which sometimes makes things a little fuzzy. I can't figure out the angle the camera is shooting from, but it's a little different - I like it.
A-
Broadway, May 22 2007
Julia Murney (Elphaba), Kendra Kassebaum (Glinda), Sebastian Arcelus (Fiyero), Jayne Houdyshell (Morrible), David Garrison (The Wizard), Cristy Candler (Nessarose), Logan Lipton (Boq), Steven Skybell (Dr. Dillamond)
Lots of nice closeups, looks well shot. Occaisional head in the way.
A
Broadway, October 9, 2007
Stephanie J Block, Annaleigh Ashford, Sebastian Arcelus, Lenny Wolpe, Kathy Santen as (u/s) Morrible, Cristy Candler, Logan Lipton, Steven Skybell
Block and Ashford's first together on Broadway. Very well shot video.
A
Los Angeles, November 2, 2008
Eden Espinosa, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams, David Garrison, Carol Kane, Briana Yacavone, Eddy Rioseco, David DeVries
Plenty of mid to close zooms, but somewhat shaky, like the taper neglected to put on the stabilization feature. Very receptive audience.
Not the best of Eden's performances, she doesn't go for the riffs on Defying Gravity that I know she can do.
A-
Los Angeles, January 11, 2009
Eden Espinosa, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams, Carol Kane,David Garrison, Briana Yacavonne, Eddy Rioseco, Tom Flynn, Everth Lopez
Final performance in Los Angeles (this production would move to San Francisco as a sit-down production.) Quite shaky (similar to the November 2, 2008 video of this production), with a head in the way at the center bottom of the screen that blocks parts of shots in the center of the stage. Some coverups, mostly short. Includes speeches at the end, but those are audio only.
A-
US Tour, February 26, 2009
Merideth Kaye Clark (s/b Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke, Richard H. Blake, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Lenny Wolpe, Amanda Rose, Ben Liebert, Paul Slade Smith
Very nice with tons of closeups. Some focus issues from time to time, but not constant. Some minor head obstruction, which the filmer took care to shoot around, but it sometimes blocks part of the lower right corner of the screen. There's something over the lens of the camera, little specks of something white or grey - mostly noticible in nearly dark scenes (such as ALAYM). During No Good Deed, the fire alarm goes off. Merideth stays in character the entire time, and once the need for evacuation is announced, she exits stage in character. The show resumes with No Good Deed after the evacuation is over.
A
US Tour, August 29, 2010 (Columbus, OH)
Carla Stickler (u/s), Chandra Lee Schwartz, Richard H. Blake, Richard Kline, Randy Danson, Michelle London, Justin Brill, Steven Skybell
HIGHLIGHTS, about 90 minutes long, includes: No One Mourns the Wicked, Room Assignments, The Wizard and I, Fiyero's Entrance (first minute), Elphie Dance / OzDust Ballroom, Sharing Secrets, Popular, The Lion Cub (after classroom scene), I'm Not That Girl, One Short Day, Defying Gravity, Wicked Witch of the East (second half), Wonderful, As Long As You're Mine, House in the Sky, Munchkinland, No Good Deed, Kiamo Ko, For Good, The Melting, Finale. Credits included in the end (during the rolling credits after the playbill shots, Carla's last name is mispelled as Stickles. Ooops!)
Very well shot with a good mix of close-ups and wide shots. Shot from the orchestra (possibly mid-orchestra.) There's a head right at about center stage that's typically not a problem (except when the two witches are down on the floor just before the Catfight), and another one that mildly blocks some action on the right, but the taper does a good job of shooting around both of them. Some mild blurring when the light meter is adjusted for dark scenes. Mild spotlight washout in a lot of the typical places (although Nessa's face isn't a complete wash for a change in WWOTE.)
Carla is flipping amazing ... WHY was she never made a principal?
A-
US Tour, October 3, 2010 (Madison)
Vicki Noon, Rachel Potter (us), Chris Peluso, Don Amendolia, Marilyn Caskey, David De Vries, Kristine Reese, Zach Hanna
Very good shooting, nice clear shots throughout. Amazing close-ups throughout. Some brief camera wandering in places. A few minor coverups.
Missing Smalls.
A
Broadway, November 12, 2010
Mandy Gonzales, Laura Woyasz (s/b), Andy Karl, P.J. Benjamin, Kathy Fitzgerald, Jenny Fellner, Etai BenShlomo
Nicely shot with a good mix of close-ups and wide shots. Some spot light wash out in the usual places (is there a video out there where Nessa's face isn't a white blur during WWOTE? I've yet to find one.) The taper used obviously knows how to adjust the exposure settings manually because this was seriously one of the best looking ALAYM I've ever seen in terms of color and brightness - it's usually tons darker, but I can see the slight variations in color on Elphaba's dress.
A
London, November 23, 2010
Rachel Tucker, Sarah Earnshaw (SB), Lee Mead
Very well shot video with tons of close up. Only thing that brings down the grade is the compression issue.
AVI format only
B
US Tour, December 18, 2010 (Matinee. Chicago, IL)
Carla Stickler (u/s), Chandra Lee Schwartz, Richard H. Blake
Some black outs, but some friggen AWESOME close ups more than make up for it. Previous trader had it tagged as being "Shot from the very front row", if that's the case, I have to say this was one BALLSY taper, because just from how spot on the video is in most places, I don't see how this could be blind shot. The angle is very different from most other Wicked videos, that's for sure. Carla is just AMAZEBALLS (Again, WHY was this woman never made a principal???) The angle solves a lot of the spot washout problems that happen in various places (This is probably the best shot of Nessa during WWOTE that I've EVER seen, her face isn't washed out at ALL.)
A+
Netherlands, January 10, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Cèline Purcell (Alt. Glinda), Ferry Doedens (Alt. Fiyero), Bill van Dijk (The Wizard), Pamela Teves (Morrible), Niels Jacobs (Boq), Christanne de Bruijn (Nessarose), Jochem Feste Roozemond (Dillamond)
Beautifully shot from the orchestra. Spotlight washout in a few places. Gorgeous detail though otherwise.
A
Netherlands, January 11, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik, Yvonne Coldeweijer, Jim Bakkum (Fiyero), Pamela Teves (Madame Akaber), Christanne de Bruijn (Nessarose), Jochem Feste Roozemond (Professor Dillamond), Niels Jacobs (Boq)
Last performance in the netherlands. First act is filmed perfectly but the second act is mostly blind filming.
Gorgeous video with amazing closeups. Includes speeches at the curtian calls, and extra people come onstage out of costume but with flowers.
A
Broadway, February 10, 2013
Donna Vivino (SB), Alli Mauzey, Kyle Dean Massey, Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Adam Grupper (The Wizard), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), F. Michael Haynie (Boq)
Eleka Nahmen's Master
Very well shot and clear. Occaisional heads during wide-shots. Includes plenty of beautiful close ups. Thanks to some wonderful traders, I have cleared up the location and date info confusion!
2 mp4 Files
A
Broadway, May 12, 2013
Willemijn Verkaik, Katie Rose Clarke, Kyle Dean Massey, Randy Danson, Adam Grupper, Catherine Charlebois, F Michael Haynie, John Schiappa
Filmed from the orchestra, very steady with few obstructions. Some wandering moments and some minor spot washout.
A
London, April 12, 2014 (Matinee)
Emma Hatton (Elphaba s/b), Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Jeremy Taylor (Fiyero).
(Denoted as Matinee because there is a highlights from the evening show on this date.) No zooms, shot from the Dress Circle (since I don't know the theatre this is in, I'm assuming that it's pretty far back because those shots look very high up.) Shakyness and head obstruction. Includes curtain call and Savannah's speech about Emma's participation in the London Marathon. I'm splitting the grade - the higher one is basically because it's a low gen video, the lower is for the lack of close-ups. Cityofemerald's master.
A/B