Fiyero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| Fiyero | |
|---|---|
 Idina Menzel as Elphaba with Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero in the Original Broadway Cast of Wicked |
|
| First appearance | Wicked (1995) |
| Last appearance | Wicked (1995) |
| Cause/reason | Death |
| Created by | Gregory Maguire |
| Portrayed by | Norbert Leo Butz |
| Information | |
| Species | human |
| Gender | male |
| Age | unknown |
| Date of birth | unknown |
| Occupation | Winkie prince |
| Spouse(s) | Sarima |
| Children | Irji, Manek, and Nor by Sarima; Liir by Elphaba |
| Address | Winkie Country |
In both the book and the musical versions of Wicked, Fiyero is a Winkie prince who attends Shiz University. He eventually becomes the love interest of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West). Between the two works, the character is portrayed somewhat differently.
[edit] Contrasts between portrayals of Fiyero
In the book, Fiyero is covered with blue, diamond-shaped tattoos and is unhappily married to a woman named Sarima and father to three children: Irji, Manek, and Nor. He meets an early demise when he is brutally murdered by The Wizard's secret police, presumably because he is affiliated with Elphaba, who is now a fugitive from The Wizard. It is also noted that Fiyero has dark skin.
In the musical, the character has no tattoos (simply because the small designs did not translate well to the stage) and never married, but he is engaged (rather reluctantly) to Glinda. He is at first a careless, happy-go-lucky kid, but when he meets Elphaba, he begins to understand that there is more to life than having fun and never thinking. In the middle of his discovery, he is transformed unwittingly into the Scarecrow by Elphaba as she tries to save him from the Wizard's Guards. He helps Elphaba stage her death and escapes with her out of Oz.
In the musical, Fiyero is the vehicle that makes a happy ending possible, by helping Elphaba escape. This is contradictory to the book, where he actually contributes to the Witch's downfall. Fiyero's death affects Elphaba deeply, leaving her struck with grief. She is left haunted by a sense of guilt and failure that eventually drives her to seek out Fiyero's widow and children in the isolated Vinkus castle, Kiamo Ko. Unfortunately for Elphaba, Sarima refuses to even listen to her confession concerning her late husband. Sarima does, however, due to custom, allow Elphaba to stay semipermanently in the castle with Liir, Elphaba's illegitimate son with Fiyero. This is where Elphaba is later (accidentally) killed by Dorothy.
[edit] Actors who have played Fiyero
In the musical, Wicked, the part of Fiyero was first played on Broadway by actor Norbert Leo Butz. Butz was replaced by Kristoffer Cusick and Taye Diggs before briefly returning to the role. He was later permanently replaced by Joey McIntyre, and then David Ayers, who was subsequently replaced by Derrick Williams. In Chicago, Cusick originated the role and was replaced by Brad Bass, then Derrick Williams and Michael Seelbach. On tour, Williams originated as Fiyero; when he left to replace David Ayers on Broadway, Sebastian Arcelus became the second touring Fiyero. Cliffton Hall took over the role in October 2006. In January 2007, Sebastian Arcelus assumed the role in the Broadway production, and was followed by David Burnham, who created the role in the original LA workshops, in January 2008. Aaron Tveit will take over the role on Broadway for Burnham on June 24, 2008. For the Los Angeles company Kristoffer Cusick once again originated the role of Fiyero beginning February 2007, and was then replaced by Derrick Williams in May 2008. Adam Garcia originated the role of Fiyero in the West End production in September 2006 before being replaced by former standby Oliver Tompsett on July 16, 2007. In the Australian version, the role of Fiyero will be played by Rob Mills. In the German version, Fiyero is played by Mark Seibert.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
