Saturday, November 17, 2007

From Wicked to Enchanted

Fans of Broadway musicals will have a little something extra to look forward to in Enchanted besides its Big Apple locations and Alan Menken/Stephen Schwartz show tunes. It is also chock full of stage faves! (Note: the following story links contain potential spoilers.)

Of the actresses making the leap from stage to screen, Idina Menzel (the Tony Award-winning original Elphaba in Schwartz's Wicked) has the biggest role as Nancy, the high power fashion designer fiancée of Patrick Dempsey's character. Alas, she does not get her own song, although she can be heard singing the end title song to the recently released Beowulf.

In one of several nods to Disney fairy tales past, former animated princesses Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid), Paige O'Hara (Beauty and the Beast) and Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas) are seen in the flesh in various roles; all three have extensive stage credits as well. Another recognizable name in the cast is Tonya Pinkins, who was nominated for the Tony for Caroline, or Change, but lost to Menzel. Yet by far the biggest Broadway star to be in Enchanted is Miss Julie Andrews, although, as the narrator, she is heard and not seen.

Links via Imdb.com, About.com, SciFi.com, LATimes.com and MTV.com.

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