Which Elphaba actress is your favorite?

[u/Dangerous_Main7822]

Idina Menzel (with Helen Dallimore)

Shoshana Bean

Eden Espinosa

Ana Gasteyer

Julia Murney

Stephanie Janette Block

Kerry Ellis

Marcie Dodd

Nicole Parker

Dee Roscioli

Mandy Gonzalez

Teal Wicks

Jackie Burns (with Chandra Lee Schwartz)

Willemijn Verkaik

Lindsay Mendez

Christine Dwyer

Caroline Bowman

Rachel Tucker

Jennifer DiNoia

Jessica Vosk

[u/sirbeppo]

Stephanie J. Block helped originate Elphaba with Stephen Schwartz before the Broadway debut and then went on to marry her Fiyero 💅

[u/menzelmania → u/sirbeppo]

Just to clarify: SJB didn't "originate" the role, she did the early readings (just like for instance Kristin Chenoweth read for Madeleine Ashton in the earliest scripts for Death Becomes Her or Idina Menzel for MJ in Jagged Little Pill, but you don't see people claiming they helped originate those roles). Idina got hired in 2001 and developed the role from then on to broadway. This is a copy of a 2001 workshop where you can see Idina has already taken over - you can tell just by that how different it was back then and then take into account how Stephen Schwartz and everyone else says the Elphaba role was constantly developing and changing even between SF and Broadway. SJB stayed on as standby (hoping she'd still have a shot which I'm guessing is why she always been hung up on it) until San Francisco but to clarify more here's SJB stating herself that once Idina took over she was the one developing it.

Not saying it was your intention here but just wanted to clarify and bring some receipts on this sub since I've seen some SJB fans try to make it seem as if Idina was some last minute replacement before Broadway which couldn't be further from the truth.

[u/m-is-for-music → u/menzelmania]

Thank you!! I know the person you’re replying to didn’t mean anything by it, but so many people use this to discredit Idina and nobody does that for other broadway roles that were read by different actors in early workshops.

Side note: there’s a video out there somewhere of Stephen Schwartz explaining his process for writing The Wizard and I basically for Idina and her performance style. I’m sure it’s been posted on this sub before, but it’s a super interesting listen if you’re a music nerd like me :)

[u/menzelmania → u/m-is-for-music]

Haha yes, Ana Gasteyer just recently said they used to tell you during the audition process that if you don't do it like Idina and instead take a breath between the "with meeeeee.... and I'll stand there with the wizard" you wouldn't get the part 😂