Latest news with #Wicked
Geek Tyrant
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Amanda Seyfried Auditioned Six Times For WICKED Before Losing the Role - "I Worked My Ass Off For Years on That Music" — GeekTyrant
When the Wicked movie was announced, many people had opinions about who might be good to take on the lead roles. One name that made the rounds was Amanda Seyfried, who seemed like a perfect fit for the role of Glinda. She is a great actress, and she showed off her singing chops in the films Les Misérables and the Mamma Mia! franchise. As it turns out, Seyfried also thought she'd be great in the role, and she entered a long audition process in hopes to get it. Speaking on Backstage's In the Envelope podcast (via People), the Oscar nominee revealed: 'I auditioned like six times for 'Wicked.' Because that had to be really just right. And I like, I loved it. I was busy. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work. I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music. I'm competitive… with myself in a really healthy way.' 'There's something really beautiful about auditioning,' she continued. 'If you really have the skill, you're going to show it no matter what. There's this weird fear when you walk in that you have to make an impression right away, which you do but the only impression that is helpful is to be yourself. The things that people do… the way they behave when they're nervous can be off-putting. Centering yourself and saying what you feel instead of a bunch of bullshit is helpful.' Ariana Grande ended up landing the role of Glinda, and earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for the first flim. The Broadway musical was split into two movies, and the second, Wicked: For Good , arrives in theaters this November. Seyfried told People magazine last year that she was loved the 'fantastic' first movie even if she didn't get the role. 'It's an extravaganza, which is what she [Grande] does really well,' Seyfried said. 'And [my kids] have been playing the soundtrack nonstop. And everything is as it's meant to be for sure.'
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
STAGEFEST Thrills One and All at Dalkeith Country Park Edinburgh!
Over 2500 people attended this inclusive and wildly entertaining outdoor performance festival. STAGEFEST was a full day of events, performances, workshops, food and fun for Stagecoach students and their families. 750 local young performers were the VIPs of the day as they took to the stage to perform musical theatre showstoppers in the majestic surroundings of Dalkeith Country Park. A diverse array of numbers were performed across the day and dazzled the delighted audience with medleys from Our House, The Addams Family, Wicked, School of Rock, Hamilton and Jekyll & Hyde plus songs from the movies including The Hunger Games, The Lego Movie, Minions, 101 Dalmatians, The Greatest Showman, The Little Mermaid, Deadpool and Mary Poppins. Stagecoach Edinburgh's Principal Tina Strong was blown away by the success of the whole event: 'Bringing a community together like this to celebrate performance, belonging and creativity is so special. Nothing similar to this happens in Edinburgh and it's such a brilliant experience for the children and their families.' Other highlights of the event included: circus workshops, storytelling, magic, a silent disco, facepainting, traditional game stalls featuring games such as 'Hook a Duck' and 'Guess the Sweets in the Jar!' There was even a bouncy slide, an obstacle course and human table football for all to enjoy! Delicious food from local food trucks helped feed the vast crowds and if people needed a little escape, a quiet area with giant Jenga, giant noughts and crosses and other outdoor games were provided plus relaxing chair massages for adults and kids too! Stagecoach Edinburgh helps build confidence and resilience, offers brilliant opportunities in the community and professionally and helps young people make connections with likeminded classmates who share the similar interests. Stagecoach Performing Arts has a proud history of helping children and young people build confidence and life skills. Over the past 36 years, more than one million students worldwide have benefited from its creative programmes. With a network of 60,000 students and 3,000 schools globally, Stagecoach empowers children with 'Creative Courage for Life,' inspiring countless students to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. For more information about Stagecoach Performing Arts Edinburgh please visit or call Principal Tina Strong on 0131 610 0636 1 . Contributed Stagecoach Edinburgh students performing live to the crowds Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed A Stagecoach Edinburgh student enjoying the event Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 3 . Contributed A Stagecoach Edinburgh student enjoying the event Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed A Stagecoach Edinburgh family enjoying the event Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: EdinburghStagecoachLothians
Chicago Tribune
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Riverview Farmstead needs volunteers for August workday; Broadway music to be performed at Naperville parks
The Forest Preserve District of Will County is seeking volunteers to help with seed collection at the Riverview Farmstead Preserve in Naperville. Volunteers will be on site from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the preserve, which is located on Book Road, south of Hassert Boulevard. The event is open to anyone 8 or older. The district also needs volunteers to help at preserves countywide throughout the summer months, a news release said. These jobs include assisting at public programs and events and at weekly habitat management mornings, the release said. Space is limited so early registration is encouraged. Participants should wear clothes appropriate for the weather and getting dirty, the release said. To volunteer, go to or email volunteerservices@ for a list of openings, a waiver and more information about partner organizations needing help. BrightSide Theatre will perform 'Fun in the Sun: A Broadway Musical Revue' at five Naperville parks this summer. The free performances will include popular songs from various Broadway musicals including 'Wicked,' 'Guys and Dolls,' 'Hamilton,' 'Hairspray,' Once Upon a Mattress,' 'Spamalot' and others, a news release from the Naperville Park District said. The shows are about an hour and guests should bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and snacks, the release said. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at 95th Street Community Plaza, 3109 Cedar Glade Drive; Wednesday, July 16 at Millennium Carillon Amphitheatre, 443 Aurora Ave.; Wednesday, July 23, at Westglen Park, 1516 Westglen Drive; and Thursday, Aug. 7, at Country Lakes, 1835 N. Aurora Ave. A matinee performance will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Ave.
Buzz Feed
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
22 Best And Worst Movie Musical Adaptations
As a movie musical lover (and a once theatre kid), I love seeing how passionate people get when debating movie adaptations of beloved stage shows. Over on Reddit, theatre fans are sharing the absolute BEST of the best stage-to-movie-musicals, to the ones that massively flopped and ultimately embarrassed themselves. Here's what they had to say — and fair warning, theatre folks don't hold back (it's the trauma from getting brutal post-show notes from drama teachers.) "Chicago works because it's one of the only ones that didn't think of a movie as an improvement on the limitations of the stage, but rather imported the idiosyncrasies of theatre into the movie. Other movie musicals are often ashamed of their origin, but Chicago embraced it." "The fact that they pulled off Wicked after all these years, all the production delays, and so many stage play iterations to compare it to if it went blows my mind how good it was! I know we still have Part 2 but considering it was all filmed as one movie, I think we're gonna be just fine!" "I saw the Wicked stage production for the first time a few weeks after seeing the movie, and I actually prefer the movie. When watching the stage, I got whiplash from the pacing on the first act, and the writing of the second act felt messy. I understand why the stage production is the way it is, but the movie had the chance to correct one of my biggest gripes. That being said — "Defying Gravity" is the only thing I enjoyed more on stage. Seeing someone lifted into the air in person hits harder than on screen." "I know how some people feel about jukebox musicals on here, but the movie version of Mamma Mia is legitimately so much better than the stage version imo." "The Fiddler on the Roof is not only one of the best movie versions of a musical I've seen, but might be one of the best movies I've ever seen in general. (Granted, the list of movies I would consider "one of the best I've seen" is pretty extensive!) "Can't believe how little The Sound of Music is being mentioned in this thread. Kind of THE definitive Broadway-to-movie adaptation, both in terms of cultural impact and in terms of how it improved on the stage version. Julie Andrews gives an all-time iconic performance as Maria, and the filming location in Austria with all the helicopter shots of the Alps is just magic." "I'm always in awe of how amazing Matilda is throughout all mediums. The book, the movie, the musical, and the musical movie are all incredible and I think there's something really special about that." "Probably The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Capturing the spirit and vibe of such a musical is amazing, and they did it." "I haven't seen every single movie adaptation of the musical, but of the ones I have seen, I usually refer to 1962's The Music Man as a perfect way to transfer a Broadway show to a film..." "I will also say that Oliver! is the rare example of a film version of a musical that is actually better than the stage version." "Best: Hairspray. I honestly think that the few changes that were made improved the story/flow." "Please do yourself a favour and watch The Producers with Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. It is an almost 1-to-1 adaptation of the stage show, minus a song or two. It is a clever and hilarious thrill ride, with loveably unloveable characters." And now, the worst: "As someone who treasures and adores Rent (it meant SO much to me at a certain time), the movie was horrid and made me angry!" "In terms of worst, there's a lot of options, but 13's movie adaptation will never fail to bewilder me. It's like they went out of their way to make every wrong choice they could..." "I've got a bone to pick with the In the Heights movie. Lots of good, fun choreo, but John Chu cut it from a love story between a neighbourhood and its people into one between Usnavi and Vanessa. Lots of very weird changes, including the "X days until the blackout timer," which ruins the surprise of the act I finale. I could go on and on...I lived near the set, though, so that was a really fun summer." "Honestly, if The Phantom of the Opera had better male leads, it would've been perfect. But putting 17 year-old Emmy Rossum with two 30+ year-old men, and having her kiss them gives me the heebie jeebies. (On top of the male actors' terrible singing)." "A Chorus Line takes the cake as the worst. Some great performances (Terry Mann can do no wrong) but the transfer to film doesn't work." "They didn't use Michael Bennett's original choreography, they completely sidelined certain characters, and they CUT 'THE MUSIC AND THE MIRROR'." "Rock of Ages. Why Tom Cruise? Why Alec Baldwin? Why goddamn Russell Brand? Terrible show gives you a lot to work with and that adaptation just turned it to crap. I was so excited, ROA is genuinely a good show. It's campy as fu**, but it's SUPPOSED TO BE! The '80s were cheesy and campy and ridiculous. The stage show was great. The movie sucked balls." "Dear Evan Hansen was pretty high up there with not good adaptations. As much as I love the score and the show, I know it's problematic — but that show and its music got me through one of the harder times in my life. I love my Benny boy fiercely but he definitely looked extremely out of place and it felt like the whole thing was trying too hard. I loved the addition of 'The Anonymous Ones' — that is a beautiful song. But cutting out 'Good For You' was not a great call. "Meh: They faceplanted on The Last 5 Years by having them both in every scene together, imo. Completely effs up the emotional impact." "Sweeney Todd (unpopular opinion). It's hard to capture Sondheim properly, and they failed at almost every stop. This story needs to be Shakespearean, incredibly complex, and highly absurd in order for it to work. They reached for it all, but landed at none. Also, they started the dreadful trend of having tenors singing Sweeney's part, and I can't forgive that." "The Into The Woods movie SUCKS ASS I hate it so much. They cut out 'No More' (literally a pivotal moment in the baker's character development) and cut the narrator and the mysterious old man entirely?? And kept Rapunzel alive?????? Not to mention JAMES CORDEN. UGHHHH I hate this movie." And because these two were such popular answers, we had to give a special shoutout (or side-eye?) to what might just be the most universally hated movie musical adaptations... "Cats is genuinely one of the worst films I've ever seen. I thought it would be funny as a hate-watch, but it wasn't even 'so bad it's good.' It was just awful and made me sick to my stomach at several different moments lol." "I mean Cats is so obviously the worst so it shouldn't count to say Cats hahaha." "Cats was horrific and I wonder how anybody got roped into it. The cast was stacked." "The Mean Girls musical movie adaptation was awful. It felt like they were embarrassed they were making a musical." "The Mean Girls musical movie was one of the worst things i've ever seen." Let us know your all-time favourite and most hated movie musicals in the comments — I'll go first: I LOVE Mamma Mia (yes, even with Pierce Brosnan' singing, it's campy!), and I HATED the Mean Girls movie musical. Not super original answers, I me.😅😅 If you like what you see, be sure to follow BuzzFeed Canada on TikTok and Instagram for even more hot takes and theatre kid energy.🎭✨
Time Magazine
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025: Comcast NBCUniversal
The Comcast-owned media conglomerate NBCUniversal had fingers in every pie in 2024. During the Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg donned a dressage-style jacket and made international headlines as a special correspondent covering the games, helping drive 30.4 million viewers on average each day across platforms including its streaming service Peacock. In November it announced it would spin off some of its cable TV networks, including MSNBC, CNBC, and E!, as the giant aims to focus its offerings. Universal Pictures' onslaught of pink-and-green Wicked marketing pushed the film to becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation ever as it raked in over $750 million worldwide. And it opened Epic Universe—the first major theme park to be constructed in 25 years, with an estimated cost of around $7 billion, and its fourth one in Orlando—in May to coincide with the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, released three weeks later. "Our ability to sync up movie releases with big entertainment releases has been a proven formula for us," says Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences. "And we'll do it again."
