In 2009, WICKED's fantastic Production Stage Manager, Marybeth Abel gave a rare and special glimpse behind the scenes covering a full working day of what it's like to be a PSM on one of Broadway's hottest shows - WICKED!
LOVED THIS!!! So important to understand the MANY jobs that need to be performed to make a production come to life. It’s not just the actors, singers, dancers and others on stage. The backstage contingent is just as important (maybe more so?!) than those people who are on stage.
Fascinating! Our oldest granddaughter (13) is going for the first time next week. We've been there before and know she'll love it!... I'll share this video with her after she's seen the performance.
I saw a "witch switch" live, in Nashville. It was just like they described, where one went off stage, and a different Elphaba came right back on. I think the new Elphaba came out right when they got to the Emerald City, as they started "One Short Day" -- which is near the end of the first act. I noticed it was somebody different as soon as she came out. Fresher green makeup was part of it, but she was obviously a different person. Right before Act II started, they announced that somebody else was playing Elphaba, as of late in the first act.
The Elphaba who got sick was actually in LA and it was Eden Espinosa wasn't feeling well. Julie Rieber who was the Standby at the time went on after Popular.
Checking in Oct 2019 - in late 2011 she said they'd done almost 2500 performances. That means they've done 5000 performances on just Broadway. That doesn't include all the tours.
I know this is super old but it jsut popped up in my recommended videos: THIS IS THE DREAM! One day I can only dream of being on the SM team of a long running broadway show!
Yes, he left the show. Gregg Kirsopp is the 2nd ASM there now. He's a BRILLIANT stage manager and just put the Mexico City company together, along with the creative team.
I am too. although i'm surprised Christy didn't get the bump to PSM because as i recall right the order of the Stage Managers when Jason was still their was Marybeth,Christy,Jennifer the Jason
actually there have been about a handful of Ephaba (later Glinda,Broadway only) standby's that have also gotten the 1st Understudy for Nessarose.but not every Standby gets the Nessa gig.
I'm sure that the annual customers that see the show often usually can tell, every actor has a unique voice in some way. The annual customers I think have a better ear for this kind of observation.
Standbys never get other understudy roles, they're used for one role and one role only. Plus it's the Standbys who are jealous because they always have to sit backstage and be bored!
Just looked up your name and realized your the eqivalent of Marybeth (and Jason) on Tour 2 I had a ? about the 2nd tour. did any of your set pieces come from the Chicago open ended run or was it all built from scratch?
interesting. are there anyt plans for a Dutch Cast album? if so, it would be nice to hear your orchestra on it rather than re-hashin the Broadway backing tracks (which is what i THINK they've done w/ every cast albunm that has come out since Broadway's (I love the Horn interlude during "As lopng As Your Mine" alas Broadway has different orchestrations so they don't do thatin NY)
They stopped the show for about 30 to 40 mins for the standby to get green, just to complete the remaining 5~10 mins of the show. That's what Idina said during one of her concerts last time.
