NOTE: Spoilers ahead for “Wicked.” Turn back now if you wish to remain pure.
Good news! “Wicked” is finally here — or at least, part one is — and fans can now see Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s takes on Glinda and Elphaba in full. But you’ll also see some familiar faces singing to them.
Now in theaters, “Wicked” tells the story of what happened before Dorothy came to Oz, and how the witches came to have their reputations. No, Elphaba (Erivo) wasn’t always the Wicked Witch of the West. And yes, she and Glinda (Grande) were friends. But that was a long time ago.
“Wicked” was indeed first a book, but the story shot to fame when it was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2003. To date, it is one of the longest-running and highest-grossing musicals ever. In that original Broadway cast, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel played Glinda and Elphie, respectively.
And yes, you will spot them in the movie. Surprisingly, it’s not a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but rather a full blown song.
The two appear in the Emerald City, during the song “One Short Day.” They’re performers in a small show known as “Wiz-o-Mania,” which tells the prophecy of the great Wizard of Oz. Funnily enough, they get their own song within the song, one that wasn’t in the original Broadway show.
As an added bonus, Menzel gets to do her original Elphaba war cry, as heard at the end of “Defying Gravity,” and Chenoweth gets to hit what became known in pop culture as “The Cheno Note.”
Along with the performance of the “Wiz-o-Mania superstars,” as they’re named in the film’s end credits, each woman gets to have a sweet moment interacting with their film counterpart. Menzel cheekily adjusts Erivo’s hat, while Chenoweth and Grande share a sweet little embrace.
“Wicked” is now in theaters everywhere.
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