Wicked The Musical | Alice Fearn, Sophie Evans, + More | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Alice Fearn, Sophie Evans, and Bradley Jaden make Wicked’s iconic characters their own by returning to the original script and story, adding personal touches, and performing truthfully instead of copying earlier actors. The three principals, Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero, also discuss how personality and interpretation shape their roles, offering a revealing reason to read on.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: Right, well, good afternoon. And welcome to a very special Talks at Google. I am delighted to have the three principals from "Wicked" here. We've got Sophie Evans, who plays Glinda. Give it up for Sophie. [APPLAUSE] Sophie's mom is also here today. So we're very glad that everyone can see her. SOPHIE EVANS: Yay! Thank you, ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😌 The power of live theater lies in its ability to transport and challenge audiences, and actors can learn and grow through their characters and performances.
• 👀 Assumptions and stereotypes can be dangerous, and "Wicked" aims to challenge and redefine these assumptions, using its characters to demonstrate the importance of looking beyond appearances.
• 😫 Backstage at "Wicked" is a well-organized chaos, with a talented crew ensuring smooth costume changes and set transitions.
• 👶 After finishing a show, actors may audition for new roles, take some downtime, or even travel with the show, depending on their individual circumstances and aspirations.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do the Wicked cast members make iconic characters their own?

Alice Fearn says she returns to the original book, story, script, and words to understand why a character reacts in particular ways. Sophie Evans and Bradley Jaden similarly preserve what was written while adding their own personalities and telling the story as truthfully as possible.

Q: Who appears in this Talks at Google discussion about Wicked?

The discussion features three principals from Wicked: Alice Fearn as Elphaba, Sophie Evans as Glinda, and Bradley Jaden as Fiyero. The event was structured as a 45-minute cast conversation, with audience questions beginning halfway through.

Q: How does Alice Fearn approach playing Elphaba?

Alice Fearn begins with the original material rather than allowing previous portrayals to control her performance. She believes this process helps an actor create a version of the character that feels true, real, and relatable.

Q: What does Sophie Evans bring to the role of Glinda?

Sophie Evans tries to make Glinda truthful while naturally contributing some of her own clumsiness and ditziness. She interprets Glinda’s seemingly catty remarks as coming from a truthful and fundamentally good place.

Q: How did Sophie Evans react when Kristin Chenoweth attended Wicked?

Sophie Evans described Kristin Chenoweth’s attendance as “crazy” because she had listened to Chenoweth sing “Popular” as a teenager and wanted to be like her. Evans said she probably added a few Kristin Chenoweth-style accents during that performance.

Q: How does Bradley Jaden make Fiyero distinctive?

Bradley Jaden avoids replicating another performer and focuses on telling the story in his own truthful way. He also adds personal touches, including Fiyero’s long hair and a slightly different “Toss Toss.”

Q: Why is truthfulness important to the Wicked cast?

All three cast members connect truthfulness with making the characters believable and helping the audience follow the story. Their approach combines fidelity to the lyrics and dialogue with individual interpretation rather than imitation.

Q: Does Bradley Jaden view Fiyero as arrogant?

No. Bradley Jaden describes Fiyero as having his own cavalier style and notes that he is different from the other people at Shiz, while questioning whether that behavior might be normal where Fiyero comes from.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The three cast members discuss how they make the iconic characters of "Wicked" their own by going back to the original material and finding their own interpretations.

• They emphasize the importance of truthfulness and authenticity in their performances, as well as the complexity and nuance of the characters they portray.

• The cast members highlight the lessons and messages of the show, including the importance of forgiveness, the dangers of assumptions and gossip, and the power of friendship.