By Andrew Gans
26 Jun 2009

	Caissie Levy in Wicked
	photo by Joan Marcus

Question: Do you remember your first time on for the role?
Levy: Oh yeah. It was like six months into my contract because the standby goes on first. There was a vacation schedule, and I knew I was going to have two performances. For me it was really interesting because I'm the kind of actor that needs the lights and the costumes and the real thing to happen to take it to the next level. So in rehearsals I was absolutely prepared, but it definitely took on a whole new thing when I actually went on. Luckily, the creative team was there, and I think that's what kind of started talk about me doing the role somewhere. It was just thrilling and overwhelming. I don't remember much of it because it's like being shot out of a cannon. Doing Elphaba you're never offstage and when you are, you're walking through a trapdoor or something. It was just kind of like, "Go, go, go…!" I was opposite Kendra Kassebaum, who is a total pro and a fabulous person, so she was at my side the whole time and really supportive as was the whole cast. Everyone's excited when an understudy goes on. It's such an exciting moment for everyone: "Okay, we're gonna support you and give you everything we can." That cast in New York was really such a family. I miss them — I go see them all the time. And the crew is so fantastic over there. It was an incredible night, and luckily I had two in a row, which was great because then I could sort of think straight the second time around. . . . After that I went straight out to replace Eden [Espinosa] in the L.A. cast. So I did New York for about a year and then I went out, I think, in October of 2008. I stood by for her for six weeks while she was finishing up her run and I took over.

Question: What was it like playing the part on a full-time basis?
Levy: It was amazing. It was tough, and it was a huge learning experience, and it was just thrilling. The L.A. fans of Wicked are hardcore. They were there all the time. L.A. audiences just love, love, love the show.

Question: Were you in Wicked when Adam Lambert was in it?
Levy: I was, yeah.

Question: What was he like?
Levy: He's an awesome guy. He really is just how he comes off on TV. That's him, totally unique and totally at home in his own skin. He has this crazy voice and would go on for Fiyero and just blow the roof off the place.

Question: Were you surprised this year when he had such success on the show?
Levy: Not at all. I'd seen him sing around L.A. and also, obviously, when he would go on for Fiyero, and he's just a star. There's no denying that. He's a star because he knows who he is, and he's not trying to be something he isn't, and he's just got this incredible talent. To watch the entire world find out who he is is kind of crazy, you know? Everyone in Wicked is just so proud of him because he deserves it, and I think he's gonna really make his mark on the pop scene.

Question: How long are you scheduled to stay with Hair?
Levy: I'm with Hair for a year, until next March. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I love this job, and I'm thrilled to be there.

Question: Do you have any other projects in the works while you're in the show?
Levy: Yeah, there's always other things. I do a lot of readings around the city — nothing I can totally speak to. It's not really my place to say. I love working on new projects, and that was actually one of the main thrills about coming back to New York to do this. I was really hoping that after doing Elphaba my next thing would be originating a role. So to actually have that happen is really exciting, and I'd like to continue on that path, keeping an eye out for cool new projects that happen around town.

[Hair plays the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street; for tickets call (212) 239-6200 or visit telecharge.com or hairbroadway.com.]

	Barbra Streisand

DIVA TIDBITS
Good news for the legion of Barbra Streisand fans: The newest solo recording from the Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner — the actress' first studio collection since 2005 — is due in stores in the fall. Entitled "Love Is the Answer," the CD will arrive on the Columbia Records label Sept. 29. The new disc, press notes state, "presents the artist as a cabaret and jazz singer of emotional clarity, depth and maturity, offering the listener a warm and intimate selection of late night meditations on love's powers, heartbreaks and solaces." "Love Is the Answer" provides Streisand the opportunity to work with Grammy-winning Canadian jazz artist Diana Krall (piano) and her quartet (guitar, bass, drums). Orchestrations were penned by Grammy-winning arranger Johnny Mandel. Song titles have yet to be announced.

The Carlyle Hotel has announced its 2009 fall season, which will feature three-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara. South Pacific's O'Hara, who made her Carlyle debut this past spring, will kick off the season, playing the posh venue Sept. 15-26. She will be followed by veteran singer/songwriter Judy Collins, who will present ten encore performances of her spring engagement Sept. 29-Oct. 7. Husband and wife singing duo John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey will play the East Side cabaret Oct. 13-Nov 7, and vocalist Steve Tyrell will be in residence Nov. 10-31. Woody Allen & The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band will once again perform Monday evenings Sept. 14-Dec. 7. The Carlyle Hotel is located at 35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue. For reservations call (212) 744-1600 or visit www.thecarlyle.com.

Susan Blackwell and 2009 Tony nominee Hunter Bell, who starred in the Broadway musical [title of show], will offer a workshop in July named after one of the songs performed in that Bell- Jeff Bowen show. The "Die Vampire, Die" workshop will be held July 20 in downtown Seattle from 2-8 PM. A vampire, it should be noted, "is any person, thought or feeling that stands between you and your creative self-expression." The workshop, according to press notes, is "designed to assist participants in identifying and nurturing the seedlings of ideas through the writing process and into performance. While some performance experience is helpful, it is not necessary." There is a $125 fee for the one-day workshop; to reserve a spot and receive further information, email Kat Ramsburg at katramsburg@yahoo.com.

Singing actress Susan Egan and composer Georgia Stitt will team for two concerts at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan in August. The duo's concerts, entitled All Knocked Up! (again) are scheduled for Aug. 1 at 9:45 PM and Aug. 2 at 9:30 PM. "Come join these gal pals for a raucous evening as they sing their own tunes and others amidst juicy gossip and the occasional pee break!" according to a news posting on Egan's official website. The Metropolitan Room is located at 34 West 22nd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. For reservations call (212) 206-0440 or visit www.metropolitanroom.com.

Actors from the San Francisco casts of Wicked and Spamalot will join composer and lyricist Scott Alan for an evening of his songs July 3 at the Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko in California. The 11 PM concert will feature the talents of Spamalot's Merle Dandridge and Wicked's Alexa Green, Celisse Henderson, Vicki Noon and Eddy Rioseco. Expect songs from Alan's recordings "Dreaming Wide Awake" and "Keys" as well as tunes from his musical Piece. The Rrazz Room is located inside Hotel Nikko at 222 Mason Street, San Francisco. For tickets, priced $30-$50, visit http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2003174.

	Bernadette Peters in concert
	photo by Kurt Sneddon

Two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters recently returned from Australia, where she performed two sold-out concerts at the 1,850-seat Festival Theatre. The evenings, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander with musical direction by Marvin Laird, were part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, assembled by new artistic director (and famed singing actor) David Campbell. Peters' acclaimed concerts — which included her renditions of "Let Me Entertain You," "Nothing Like a Dame," "No One Is Alone," "Johanna," "Move On," "Children Will Listen," "I Honestly Love You" and "Rose's Turn," among others — were filmed for Australian television and will air this weekend (June 27 at 8:30 PM Australia time) on Foxtel. Let's hope the concert will be picked up for American TV and DVD distribution! BTW, diva fans can catch Peters June 27 at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco; visit bernadettepeters.com for Peters' complete tour itinerary.

Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.