Shoshana Bean - Wicked & Godspell

Shoshana from Godspell to Wicked

Shoshana Bean will join the Wicked tour as Elphaba in Portland, September 2006, and continue through the end of 2006.

Shoshana has performed professionally in New York City in several Stephen Schwartz musicals. She played Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway from January 2005- January 8, 2006, and also played in the popular 2000 revival of Godspell.

Here's what she has to say about the music of Stephen Schwartz (from an email interview 5-30-06):

Shoshana Bean: "Stephen's music has always been some of my favorite in the musical theater repertoire. Rags, Pippin, Bakers Wife. . . .and of course Godspell and Wicked. He writes for women unlike any other composer whose score I’ve had the pleasure of singing. (ok, I guess for men too, as I've always secretly wanted to sing 'Corner of the Sky' or 'All good Gifts!')

"I suppose his music especially speaks to me because of its pop sensibility, as well as its theatricality. For me, that combination is incredibly powerful and winning! It has always been a thrill and an honor to sing his stuff. No, it's hardly EASY, but I love the challenge of it! It's so satisfying and therapeutic. . . . and I have to say, singing his songs eight times a week is what I miss the most about doing Wicked." Read all about Wicked

Godspell - 2000 Cast Recording

Shoshana Bean sings "Bless the Lord" and joins in other ensemble numbers. Godspell 2000 Cast Album - Buy it or hear sound clips

Read Shoshana Bean's comments about the role in the new Wicked Grimmerie - a fantastic book all about Wicked.

Theatre message board buzz: "Her Defying Gravity--she hit every single note--PERFECTLY! She blew the roof off the Gershwin. The woman sitting next to me though she had a third lung!"

Hear Shoshana Bean

Hair (2004 Concert Cast) Hear Shoshana Bean sing "Sheila Franklin/I Believe in Love," as well as other stars like Liz Callaway. September 20, 2004 Actors Fund concert performance with Kathy Brier, Gavin Creel, Darius deHaas, Harvey Fierstein, Hunter Foster, Ann Harada, Jennifer Hudson, Norm Lewis, Idina Menzel, Julia Murney, Adam Pascal, Billy Porter, RuPaul, Jai Rodriguez, Lillias White. Musical Director and Conductor Seth Rudetsky hints at "special guest star" and bonus track.

Godspell - 2000 Cast Recording

Shoshana Bean sings "Bless the Lord" and joins in other ensemble numbers. Godspell 2000 Cast Album - Buy it or hear sound clips

Praise of Shoshana Bean

"Miss Shoshana Bean was the scene stealer of the evening. This woman truly knows how to "act" a song, to sell it with honest emotion to back up the sounds coming from her throat." - John Garcia in his review of Leader of the Pack

"SHOSHANA BEAN has one of the most unique voices you will ever hear; the range on this girl doesn't stop!" - A review of the Godspell 2000 production

In WICKED: "She has a very different take on the character than Idina did. She's a bit more vulnerable and more eager to fit in as Elphaba. Idina was more a built up steely-ness that slipped into vulnerability then lashed back with the steel. I enjoyed them both, and it was interesting to compare. She's different vocally too. Shoshana was a bit more "pop" than Idina." - Luann - from a theatre message board (used with permission)

Bio

Shoshana Bean played Shelley in the original cast of the Tony-winning musical Hairspray . Originally from Portland, Oregon, Bean attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music before heading to NYC. She was first cast in the Off-Broadway production of Godspell and then in the national tour of Leader of the Pack. Bean was also recently seen in the all-star Hair benefit concert.

Websites and Articles

Shoshana Bean's official site: http://www.shoshanabean.com/

Shoshana Bean Fan site http://www.shoshanabeanonline.com/

Ask A Star - Shoshana Bean answers questions (Broadway.com)

How she gets green - and other back stage WICKED photos (Broadway.com)

About Godspell and Wicked

All about Godspell - at MusicalSchwartz.com

All about Wicked - Main Wicked page at MusicalSchwartz.com

Godspell2000/ - Revival show with Shoshana Bean

New DVD with bonus features:
Broadway: The American Musical

Watch Wicked stars rehearse and perform "For Good" from Wicked in the DVD's special feature. PLUS a 16-minute bonus feature "The Making of Wicked" with footage from the colorful production and interview clips. It includes several minutes with stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in rehearsal, on stage, and backstage.

Buy it $18 off list price:

Broadway - The American Musical - DVD $41.99 amazon.com -
--- For European visitors: Broadway... - Amazon.co.uk

Grammy winning Wicked CD: Enjoy Idina's vocal magic in "The Wizard and I," "What is This Feeling" (duet with Kristin Chenoweth), "Defying Gravity," "As Long As You're Mine" (duet with Norbert Leo Butz), "No Good Deed," and "For Good" (duet with Chenoweth)

A hot seller for performers (not related to Wicked):

Making It on Broadway: Actors' Tales of... [new browser window] (opens to Amazon.com)

"MAKING IT ON BROADWAY (Allworth Press) goes beyond the glitz and the glamour to show what really happens both on a Broadway stage and in the personal lives of Broadway actors. In their own words, Jason Alexander, Terrence Mann, Donna Murphy, Lea Salonga, and more than 150 of today's Broadway performers—including fifty-five Tony Award® winners and nominees—talk candidly about living and working in the new era of the mega-musical."

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