Wicked is a prequel event from L Frank Baum’s original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the film adaptation, The Wizard of Oz. The first Wicked premiered on October 30, 2003 on Broadway. It was the fourth longest running Broadway show at two hours and 45 minutes. Wicked is about two witches leaving their differences aside and becoming best friends, and on Broadway has gotten more nominations than any production. In the early 2000s Wicked made 5 billion dollars worth of ticket sales worldwide, and about 65 million people have seen it.
“I actually haven’t seen Wicked yet, but I’ve been watching TikTok and the interviews online and it looks pretty good. I’ve heard a few songs but I haven’t watched movies yet so I’m kind of caught up. I love the “Defying Gravity” trend where people sing and some of them aren’t very good at it,” said senior Zoe Sauvagnargues.
With a new movie comes many new trends, some good, some bad. Wicked is no different as the Broadway version was very popular. One of the most popular trends stems from the song “Defying Gravity,” It’s where fans sit around in any place and sing the most popular part of the song sung by Elphaba when she flies away on the broom. Another yet not so popular trend is when people watch Wicked at theaters and flash their phone’s flashlight at the screen making it hard for anyone to stay focused. There’s also a viral dance fans do on TikTok to the song “Loathing.” Many people put their own spin on it like dance companies, college dance teams, and even Ariana Grande’s brother Frankie Grande. Compared to the old productions of Wicked, many people are on the fence about which actresses they prefer in the production.
“I honestly like the older actresses compared to the new ones. Of course Ariana and Cynthia were amazing in the movie, but I also prefer the originals. Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth were the perfect fit for the roles. I especially love Kristen Chenoweth,” said senior Ivy Chi.
Idina Menzel was Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in the new Wicked the movie. Kristin Chenoweth was Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. Ariana Grande is Glinda in the new Wicked. Ariana Grande is a Grammy-winning singer that is best known for “7 Rings,” “Thank U, Next,” and, “We Can’t Be Friends.” She has been Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon shows Victorious and Sam & Cat. Ariana Grande has been on a Broadway musical at just 13 years old. Cynthia Erivo is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winning actress who was in The Color Purple on Broadway and the movie Harriet. Cynthia Erivo also co-wrote and performed the song “Stand Up” in the movie Harriet. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth both were featured in the new Wicked movie. Do you think the Wicked part 2 movie would be as exciting as the first one?
“Personally, as a person who saw the Broadway production of Wicked, I am very excited for part two to come out. I think that part two will be as exciting as part one, if not more, just because of the storyline. Apparently there are also two new songs in the second part, but I’m not too sure if that’s true. Overall, I can’t wait for part two and I can’t wait to see it with my best friend,” said junior Gabrielle Silva.
In conclusion, Wicked is a wickedly good and history changing movie, as it brings in a new twist to the theatre classic experience and introduces many fun and familiar faces. But, this is only the first act, so we shall see if this movie can be beaten by its predecessor, or if it will stay on top as the best act of the Wicked movies.
