She was Elphaba when I first saw Wicked in 2008, and I never knew she portrayed this character and sang this song!!! The very best I’ve ever heard! This song was huge pageant song in the 80’s.
But Stephanie J. Block is in a fur coat, like three pounds of clown white makeup, a synthetic wig, and she is in 90 degree heat, playing to 11,000 people OUTSIDE. This superstar is rolling on the floor, pawing at it like a fucking cat, and then she gets up and sings that like *eeevverrry* like you know how it's really low? And then up to the Heaviside Layer 'touch me it's so easy to leave me'. I cannot believe the AUDACITY of Stephanie J. Block to do that in St Louis!? And she was 'Stephanie J. Block' at the time, like, 2008 or 2011, she was Stephanie J. Block - she was 'Broadway's Stephanie J. Block', and she said 'You know what. I'm going to give this the gusto that a 22 year old musical theatre student would give it at their acting final'. (if you know, you know.)
In my opinion, she is the only person who has sung the climax of this song at the same level as the original Betty Buckley (whose performance I honestly still prefer). They both balance total vocal command with the abandon and desperation of the moment. Incredible!
I didn't recognize Stephanie when she turned her head to the camera because if all of the white makeup but hearing her voice reminded me that this was her.
