Not even the original creators of Wicked could have predicted their own show’s success.
Even as Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman collaborated on their satirical story of disillusion, distrust, and disenchantment in the early 2000s, they mostly wrote for snarky middle-aged audiences – fellow grumpy Boomers who were unhappy with the Bush administration. They certainly didn’t write for teenage girls, or closeted gay men, or Oprah; and yet, Wicked spoke to all three of these crucial demographics. Schwartz and Holzman’s jabs at weak politicians, mob rule, and mainstream media were certainly prescient, but their reexamination of the Wicked Witch of the West, the misunderstood outsider, turned the show into a hit. Countless international stagings and one movie later, and the musical has become a veritable cultural touchstone.
In honor of that meteoric rise to the forefront of pop culture, we now look back on some essential moments from America’s history that have only existed because of the successful Broadway premiere of Wicked in 2003. While they may not have changed us for the better, they’ve certainly changed us for good.
Idina Menzel first hit it big on Broadway by originating the role of Maureen in Rent, but Wicked turned her into an international star. After winning a Tony for playing Elpheba, she broke out into TV and film, and earned the high-profile role of Elsa in Frozen. Millions of Provincetown road trip singalongs later, the song is still a banger.
Menzel’s Wicked-induced popularity also earned her a guest spot on Glee, where she appeared in a recurring role as Lea Michele’s mom. Unfortunately, this casting doesn’t seem as crackerjack as it did back in 2010. In fact, it seems borderline unhinged now that we’re looking back. Menzel is only fifteen years older than Michele, and while the two resembled each other in 2010, they still seemed more like sisters than mother-daughter. Plus, what kind of mother and daughter sing about their “muffins” to each other in perfect harmony without cracking an ironic smile? That’s exactly what happened in their cringey duet of “Poker Face.” On top of all that, Menzel has gone on the record to express her dismay at being cast as Michele’s mom, implying sexism in the decision. Sexism in a show created by Famous Boomer Ryan Murphy? *surprised Pikachu face*
One of the most iconically bad impersonations in RuPaul’s Drag Race history is Trixie Mattel’s painfully wooden rendition of RuPaul herself in All Stars Season 3. Though Mattel is a patently hilarious performer in her own right and started out the Snatch Game (the show’s impersonation challenge) strong, she tanked quickly thanks to nerves and Kristen Chenoweth. That’s right, Kristen Chenoweth – the original Glinda – appeared as herself in Episode 4 of Season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. She also attempted to tee up Trixie-as-Ru-Paul by congratulating “RuPaul” on her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, prompting Trixie to deliver the line that has gone down in history as the worst drag queen quip of all time: “Winner, winner … Chicken …………. Dinner.” Thank you, Kristen Chenoweth, for your service.
Wicked’s reframing of the Wicked Witch of the West has inspired at least two Disney origin stories – Maleficent and Cruella. Both movies attempt to present their titular evil mistresses as misunderstood outcasts, forced as they are into vileness by fate and circumstance. Arguably, such a trope wouldn’t fly in Hollywood without Elpheba’s original ascent to gleeful villainy. That said, can we get a Ursula origin story now? As someone told me lately, everyone deserves the chance to fly.
Oprah was not the first female TV personality to hire someone from the original Broadway run of Wicked to sing “For Good” at their televised farewell show. That honor goes to Katie Couric, who snagged Idina Menzel to sing the weepie about adult friendships at her last “Today” appearance in 2006. That said, Oprah one-upped Katie in a big way by convincing Kristen Chenoweth to sing it at her televised goodbye special in 2011. While the song was originally about fate, maturity, and faded friendship between only two women, it quickly became a perfect send-off for the millions of fans who had developed parasocial relationships with Oprah and Katie, convinced that only they had been changed for good.
Where I come from, we believe all sorts of things that aren’t true. We call it the Wicked movie press tour.
