Nasiah Tesch and Michael Finley
Based on the classic Broadway musical, Wicked is part one of the long-awaited adapted film prequelling The Wizard of Oz (1939). The story is set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy’s arrival, focusing on Elphaba, a green-skinned girl who later becomes The Wicked Witch of The West, and Galinda, who later becomes Glinda the Good, as the two of them attend Shiz University. The movie beautifully portrays the first half of their story and their deepening bond.
The release of Wicked was highly anticipated and enjoyed by fans of musical theatre. Ben Ruby, junior, voiced his opinion on the movie. “I definitely enjoyed the film, I liked the music a lot. I’ve seen the musical, so I enjoyed the nostalgia from childhood.” The movie even expanded past its expected audience. “I really liked how colorful and captivating it was, I was really interested the whole time,” said Kira Gillis, freshman. When asked about the music included in the film, approximately 42% of students interviewed said “Dancing Through Life” was their favorite song. 58% said their favorites were “Defying Gravity” or “Popular”. “It’s really groovy and fun, it makes you want to sing along.” Said Senior Toni Ferencz, after answering with “Defying Gravity”.
In November 2021, 3 years before the release of Wicked, Director Jon M. Chu revealed Galinda would be played by Ariana Grande. This decision elevated conversation surrounding the film as trailers dropped. “I was a little on the fence about Ariana Grande casting as Galinda,, but I ended up liking it,” Basye Mummert, senior, explained, “She was a fantastic Glinda and she definitely filled the big shoes.”
An ongoing debate whether or not the Musical or the Movie is a better adaptation of Wicked has sparked ever since the movie’s release. Most individuals experienced in theater typically lean towards the musical being greater, but there are others like Kiana Sipes, senior, who preferred the movie rather than the musical. Sipes reasoned, “I think I prefer the movie because the extended screen time allowed for more expansion on certain scenes, but there are certain aspects of the musical that the movie couldn’t exactly replicate, like ‘Defying Gravity’. It was much cooler on stage.”When peers were asked to rate the film, the results averaged to a solid 8.5/10. One common reason for this rating was due to the movie being split into two parts. Mummert further concluded, “I’m more excited than nervous to see the 2nd one and what they do with it…I guess we’ll see.”
